Philosopher, boxing trainer and newspaperman Gordon Marino has an insightful column about the benefits of boxing – mainly related to the acquisition of the underappreciated virtue of courage – over at The New York Times “Opinionator” blog.
Though in a piece reprinted in Fighters & Writers I dispute remarks Marino made years ago in another boxing-related column at his usual paper, the Wall Street Journal, I do recommend his September 15, 2010, Times piece. (I don’t suggest wading through the readers’ comments, however. There are too many of the reflexive, simplistic “boxing hurts brains” type. Certain kinds of readers must feel the need to say something, anything, even if doing so only demonstrates that they paid little or no attention to the article in question.) I also address the oft-overlooked upside of boxing an essay in my book.
Steve Gluck
