The weather has changed very nicely, and it was summer-y today in this city called Montevideo, Uruguay. After being stuck on the ship for six days I was ready for an aimless stroll to Anywhere.
The first “Anywhere” turned out to be a boxing gym. I just turned a corner, and there it was, with the front door open and activity inside. In my whole life I’d never seen the inside of -- or even the outside of -- a boxing gym. This despite being a fan of the sport since the first Liston-Patterson fight, which was during the Kennedy Administration.
I walked in, very tourist-like, camera in hand, and the proprietor had no problem with -- actually encouraged -- me taking photos of this place, which was somehow affiliated with the “Asociacion de Boxeadores del Uruguay”.
All these young kids were exercising, hitting the punching bags, etc.-- nobody did any actual fighting in the ring while I was there. However one of the teachers got in the ring and did what looked like his own personal workout. He looked 65 years old but boy could he move. He was shuffling, bobbing and weaving, spinning, battling an imaginary opponent, looking very fit. After this routine he went on to do a series of calisthenics before dealing with the students.
In boxing films the gym is always located in some lousy section of town, and this gym followed that rule very nicely. The area within walking distance of the ship is mostly urban decay. Perhaps the “sweet science” is most likely to be studied by a) people who frequently have to defend themselves in a dangerous place and b) people whose best chance for fame and fortune might be through the ring.
Perhaps the most famous fight photo of all time -- Mohammed Ali standing over the fallen Sonny Liston -- is the centerpiece of an otherwise all-South-American boxing photo display. Maybe Ali really WAS The Greatest.
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