by Ron Robbins

Created on: October 09, 2008   Last Updated: October 22, 2008

Is boxing really the greatest sport? As a boxer myself, I can attest to what a great sport it really is. There is no "I" in team, and in boxing there is only you against the opponent. You can't blame other people for losing, only yourself. It's one of the most raw, truest forms of competition there is.One on one, the two competitors are fighting, and anything can happen. If a basketball team is down by 57 points going into the final quarter, the odds of them being able to win are ridiculously low. In boxing, you can lose every second of every round, and come out victorious by landing one skilled punch.

There may be other sports that can match the intensity and competitive nature of boxing, but none of them have the longevity.

Anyone who has been in front of a heated boxing crowd either as a competitor or a fan, will tell you.. The crowds that show up for a good boxing match are one of the most exhillerating things you'll ever see. Everytime the favorite lands a good punch, the crowd erupts and sends chills down your back. For me, being in front of an audience who's cheering me on, all eyes focused on only the two of us, is one of the purest adrenaline highs you can imagine.

Putting aside the raw human instinct forcing us to enjoy watching two men beat the crap out of each other, if we delve deeper, we find there are boxing gyms all over the country. Several in most cities that have decent population. Often the miscreants of our world end up in boxing gyms, because what else would a miscreant want to do than beat people up? But once inside, they discover the world as a boxer sees it. The sport teaches you discipline and respect.

You may think "What am I going to learn if I knock someone unconscious?" That's a good question that is easily answered. You learn what it feels like inside the ring, and the thoughts carry over and make you consider what it feels like without a boxing ring. It does not make you feel tough, and it doesn't make you giddy and joyful inside. It's a terrible thing to witness, but in the same respect, it's what you train so hard to accomplish. It's both victory and defeat, and it changes your mentality on life.

You learn a sort of equillibrium of reality, and when confronted outside of boxing, are less likely to engage in street fighting because you don't know what will happen. But you are sure it wont be pretty. You've seen it before with boxing gloves on, and probably are a little afraid of the prospect without boxing gloves. A well trained boxer like myself, would probably shatter every bone in their hand hitting someone without gloves. This is only one of the life lessons you can learn in boxing.

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