It was a sad and sobering story of a once strong, proud man.
Get used to the smoke. Let it fill your lungs and sting your eyes. There’s no getting rid of it, not in a story about Emile Griffith, not in the one American arena where the smoke just doesn’t seem to dissipate. A policeman or a judge or a lawyer can openly be something other than heterosexual. A doctor or teacher or carpenter can be, along with, of course, an actor or a musician or a writer. Even executives on Wall Street now can. But a male athlete in a major sport?
The world, thankfully, is changing, and boxer Orlando Cruz announced shortly before a fight that he is gay. In October in Las Vegas, he’ll fight Orlando Salido for a vacant title. Also, earlier this year, NBA player Jason Collins publicly announced he’s gay.
Griffith, though, lived in a time where his sexuality would not be accepted.
But he was one of the best boxers of his time, winning welterweight and middleweight titles while compiling a record of 85-24-2, with 23 knockouts and one no contest.