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Editorial Column from the Cape Cod Times

Cape Cod, welcome your gladiators
By SOLON ECONOMOU
Once upon a time I used to box. I don't recall what was so enjoyable about getting hit repeatedly in the head, but I must have liked it because I kept going back for more.

Boxing is the last gladiator sport. That's why men love it and women hate it. Next week boxing returns to the Cape Cod Melody Tent.

I recently had lunch with well-known boxing promoters Hank Tuohy of Sandwich and Dave Gonsalves of Dennis. We were joined by three boxers who are on the Melody Tent card: Falmouth light heavyweight Jay Pina, unbeaten Harwich junior welterweight Lenny Silva, and Centerville light heavyweight Mike Koumbouris.

I have seen Jay and Lenny fight - and win - before. Mike will be making his professional boxing debut at the Tent.

Most of us are aware of the ills of boxing. These include mismatching of boxers to ensure that the "right" fighter wins, biased or crooked judges, and skimming of boxers' income by unscrupulous promoters and managers.

Ever mindful of these problems, Hank intends to "bring quality boxing to Cape Cod and to ensure that boxers and their teams are treated fairly and with respect by both the fans and the boxing system in general."

To this end, Tuohy and Gonsalves are donating one dollar from every ticket sold to the Fighter's Initiative for Support and Training. FIST was founded by former heavyweight Gerry Cooney to help retired boxers shift to a new and productive life.

While we men were pontificating about the proper cigar to smoke on boxing night, my collaborator on a new writing project, Evelyn Doane of Chatham, who just came along for the ride and has never seen a boxing match, somehow went straight to the core of the boxers' psyche.

"How do you manage to concentrate," she asked, "with all the noise around you and knowing your opponent's goal is to hit you repeatedly in the head?"

The reticent fighters, who were mainly listeners up to this point, came alive. This was something few people asked and which they seemed eager to discuss.

"It's a spiritual effort," said Jay Pina. "It's all about focus. Not only do you have to develop discipline with your eating and training habits, but you have to build a powerful mind-and-body combination."

"It almost involves a meditative state," the others added, "a shutting out of all distractions."

Evelyn commented that this sounded like yoga, but none of them had studied yoga. However, Jay said his career essentially started when he "found God."

This theme runs through the boxing world: Former heavyweight champs George Foreman and Evander Holyfield, two of my favorites, hold deep religious beliefs. Going into the ring with strong spiritual values is an increasingly common thread in boxing. It belies what some consider the "brutishness" of this sport.

One may ask, How do you reconcile a "turn-the-other-cheek" religion with boxing? You've got to remember, there is very little rancor between opponents. Some are very good friends.

It is ironic that gladiators of today enter the ring supported by their spiritual and religious beliefs, while gladiators of yesterday were forced to enter the arena because of their spiritual and religious beliefs.

Boxing is a sport of skill. Each boxer is prepared to take it as well as give it. They may be sore for a couple of days, but then they start training for the next bout. The same situation occurs with football and other sports.

As the late Marlon Brando said in "On the Waterfront," "I coulda been a contenda." With the proper teams behind them and the enthusiastic support of Cape Cod fight fans, our own talented local boxers could find themselves well on their way to being championship contenders.

Why should we let Brockton and New Bedford have all the glory? It's time to put Cape Cod on the boxing map.

Solon Economou of South Dennis is a retired military officer, professional engineer, and freelance writer. His column runs every other Thursday. Reach him at www.solonicus.com.