A couple of weeks ago Snickers headed out to Osan for sparring, in preparation for his Welter weight title match that had been moved from Christmas Eve to Janaury 2012. He never returned, well he did but he returned the next morning. It had been a bad sparring session and, though his sparring opponent was no match for him, he did the mistake of bringing his feelings into the ring. He's been frustrated lately with KBC continually making him wait for a fight and this frustration mixed with his own frustrations with not being at par with where he'd like to be got the best of him.
Consequently, he broke his hand during sparring.
Now a broken bone has become somewhat of a common occurance and well, with this being Snickers' eight break on the same hand, it wasn't such a big deal. Snickers has broken his right hand eight times, got a metal plate surgically placed in it, has broken his nose three times and scored much needed stitches on his underbrow from his Philippines fight. So the problem wasn't the break, he could heal and be ready for a fight in late January, his problem was with his passion. It's struggling to stay alive; fading.
When he arrived home from sparring the next day, I opened up the door and there stood before me a very humble looking Snickers -- face somewhat swollen, lip sporting some harsh blood blisters, cheek a bit cut, and his right hand swollen like a softball.
"I want to quit boxing" he blurted out.
Honestly, him telling me this was quite heartbreaking and I thought I'd cry. I didn't know what to say, after all what could I really say? I felt heartbroken because I knew that this all came about by things outside of his control -- family pressures, social pressures, frustrations with KBC, and so on. Unless you're a professional soccer player in Korea being a professional athlete is a hard, hard thing to do and it requires more than just skill and determination. It requires super thick skin and strong broad shoulders to wear the burden that so many around you will push upon you and throw at you. Snickers doesn't want to deal with all that crap anymore and I can't say I don't understand. I totally understand and to that I'd love it if I could stand on the top of the highest mountain and shout at the top of my lungs "Shut up and screw off" to everyone and anyone who has ever discredited or stood in the way of anyone trying to do what it is they love, regardless of what it may be.
I felt somewhat overwhelmed with various emotions actually -- saddness, disappointment... bitterness. I felt bitter, bitter towards KBC for not scheduling him fights but bitterness towards Snickers.
"You have what I go everyday and bust my butt for and what every other boxer at UP wants -- talent, REAL talent. You're just going to throw it away... why? Because you're not 'successful' according to Korea, a country that disguises modern day slavery by dressing it up in a suit?!"Having said all this, it came to much surprise tonight when Snickers came home and told me he agreed to a fight at the end of February. I'm way too happy he agreed to this fight. "If this be your last fight then so be it but go out with a bang, go out on top!... show KBC that you're going out because YOU want to" I told him.
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