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<\/a>By Brian \u201cThe Beret\u201d Young<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cBoxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, color, and wealth are irrelevant.\u201d- Nelson Mandela.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n As we continue with our honoring of Black History Month I would like to take another look at how our beloved sport often transcends sport and becomes something much more. There are those who claim boxing is an allegory of life itself, a symbol of something larger than sport. Wherein that is true, it is also a sport of brutal honesty, a sport of not only physical, but mental toughness. And it\u2019s in part boxing that helped, Nelson Mandela both physically and mentally survive his 28-year imprisonment, and to change his native South Africa once he was freed and became President.<\/p>\n In the 1930\u2019s, boxing was the biggest sport in the world, and a young South African Heavyweight college student named Nelson Mandela stepped into the ring for the first time. Inspired by then Heavyweight Champion of the World Joe Louis, the young law student took to boxing and its training and dedication. In his autobiography, Mandela states, \u201cMy main interest was in training; I found the rigorous exercise to be an excellent outlet for tension and stress. After a strenuous workout, I felt both mentally and physically lighter. It was a way of losing myself in something that was not the struggle. After an evening\u2019s workout I would wake up the next morning feeling strong and refreshed, ready to take up the fight again.\u201d<\/p>\n Mandela credited his boxing background as giving him the strength to be a revolutionary, and a leader fighting against a racist regime. A fight that would see him go on trial for treason in 1956 along with 155 others. He was acquitted on those charges and continued to fight until 1962 when he was arrested once again and would end up spending the next 28 years in prison. Once incarcerated, Mandela would also utilize the mental toughness and training he received from boxing to help him survive prison life day to day. Also from his 1994 autobiography \u201cLong Walk To Freedom\u201d Mandela explains how he used the metaphor of boxing to help him in his daily life behind bars, \u201cThe first bell rings at 6 a.m. [and] means it is time to get up, make my \u2018bed\u2019 and clean my cell \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n During Mandela\u2019s years behind bars, a young brash African American Heavyweight burst onto the scene telling the world how pretty he was, and how he was the greatest. Cassius Marcellus Clay, later Muhammad Ali, helped lead a revolt in his own way by standing up for his core beliefs, risking jail himself, and being an outspoken activist. Ali gave voice to millions who could not speak for themselves, including Nelson Mandela. Mandela never got to see Ali fight live as he was locked up during the entire career of Ali, yet still was inspired by and admired Muhammad and often stated that Ali was a hero of his and a symbol for hope. Once released from prison the two men got to meet and their mutual love and respect for one and other was solidified. A friendship emerged that would last through the remainder of Mandela\u2019s lifetime.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>reporters what Lewis would have to do different in a rematch to win (which of course he did). He also maintained a friendship with Jacob \u201cBaby Jake\u201d Matlala, a South African Flyweight who is on record as the shortest World Champion of all time at 4\u2019 10. Matlala even presented Mandela with his WBU title belt. Fittingly, a statue of Mandela in Johannesburg entitled \u201cShadow Boxer\u201d is a 6 meter (or over 19 feet!) monument to Nelson Mandela the man and the fighter.<\/p>\n