Expose on the sport of "boxing" by Michael Rosenberg

This reporter, through the use of the science of investigative journalism, has undertaken a survey of the sport of "boxing," primarily by following the heavy-weight champion of the sport, Drederick Tatum, as he prepared for his boxing game against James "Irish Jim" McIntyre. "I'm going to take him down, kick his ass, kill him," said Tatum three months before the fight, apparently not realizing that he was admitting to premeditated assualt or even premeditated homicide. He added, "I'm going to be focused on just that until the day of the fight." Tatum's subsequent training, observed by this reporter, consisted of nothing but preparing for fisticuffs. Tatum made no effort to prepare for his boxing appointment by gaining mastery over a ball or some other such instrument that might be used by a sporting-man. His trainers, meanwhile, frequently exhorted him to beat upon a gentlemen who served as his training partner. These trainers often used foul language, with one even insinuating that James McIntyre had had incestous relations with his own mother. Another trainer took part in the preparations while often chewing smokeless tobacco, which is a carcinogen. On the day of the boxing match, Tatum seemed to be filled wtih a focused rage. He entered the boxing field and immediately began beating McIntyre about the head and body. At one point he caused McIntyre's eye to begin bleeding, though the fight was not stopped. Indeed, McIntyre seemed to have been so brainwashed by his trainers that he insisted that the match continue even after suffering this injury. He likely did not know better and had lost sight of the fact that his mommy could at that point have been called. During the match the opponents sometimes began to hug one another in what must have been attempts at reconciliation. This was broken up by the umpire of the match, though, who insisted that they continue to engage in violence. The match ended when Tatum struck McIntyre with his left hand so that McIntyre lost consciousness. At this point, rather than call the police, those in attendance, many of whom seemed themselves to be roustabouts and ne'er-do-wells, greeted Tatum with cheers of encouragement. It is unclear what the state of Michigan and the United Nations will do once this shocking report is published. -Michael Rosenberg Detroit Free Press