Last night I got home after a normal day at work, cracked a beer and chilled on my couch, as most normal people do. I then decided to check my Facebook account — again, something lots of normal people do. I saw an update from a boxer I had "friended" about a year ago:
Emanuel Augustus: "Well yesterday I had a bad dream. I dreamt I had got KO'd in the ninth round….ooh yea it wasn't a dream, it really happened. BOOO-HOO-HOO looks like it is either time for me to stop boxing and start training fighters!!!"
Who is Emanuel Augustus the boxer? I will give you a little background, but I suggest after reading this, YouTube him.
Augustus was a true fighter. He was ready to get in the ring anytime, anywhere. Late in his career, Augustus took on a different style that can only be described as "the drunken master." It is hard to put into words, so I suggest — once again — that you YouTube it.
These days it seems like most fighters are taken through the ranks so carefully in order to protect that shiny, undefeated record, they are never in a real fight. That was not the case with Emanuel Augustus. It seemed as if he never had an easy fight, and at times no real time to prepare for one. Augustus has a career record that reads 38-31-6. If you looked strictly at his record, you would say he was no good, but you would be very wrong! Let's take a closer look at his sheet:
Jesus Chavez
Ivan Robinson: Augustus was 8-5-2 when he took on the 22-0 Robinson.
Teddy Reid
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Micky Ward: The ESPN and Ring Magazine Fight of the Year and nominated for the ESPN Fight of the Decade.
Leonard Dorin
Leavander Johnson
Carlos Wilfredo Vilches: Augustus took the fight on two days notice.
David Diaz: Diaz was undefeated at the time.
Courtney Burton: This was a controversial split-decision loss for Augustus, but he would KO Burton in eight rounds two years later.
Ray Oliveira
Kelson Pinto: Pinto was undefeated at the time.
Augustus has fought in 22 different states and nine countries, and many of those places were the other fighter's home turf.
The best fight I saw involving Augustus was against Lowell's (Mass.) own Micky Ward in July of 2001, which would end up being Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year. Ward won a unanimous decision at Hampton Beach Casino in New Hampshire. That may have been the best fight, but it is not my strongest memory.
On July 8, 2005, Augustus took on veteran Ray Oliveira, also at Hampton Beach. Ray Oliveira was a never-quit, never-give-up type of boxer, the type that would probably continue fighting even if the building started to cave in.
During the eighth round, Oliveira grabbed the back of Augustus' head as if he had taken a rabbit punch, but none were thrown. It was a strange reaction that had many people imagining the worst. In typical Oliveira fashion, he said he was fine, refused the doctor and the fight continued with 1:30 still left in the round.
Augustus never threw another head shot. In fact, he barely even threw another body shot. Like everyone else watching, Augustus could see that something was wrong. He decided to take the high road and not make the situation worse, endangering the safety of the other fighter. Referee Steve Smolger didn't let the fight continue after that round.
Keep in mind that this is a sport where a cut is pounced on like a shark to food and swollen eyes are target practice. This is a sport where Antonio Margarito and his trainer think it's OK to put Plaster of Paris on his hand wraps. This is a sport that is sometimes dirty, dangerous and downright inhumane. But Augustus did the unthinkable: He backed off.
After reading his Facebook update, I wrote on his wall: "It has been fun watching you throughout the years. It's not often you get to thank an athlete you admire, but because of Facebook, I can. Thank you!"
This morning he wrote back to me: "My pleasure, and I'm glad you liked some of the things I did in the ring."
No one would have blamed Emanuel Augustus if he had gone for the knockout that night, and he certainly didn't have to respond to me on Facebook, but he showed honor, class, compassion and most of all, he reminded me why I love boxing.
