By Sakwiba Sikota
They say that boxing is a savage sport but I know things which are not sporty as they are more savage than boxing.
Boxing began in the Bronze Age in Sumerian Iraq, Babylonia and Assyria. Later in Ancient Greece, competitions in boxing were held for the enjoyment of the people and in 688 B.C it was introduced as an official Olympic sport. There were no knockout rounds and two men would box and fight until the other could no longer go on.
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH
The early boxing contests didn’t have weight limits or much in the way of gentlemanly rules for the safety of the combatants. There were no weight limits meant that larger fighters could compete against smaller combatants. David versus Goliath type of contests was common and no one showed any mercy.
Quite often, matches only ended with the death of the boxer that lost. With the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity became prevalent and this pressed pause on boxing for some time.
BIRTH OF BARE-KNUCKLE BOXING
In the 18th century boxing returned in London as bare-knuckle boxing was born in 1681. The first case of bare-knuckle boxing is when the 2nd Duke of Albemarle Christopher Monck put together a fight between his butler and his butcher for the entertainment of his guests.
MODERN DAY BOXING
Boxing has seen some rather savage bouts. The match that comes to mind is the Holyfield-Tyson fight when “Iron Mike” took a bite of Holyfield’s ear.
There was also the infamous low blow by Andrew Golata against Riddick Bowe. This is the Night Riddick Bowe and Andrew Golota Caused a Riot in New York arising from the controversy of Golata’s repeated and continuous low blows.
Imagine if George Foreman had behaved unsportingly like Tyson and Golata in the “Rumble in the Jungle” fight with Mohammed Ali. If Foreman had first tied Ali’s hands behind his back and then proceeded to go back in time when boxers fought bare knuckled throwing wild haymakers including even even blows below the belt. The result of that fight would have been very different. Foreman would have won a very unfair fight.
THE ZAMBIAN FIGHT SCENARIO
The past few weeks we have seen a fight that makes the savage sport of boxing seem like a “Kumbaya” campsite fireside singalong. The Director of Public Prosecutions has been hammered by law enforcement agencies, the Minister of Justice and even the President.
The three have challenged the DPP to a contest and have already declared themselves winners of the contest. The match officials were all recently appointed by the people challenging the DPP.
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH (REVISITED)
We may have to revise the verses in the Bible that relate to the battle between David and Goliath.
There has been a savage bare-knuckled, no holds barred onslaught on the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is like a David versus Goliath battle. Imagine if Goliath had brought “tag-team” partners to fight little David. Imagine if the giant had brought Mary (not the Blessed Mother of Jesus but one who clearly had it in for David) together with a minister to fight David. We probably would not have the verses relating to the David v Goliath battle in the Bible.
The whole controversy was sparked by a leaked confidential letter written by the DPP. After that there was a steady stream of leaking of complaints which were supposed to be confidential to the JCC. Even the DEC complaint was leaked to the press.
The leaking of the letter and the complaints was like Golata’s steady stream of low blows.
After publicly berating the DPP on all public media, she has not been able to answer back as there is the Oath of Secrecy gagging her. This Oath of Secrecy can only be waived by her challengers.
The refusal to waive the Oath of Secrecy makes Mike Tyson’s bite to Holyfield’s ear look like a cuddly smooch to the ear. The refusal to waive the oath of secrecy the DPP has to operate under ties her hands up and make it near impossible for her to defend herself. Those attacking the DPP are therefore FIGHTING A WOMAN WITH HER HANDS TIED BEHIND HER BACK.
