how many champions and contenders have been.....

[shommel]

accused of being wife/girlfriend beaters?past and present?

[Bill1234]

Well, the ones I hear about most often are Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson.

[Thread Stealer]

Ray Leonard
Ray Robinson
Jake LaMotta
Floyd Mayweather
Mike Tyson
Diego Corrales
Arturo Gatti
Joe Louis (admitted to assaulting GF Lena Horne in his autobiography)

[PowerPuncher]

Who cares the bitches deserved it

[Chinxkid]

Maybe this won't be a popular angle, but guys that make their living beating people up have to make a conscious choice not to carry that into their other life, and who can infuriate us more than those we love? Alotta you guys know I had a father who was a pro fighter, and get this, my brother and I were the ONLY two boys on our street who didn't get beat by their father. And, more to the point of the thread, he never laid a hand on my mother either, though they had some wars.

[AlFrancis]

Maybe this won't be a popular angle, but guys that make their living beating people up have to make a conscious choice not to carry that into their other life, and who can infuriate us more than those we love? Alotta you guys know I had a father who was a pro fighter, and get this, my brother and I were the ONLY two boys on our street who didn't get beat by their father. And, more to the point of the thread, he never laid a hand on my mother either, though they had some wars.



Same for me. My old fella never laid a hand on me, my brothers or my mum.

[Chinxkid]

Same for me. My old fella never laid a hand on me, my brothers or my mum.

You know, I knew that already from the love I hear in your voice when you discuss him. Just a question though Al, did he have a violent streak in his private life or did he see it as two separate worlds? Hope that's clear. I guess what I'm getting at is, do you believe NOT beating your wives and kids is more challenging for a fighter? To not resort to the familiar way of handling frustrating things?

[Thread Stealer]

It's understandable (NOT excusable) that some fighters can't control their violence to the ring.

You're training all the time to be violent, you make your living by being violent with your fists.

[AlFrancis]

You know, I knew that already from the love I hear in your voice when you discuss him. Just a question though Al, did he have a violent streak in his private life or did he see it as two separate worlds? Hope that's clear. I guess what I'm getting at is, do you believe NOT beating your wives and kids is more challenging for a fighter? To not resort to the familiar way of handling frustrating things?


No, I'll be honest with you. He's a very easy going man. Even when he was fighting he was very relaxed, at home Im talking about. It was always my mum who took us to task. my dad was one of those fellas that would give us a talking to which was sometimes worse than a slap of my mum.
Don't get me wrong he could lose his temper and start shouting but he's always had a very slow fuse. When he did start shouting we took notice (even now haha) because it wasnt something he did all the time and no sooner did he lose it then he was back in control.

That's me and him in the avatar by the way circa 1968
What about you're old man?

[janitor]

Maybe this won't be a popular angle, but guys that make their living beating people up have to make a conscious choice not to carry that into their other life, and who can infuriate us more than those we love? Alotta you guys know I had a father who was a pro fighter, and get this, my brother and I were the ONLY two boys on our street who didn't get beat by their father. And, more to the point of the thread, he never laid a hand on my mother either, though they had some wars.

That is how it should be.

Personaly I won't hit a man if I can help it.

If some 18 year old kid starts to think he is Mike Tyson and takes a swing at me, I try to take him down without hurting him, and I hope that teaches him more than beating him up would.

[Chinxkid]

No, I'll be honest with you. He's a very easy going man. Even when he was fighting he was very relaxed, at home Im talking about. It was always my mum who took us to task. my dad was one of those fellas that would give us a talking to which was sometimes worse than a slap of my mum.
Don't get me wrong he could lose his temper and start shouting but he's always had a very slow fuse. When he did start shouting we took notice (even now haha) because it wasnt something he did all the time and no sooner did he lose it then he was back in control.

That's me and him in the avatar by the way circa 1968
What about you're old man?

Nice photo Al, I figured it was you and your dad. :good

Well, my dad was an emotional Mediterranean type, so he could get heated and then more heated, and there were times when I thought he'd let it get the best of him. But I think I always knew, make that hoped, that he'd never tear into me. A very frightening prospect. Truth is I think he knew he'd kill me, or hurt me really bad so he had to learn to keep himself in check. Lucky for me he did. He was really a loving guy ... it's funny 'cause I just came off the Lounge where someone posted a video to a tune called, "The day I died was the best day of my life," saying that the song makes him cry and it almost did me too. Of course I was thinking of my day who's been gone a long time. He really was a sweetheart of a guy. I have regrets about the day he died, namely that I was on the other side of the U.S. at the time. Big regrets.

[Chinxkid]

That is how it should be.

Personaly I won't hit a man if I can help it.

If some 18 year old kid starts to think he is Mike Tyson and takes a swing at me, I try to take him down without hurting him, and I hope that teaches him more than beating him up would.

Good for you, Janitor. That takes REAL strength.

[AlFrancis]

It's understandable (NOT excusable) that some fighters can't control their violence to the ring.

You're training all the time to be violent, you make your living by being violent with your fists.

I agree with you it's not excusable. I've grown up around boxers and most of them are easy going men. I don't agree that fighters train to be violent although it is a violent sport I very much doubt that many fighters feel rage in the ring.
Obviously there are fighters who have been wife beaters and I don't know what the statistics say but I woldn't imagine that it would be any any higher than your average joe.
Sadly there are fellas from all walks of life that will come home from a hard day at work or the boozer and give the missus a hiding.
I live in Spain and apparently it is pretty bad here, they don't even have hardly any boxing here. I think a lot of it is down to ignorance, even treating their wives like there fathers treated there mothers before them.

[AlFrancis]

Nice photo Al, I figured it was you and your dad. :good

Well, my dad was an emotional Mediterranean type, so he could get heated and then more heated, and there were times when I thought he'd let it get the best of him. But I think I always knew, make that hoped, that he'd never tear into me. A very frightening prospect. Truth is I think he knew he'd kill me, or hurt me really bad so he had to learn to keep himself in check. Lucky for me he did. He was really a loving guy ... it's funny 'cause I just came off the Lounge where someone posted a video to a tune called, "The day I died was the best day of my life," saying that the song makes him cry and it almost did me too. Of course I was thinking of my day who's been gone a long time. He really was a sweetheart of a guy. I have regrets about the day he died, namely that I was on the other side of the U.S. at the time. Big regrets.


You'll have to send us the link for that song, I can't find it. Or start the jukebox up again.

[teeto]

Just been reading all your posts here. Me and my mate were talking about this not long ago. I said something to him like 'it's mad how some of the best fighters ever, and jsut loads of others, are known to have beaten their wives'. I was getting at the angle of 'boxing is just a sport like any other', he just looked at me and said, 'lad, they're violent people'. And he's not an armchair fan, knows his boxing and boxing history as well as me.

Then i sort of was brought down to earth and realised how naive i had been, sort of.

[Chinxkid]

Here you are Al, I think. It's a nice song, a very moving sentiment.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

Teeto, I just think it's complicated, like anytime we try to generalize to find some truths. What do I know to be true? Fighters make their living with their hands. They can be conditioned to resort to using their hands whenever they encounter conflict. But, and a big but, some like my father went out of his way NOT to use his hands to resolve conflicts, and those that achieve that state of mind are often LESS liable to use their hands than someone who was never in the game. I should point out that of all the fathers on my street that beat their sons, not one of them was a pro fighter. There is that thing about fighters, they know very well what are the results of violence and so they go to great lengths to not go there. A mixed bag, like everything.

[teeto]

Yeah, Chinx. It's like everything, to stereotype would be outright wrong. Boxing is going to be full of all different types of characters and personalities.

[Chinxkid]

Yeah, Chinx. It's like everything, to stereotype would be outright wrong. Boxing is going to be full of all different types of characters and personalities.

And yet you'll find some consistencies, right? In all professions, even in all ethnicities, though we're not supposed to do that anymore. It's really weird man, I think I'm bottoming out. I lost my mom a few months back and now I'm an emotional fool, dependably. Thinkin' about my dad a lot. Man I gotta shake myself, not doing too good, T.

[AlFrancis]

And yet you'll find some consistencies, right? In all professions, even in all ethnicities, though we're not supposed to do that anymore. It's really weird man, I think I'm bottoming out. I lost my mom a few months back and now I'm an emotional fool, dependably. Thinkin' about my dad a lot. Man I gotta shake myself, not doing too good, T.


Just watched the song, I know where you're coming from mate. It's one of those songs that for those of us who have lost someone close it will hit us.
Sorry for the loss of your mum.

[teeto]

And yet you'll find some consistencies, right? In all professions, even in all ethnicities, though we're not supposed to do that anymore. It's really weird man, I think I'm bottoming out. I lost my mom a few months back and now I'm an emotional fool, dependably. Thinkin' about my dad a lot. Man I gotta shake myself, not doing too good, T.
Sorry to hear that Chinx, i feel for you. You're a really nice guy as well. These things just take time, you're not a wreck though, just takes time. Keep talking boxing with us and we'll take your mind off things Chinx.

[Chinxkid]

Just watched the song, I know where you're coming from mate. It's one of those songs that for those of us who have lost someone close it will hit us.

Pretty rough, Al. Too many endings.

[Chinxkid]

Sorry to hear that Chinx, i feel for you. You're a really nice guy as well. These things just take time, you're not a wreck though, just takes time. Keep talking boxing with us and we'll take your mind off things Chinx.

You're a good cat, T. Wish I could know some of you guys in the real world. There's a big void in my life, and I know I'm hijacking this thread, I'll stop here in a minute, but it's good to talk. I got a brother who's also on the other side of the country, this family's been through hell lately, We're wrecked but all of us fighters, so we're gonna hang in there.

[teeto]

You're a good cat, T. Wish I could know some of you guys in the real world. There's a big void in my life, and I know I'm hijacking this thread, I'll stop here in a minute, but it's good to talk. I got a brother who's also on the other side of the country, this family's been through hell lately, We're wrecked but all of us fighters, so we're gonna hang in there.
Yeah, hang in there my man, you'll be alright.

[Chinxkid]

Yeah, hang in there my man, you'll be alright.

:good

[AlFrancis]

You're a good cat, T. Wish I could know some of you guys in the real world. There's a big void in my life, and I know I'm hijacking this thread, I'll stop here in a minute, but it's good to talk. I got a brother who's also on the other side of the country, this family's been through hell lately, We're wrecked but all of us fighters, so we're gonna hang in there.


It's good to talk.

[djanders]

Yeah. Talk it out, Chinxkid! We have all been there, or one day will be, in one way or another. Hang in there! Many of us who read these posts feel for you, even those of us you don't know at all.

As for boxers and abusing significant others, I have seen many guys who obviously abused their girlfriends or wives...and suspected many more...most were not boxers. I'm not sure if a higher percentage of boxers do that or not...hard to tell.