Dewey Bozella: A Dream Realized
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- Created on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 22:12
- Written by A. Donahue Baker
This week my final word is the most inspirational story I have heard all year. The story of Dewey Bozella, it reads like a Hollywood script to me. At 9 years old Dewey watched his father beat his mother to death. At age 12 Dewey’s brother was stabbed and killed during an altercation on the streets Brooklyn, NY. When he turned 17 Dewey moved to upstate NY to escape the mean streets of Brooklyn and found himself being accused of murder and later found guilty. Dewey served a 26 year sentence in Sing Sing for a murder he did not commit. However during those years in prison, Dewey never lost hope. He used boxing as a means to set his mind free from the pain of incarceration. While in Sing Sing, Bozella developed a reputation as a skillful and powerfully quick boxer. When Dewey fought behind bars the first man to knock down Roy Jones Jr. he knew he had the talent to become a professional fighter. So when Dewey was released from prison 2 years ago he vowed to still become a professional fighter even though he was at an age in which most fighters had retired 25 years prior. But what is most remarkable about Dewey is his attitude on life. With no malice in heart the hulk like man adopted the philosophy of Mother Teresa. “People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” How many of us would have been so bitter after being incarcerated for 26 years, that the anger and desire for revenge would have consumed our own desire to dream?? This weekend was the culmination of such a dream when Dewey stepped into the ring to fight Larry Hopkins on the Bernard Hopkins undercard. Even though Dewey held the crown as the Sing Sing Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Dewey wanted the world to know his talents. And after his story came to the attention of an ESPN producer his story was highlighted on the network. That publicity touched millions of people and inspired countless others including me. Even President Obama reached out to Dewey to wish him well. Last year Dewey was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage award and he gave an inspiring speech in front of millions of viewers. Based on the recognition of his story Golden Boy promotions put him on the undercard of their big night in boxing and… Dewey won! Dewey came out victorious! Dream realized, Dewey will not fight again but he doesn’t have to now he has the belt for life.
The Fight That Made Boxing Relevant Again
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- Created on Tuesday, 20 September 2011 01:57
- Written by A. Donahue Baker
This past Saturday night the fellas from “The Bottom Line Sports Show” got together to view the Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz fight. And I didn’t think we would bear witness to history but we sure did. On this night boxing became relevant again. I don’t think anyone expected Ortiz to win but for the first few rounds he did have a few bright moments. However, the lights quickly went out on the WBC champ as quickly as you can say “Protect yourself at all times.” But in case you missed it the real entertainment of the night was the verbal altercation that ensued at the post fight interview between Floyd Mayweather and Larry Merchant. This feud had been boiling for many years. For many years Larry Merchant has consistently questioned Floyd’s dominance over the welterweight division via tough questioning and innuendos. Always acknowledging his talents but never really sipping the Mayweather cool aid. In years past Floyd tried to charm Merchant… that didn’t work. In years later, Mayweather tried to just ignore Merchant’s questions Sarah Palin style… that didn’t work either. Merchant as hard nose as they come refuses to be deterred; he questions Mayweather with the exact same strategy every time. He gives the complimentary acknowledgements of Floyd’s talents then questioning his decisions to pick fights that fit his style. Mayweather has never been able to convince Merchant that he is the best pound for pound fighter and this Saturday night with a controversial knockout and an electric atmosphere in Las Vegas the situation boiled over and eventually erupted. Thanks to this moment boxing became relevant again. So ladies and gentleman one last time let’s recap the fight Bottom Line Sports Show style. In this corner we have the most respected boxing journalist since Howard Cosell, a bestselling author, the face of HBO boxing and a potential boxing hall of famer. Quick witted and still nimble on the mic with a record of 80-0. Undefeated and still willing to relentlessly defend his belt even at age 80 as witnessed by the man he attacked during a 2007 post fight interview. Where he now?
In this corner, we have a five-division world champion, a man voted the best pound for pound boxer in the world, fresh out of clubs and rolling with the G-Unit. Extinguisher of many careers. Record stands at 42 – 0. Undefeated. Ding, Ding… Floyd fresh off one sucker punch takes it to the street one more time against Merchant and lands a few swift combinations of verbal tirades. “You ain’t never give me a fair shake… You ain’t (bleep)… HBO should fire you!!! You don’t know (bleep) about boxing… You ain’t sh#!!” And just when I thought Larry Merchant would retreat he got a 2007 flash back stood up to Mayweather and “said it with his chest!” If I was 50 years younger I would kick your ass!!”
And with that ladies and gentlemen moment ladies and gentlemen boxing became relevant again. Not much to say about the Ortiz but I bet Larry Merchant gets booked on Letterman this week and instead of Pacquiao fighting Mayweather I’m saving my money for the next Larry Merchant fight and Mayweather fight. Stay tuned…
