Reprogramming by: Josue Cuevas, Charcoal, 2019
Thoughts on a Sport
Boxing is like the mural on Canal Street. The faded blue background hangs above the empty sidewalk, as the sun-bleached drawings are often overlooked by most of the people driving past the abandoned warehouse. However, the few who bother to look up can still see the outlines, as each stroke tells a story beyond a boxing record. Don King would definitely be on the mural, lurking in the background as he shackled some of the greatest fighters to contracts that stole hundreds of millions of dollars and forced them to fight in conditions that guaranteed them brain damage. Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier would also be together fighting in the dead center. Muhammed Ali would dodge killing hooks by a fraction of an inch and go in for the counter, as Joe Frazier bobbed and weaved his way through a hailstorm of jabs and uppercuts, just before leaping in and going for the kill with his legendary gazelle punch. And even though their rivalry ended a once close friendship, one cannot deny they brought out the best in each other in the ring. And of course, how could we forget the four kings of boxing? Sugar Ray Leonard would dance the mural with God-given footwork as the ferocious Roberto Duran would charge and corner him into a brawl, using his hands of stone to demolish opponents with hooks that flew mere inches. And although they gave each other their greatest victories and lowest defeats, their once bitter rivalry kindled a dear friendship. Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns would stun viewers with his lightening-fast flicker jab before he went in with his signature chopping right, as he would exchange explosive punches with Marvin Hagler. And although Hearns crashed into the canvas with a broken right hand in the third round, both left the ring as some of the best fighters boxing had to offer in what is often argued as the greatest fight the world has ever seen. Hell, even Chuck Wepner would be on the mural with all of his heart. With only 19 seconds left in the final round, the “Bayonne Bleeder” fell to the floor with both eyes swollen shut when he was knocked out by the legendary Muhammad Ali. Yet, the fact that a New Jersey underdog with a 40 to 1 shot lasted that long inspired millions, including a struggling actor who spent the next three days writing in his friend’s apartment to create the first script for the 1976 film Rocky. Behind every upset, every shattering defeat, every great one-two, every day after waking up with broken bones and limbs, lies an overcoming of a certain barrier, lies a challenge to be taken, lies an Oscar-winning story that inspires a hall full of people. But even then, it probably doesn’t matter much now. Such tales are nothing more than fables. Moments fading in the weathered wall of time, as the painted outlines begin to chip off on a vacant street occasionally seen by some kid looking out the car window. On the bright side, though, I heard the city re-painted the mural on Canal Street, so at least there’s that.