Speaking to the International Brotherhood Conference, he said that, "God had led him, so he profoundly believed, to endeavour to put down the proposed fight. In the late 1890s, Rev Tiverton Preedy formed the All Saints Mission in Islington and used boxing to attract "men who would a short time ago have ridiculed the thought of darkening the doors of a church but who are by degrees learning self-respect and realizing the Divine Master is their friend and that true religion can be brought into their lives without spoiling their sport and pleasures…"Ī unique example of Christian opposition to boxing came in 1911 when the Secretary of The National Free Church Council and a Baptist minister, FB Meyer led opposition to a scheduled boxing match in London between Jack Johnson and the bombardier Matt Wells. The daily curriculum for pupils at Merchiston School included, rugby, gym and 30 minutes fencing or boxing. On the other hand, boxing was encouraged in Public Schools under the influence of the Muscular Christian movement in order to show that Christianity was not 'feminine'. Scott Kershaw Phillips suggests that conversion for the Primitive Methodists involved turning away from "the God-forsaken old life symbolised by the cock-fighting, the bull-baiting, the boxing match, the wake and the ale-house". Much later the Puritans were generally opposed to all sport and recreation. The early Christian writer, Terullian (ca.160 – ca.220 AD) warned his fellow Christians to keep away from the stadium for the things done inside them were wholly inappropriate for believers to see: blows, kicks, cuffs, and "all the recklessness of the fist, and every disfigurement of the human face, God’s image". He was simply using a sporting analogy to make a point about the Christian life. When St Paul wrote to the Corinthian church I do not fight like someone beating the air (I Corinthians 9:26), he was not trying to write a theology of boxing. The Church has always had an ambivalent attitude to boxing. Since the Second World War over 350 boxers have died from ring injuries. The difference with boxing is that hurting your opponent is the aim of the sport. The fundamental question is whether a sport where the intention is to hurt, cut, injure and knock-out one's opponent, can be reconciled with the Christian view of man and God.ĭanger and injuries are, obviously, present in many sports. Yet boxing raises serious issues for the Christian. He became a Christian and went on to form his own church in Houston.Įvander Holyfield, the former world heavyweight champion also has a strong Christian faith and added the following to autographs: "Philippians 4:13 – I can do all this through Christ who gives me the strength". He had an encounter with God in his dressing room after losing a fight to Jimmy Young. George Foreman combined a career in boxing with being a pastor – and still found time to sell meat grills. When Floyd Patterson defeated Archie Moore to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in 1956, he commented ‘I just hit him again and the Lord did the rest’ (The New Yorker, 27 July 1957). There have been a number of boxing champions who have been vocal about their Christian faith. In boxing both participants pay the price." On the other hand, Dr David Bosher, director of the Pain Research Institute, said, "Throwing Christians to the lions in ancient Rome was so much better. … The cameras are looking at you the people are there howling for your blood. Thomas Hausar, biographer of Muhammad Ali: "The job requires a man to move toward a battered, beaten foe whose hands are down, whose eyes are rolling and, if the referee allows, smash his face again".Ĭhris Eubank, former world super middle-weight champion: "The objective is to incapacitate your man and they want to see you do it. Just how violent boxing can be is illustrated by the following quotations from people on the inside. Nonetheless boxing continues to raise moral and ethical questions. We rejoice in having another British World Champion. With David Haye winning a version of the World Heavyweight championship and Manny Pacquiao confirming his status as best fighter in the world, boxing is making the sports headlines again. Willie John McBride, Irish Rugby player Can you box for God? The moral and ethical implications of boxing "It matters a great deal who is going to win, but not at all who won"
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