:: The Effect of Killing a Man in the Ring ::

Whilst the supposed % may vary - Most fighters state that boxing is more mental than physical, so can you think of fighters who just were not the same after killing a man in the ring?

Some examples of such tragic situations where a fighter kills his opposition and the effects on to their own careers -


The very infamous fight of Griffith vs Paret 3 - where Paret called Grifith a 'Maricon', in the build up. Griffith reportedly felt guilt over Paret's death and suffered nightmares about Paret for 40 years.In the last scene of Documentary Ring of Fire, Griffith was introduced to Benny Paret's son. The son embraced the elderly fighter and told him he was forgiven. However, Paret's widow Lucy could not bring herself to meet him. She died in 2004.

Then the current 175 unified champ Kovalev vs Smakov - He doesn't seem to be affected in the ring by killing Roman Simakov, but said after the fight 'If i ever Step in to the ring i will dedicate my fight to Roman...Forgive me Roman..Rest In peace Warrior' - so it is very evident that it had an effect outside the ring.

Ray Manchini vs Duk Koo Kim - Kim suffered brain injuries that led to his death four days later.
Mancini went to the funeral in South Korea and he fell into a deep depression afterwards.He has said that the hardest moments came when people approached him and asked if he was the boxer who "killed" Duk Koo Kim. Mancini went through a period of reflection, as he blamed himself for Kim's death. In addition, Kim's mother committed suicide four months after the fight, and the bout's referee, Richard Green, killed himself in July 1983.


As a result of this bout, the WBC took steps to shorten its title bouts to a maximum of 12 rounds. The WBA and WBO followed in 1988, and the IBF in 1989

Ezzard Charles vs Baroudi - Charles caught his opponent with a whirlwind of blows. Dropped to the mat, Baroudi fell into a coma just as the referee counted 10. Taken by ambulance to Cook County Hospital, Baroudi was followed by Charles and manager Jake Mintz, both men keeping an all-night vigil. The game fighter from Akron never regained consciousness, and died of a brain hemorrhage in the early hours of the morning of February 21. Also to note Baroudi once killed a man in very similar fashion. He knocked out light heavy Newton Smith in the ninth on August 15, 1947. Smith died in hospital of massive brain trauma.

A devastated Charles announced his retirement. Although persuaded to continue by his pastor and baroudi's family, his heart was no longer in it. He still managed on to win the next 16 fights, nine by stoppage, defeating guys like Bivins, Maxim, Gus Lesnevich, and Lee Oma. And it was in that time that he won the title. He didn’t lose a bout until more than three years after Baroudi’s demise, when he lost the championship to Walcott. That said, Baroudi stayed with him as though his own shadow. Charles never spoke of Baroudi


Max Baer is another one against Campbell and Schaf (who many state to have died from damage taken against Baer), In the case of Campbell, Baer was charged with Manslaughter. Baer was eventually acquitted of all charges, but the California State Boxing Commission still banned him from any in-ring activity within the state for the next year. Baer gave purses from succeeding bouts to Campbell's family, but lost four of his next six fights - Not exactly sure how it affected him though in life and in his career.


There are many more examples also out there

Good article Mate, the fighter that springs to mind in terms of having been the mostly greatly affected is one that did not actually kill his opponent ; Eubank . Never appeared to be the same after the Watson fight.

horizontalhero wrote:Good article Mate, the fighter that springs to mind in terms of having been the mostly greatly affected is one that did not actually kill his opponent ; Eubank . Never appeared to be the same after the Watson fight.

Yeah, He didn't look right in the thompson fight, but all respect to Watson, guy ran a marathon, a MARATHON!!! insane, true heart.

You are right, he did seem to have his heart back in it by the end of his career, but his unwillingness to pull the trigger against a wobbling Colins comes to mind.

I imagine on thanksgiving or at Christmas It hits home what you've done.....Especially If the guy has got kids.....

Legal or not It's a terrible thing to know you've destroyed a life......Certainly easier If the family forgives you as they did in the Johnny Owen case....

A worse case was Resto - Collins........A young kid's dreams ending in a brutal illegal battering and a subsequent suicide...

If I was Resto that would be harder to live with............

S**t happens but I'd rather do the killing than be killed..............You're still a victim but it's more fun....

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:I imagine on thanksgiving or at Christmas It hits home what you've done.....Especially If the guy has got kids.....

Legal or not It's a terrible thing to know you've destroyed a life......Certainly easier If the family forgives you as they did in the Johnny Owen case....

A worse case was Resto - Collins........A young kid's dreams ending in a brutal illegal battering and a subsequent suicide...

If I was Resto that would be harder to live with............

S**t happens but I'd rather do the killing than be killed..............You're still a victim but it's more fun....

Documentary on the Collins resto fight was good, how Resto's life was all Frak up now, but Panama Lewis was still living well, when he was the one who did the deed, of removing the padding, the father of collins didn't allow collins to fight, looking for a bigger compensation, hence collins had so many problems, because he wasn't allowed to do what he wanted to...

Can't stick it all on Lewis........Though he's scum !!.....

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Can't stick it all on Lewis........Though he's scum !!.....

Yeah, but he was still one of the main causes in the death, including resto, and Billy's dad

Billy's Dad ?????

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Billy's Dad ?????

Collins wanted to fight on, he wanted to box after that fight, he was medically fit to fight, it didn't cause him any long term damage, what happened was, Billy's dad controlled his career and his life..like many fathers do or try to do, so instead of letting him continue to box, he told him to not fight, because he felt they would get more compensation if it looked like Billy collins couldnt fight on because of his injuries from the Resto fight, he could have fixed any problems he had with his eye and continued fighting (unless I am confusing facts from the documentary), whilst this, couple of years had past and Billy went into depression became an alcoholic, but his family - Father - Ignored all of his problems and was just looking for money, In the end they didnt get any extra compensation anyway,

That's not how it was portrayed in the documentary KO, he suffered such severe injuries to his eyes that left him unable to box, we're talking about the 80's here where eye repair is nowhere near as advanced as it is now. I could be wrong but i've never read anything that suggests he could have returned to the ring.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:That's not how it was portrayed in the documentary KO, he suffered such severe injuries to his eyes that left him unable to box, we're talking about the 80's here where eye repair is nowhere near as advanced as it is now. I could be wrong but i've never read anything that suggests he could have returned to the ring.

am Probably wrong, about the eye, but his dad was a bit of a d1ck in just blindly chasing money

KO-KING wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Billy's Dad ?????

Collins wanted to fight on, he wanted to box after that fight, he was medically fit to fight, it didn't cause him any long term damage, what happened was, Billy's dad controlled his career and his life..like many fathers do or try to do, so instead of letting him continue to box, he told him to not fight, because he felt they would get more compensation if it looked like Billy collins couldnt fight on because of his injuries from the Resto fight, he could have fixed any problems he had with his eye and continued fighting (unless I am confusing facts from the documentary), whilst this, couple of years had past and Billy went into depression became an alcoholic, but his family - Father - Ignored all of his problems and was just looking for money, In the end they didnt get any extra compensation anyway,

You're being naughty about Billy Sr................and you're OUT OF ORDER !!

Very difficult dealing with an alcoholic and god willing you'll never have to !!!!!..............

Alcohol destroys families and I went through an awful time growing up..........

Your post is simplistic bollox..........and beneath contempt !!................The bit about just looking for money is probably libellous.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

KO-KING wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Billy's Dad ?????

Collins wanted to fight on, he wanted to box after that fight, he was medically fit to fight, it didn't cause him any long term damage, what happened was, Billy's dad controlled his career and his life..like many fathers do or try to do, so instead of letting him continue to box, he told him to not fight, because he felt they would get more compensation if it looked like Billy collins couldnt fight on because of his injuries from the Resto fight, he could have fixed any problems he had with his eye and continued fighting (unless I am confusing facts from the documentary), whilst this, couple of years had past and Billy went into depression became an alcoholic, but his family - Father - Ignored all of his problems and was just looking for money, In the end they didnt get any extra compensation anyway,

You're being naughty about Billy Sr................and you're OUT OF ORDER !!

Very difficult dealing with an alcoholic and god willing you'll never have to !!!!!..............

Alcohol destroys families and I went through an awful time growing up..........

Your post is simplistic bollox..........and beneath contempt !!................The bit about just looking for money is probably libellous.

I was talking about what the documentary showed, then I clarified I could be wrong as my memory is a bit off on it.