RIP: Emile Griffith
motorhead
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life
In a 1962 nationally televised fight with Benny Paret, Griffith battered Paret with a series of blows. Paret lapsed into a coma and died 10 days letter. It is thought to be first boxing death witnessed by a national TV audience. The death haunted Griffith the rest of his life. A respected referee's career was over. Televised boxed changed.
It was reported that Paret taunted Griffith with the word "maricón". It was not a name a boxer in 1962 wanted to be called.
This was a tragic event - before my time - but a part of boxing history.
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