By: Sean Crose
“I love the sport, but I am indebted to my family for working so hard to let them experience moments like this. Thank you all, whether you are for or against me, you have shown me who I am, but the time has come. Semper Fi, hello. Those words were tweeted by one of the most respected men in boxing – former WBO lightweight champion Jamel Herring. The former US Marine, who served on not one but two tours of duty in Iraq, gave the unanimous decision to Jamaine Ortiz on Saturday. It was Herring’s second loss in a row, having previously lost the title to Shakur Stevenson last October. Thirty-six years old is enough. Here’s hoping the boxer known as “Semper Fi” will have a long and productive retirement.
Not many boxers get the real respect Herring has, but he’s a guy who always behaves respectfully. Having fought in a time frame that gives the boxing world Adrien Broner, Tyson Fury and even Conor McGregor, it’s refreshing to see someone who always acts like an adult. The brutal boxing business requires individuals to find a way to stand out, but Herring has stood out for all the right reasons. After all, a person need not brag, when one has served two tours in a war zone. Sometimes a resume really speaks for itself.
On top of that, Herring is a great, champion boxer. Perhaps not a very good fighter, but without a doubt a very good one. He beat the likes of Carl Frampton and Lamont Roach, which is serious competition indeed. He also left the ring with a combined record of 23 wins and 4 losses. Considering the level of competition Herring faces, that’s pretty impressive for a career that spanned just under ten years.
Upon learning of his retirement, Herring’s colleagues – some former rivals – took to social media to send them their best wishes. “Only respect for this man,” Frampton tweeted, “Congratulations on a great career champion. Enjoy the rest of your life with your family. Perhaps the most remarkable insight into Herring’s views on the fighting game came in the form of a tweet Herring himself posted a few years ago.
“Going to war abroad,” he wrote, “lost a child, suffers from PTSD, clinical depression, and is a parent of children with autism. Opponents crossing the ring is what I’m least worried about. Boxing is therapy”. Semper Fi? Most certainly.
