Boxing in the Navy

My favorite blog--the J-Walk Blog--has quite a discussion running about boxing. John W. himself said

I happen to think that a significant number of people watch boxing only because they think one of the boxers might get seriously injured or killed. Why else would you watch people fight?

and Curtis responded with:

Your boxing comment was the single stupidest thing you have ever written on this blog. I really mean it. It makes me want to give you a good BIP! right on your snot-locker. Ooo, I'm mad as fire right now.

He asked what we thought. My comment was way to long to go on his comments page, so here it is in its entirety:

I had to box at the Naval Academy and also in ground school for Navy Flight Training. I got pretty well whomped both times I actually went into the ring for a match. The Navy believed (don't know if they still do) that boxing helped you learn to be aggressive. I personally did not like it, nor do I think I really learned much except that boxing against someone in your own weight class who has a five-inch reach on you is semi-suicidal.

Some interesting Navy-related boxing anecdotes:
In the mid-70's, promoter Don King decided to promote a boxing tournament complete with quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The matches were to be held in U.S. military venues; one of the first quarterfinals was on the deck of an aircraft carrier. A later quarterfinal was at the U.S. Naval Academy and the entire Brigade of Midshipman was turned out in our Full Dress Blues (high collars and 18 gold buttons) to attend the bout. What Don King apparently did not know was that every single member of his audience KNEW HOW TO BOX. As I recall it the final fight on the card, the main event, had only been underway for a few moments when the boxing-savvy Midshipmen decided that the fix was in and that the fight was rigged. The Brigade began catcalling and hooting "FIX". It would have been interesting to see how it came across on TV, but these were pre-VCR days. In a post-fight melee someone pulled off Howard Cosell's toupee. It was all in all an interesting afternoon, but apparently the fixed fight did in the whole tournament as the rest of the bouts were never held. (Does telling long rambling anecdotes mean I'm getting old?)

In their senior year at the U.S. Naval Academy, Oliver North of Iran-Contra fame--future Marine, columnist, radio personality and politician, and James Webb--future Secretary of the Navy and best-selling novelist (both members of the Class of '68) fought each other for the Brigade Boxing Championship. Many feel Webb was the superior fighter but apparently USNA Boxing Coach Emerson Smith put in a lot of extra time and personal attention coaching North, who won the bout. There was a film of the fight that the Navy used for training for many years but it was withdrawn from circulation when the men became public figures.

Anyway, I fought because they made me. It certainly did not make me a fight fan. I do love amateur wrestling (REAL wrestling) though, and the fact that they had to stop my wrestling match in my P.E. class at the Academy because I was bleeding too much on the mat did nothing to lessen my attraction for that sport.

Posted by trygstad | Category: Fun | 02:01 AM