By: Sean Crose
He’s been called the “Bible of Boxing”. At the age of 17, he was the youngest world champion in history at the time. He’s so skillful in the ring, a young Ray Leonard “Sugar” is nearly impossible to beat. The same is true of Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns. Roberto Duran himself, “Manos De Piedra”, has completely failed in his attempt to find the best man. Make no mistake, Wilfredo Benítez is a legitimate legend in the sport of boxing. But now, the boxer who has surprised millions of people is lying motionless, living in poverty with his sister, the victim of so many bullets to the head. When Leonard visited him, Benitez was unable to remember his old friend and foe.
Gerald McClellan himself was also a fighter. The man hit it so hard that by the time he faced Nigel Benn in 1995, a whopping 29 of his 31 wins were by knockout. McClellan is also not a man for easy touches, having won against the likes of John Mugabi and Julian Jackson. Indeed, McClellan knocked Benn out of the ring in the first round. However, Benn came back, brutally taking down McClellan in the 10th round. McClellan would never recover from the battle. Now living with her sister, McClellan has been partially supported by the likes of Roy Jones, but clearly still needs help.
Pritchard Colon had an impressive 16-0 continuation record as he slipped mid-rope to face undefeated compatriot Terrel Williams in 2015. Admittedly it was a tough and weird match ( Colon was eliminated because the corner started to take off his gloves at the end of the 9th round, thinking it was the end of the 10th and final round). Colon is currently in the care of his mother, as he is in a persistent vegetative state (PVS).
What Benitez, McClellan and Colon have in common, aside from suffering permanent and serious injuries over the course of their careers, is John Scully. Known as “Ice”, the former heavyweight boxer turned broadcaster and highly regarded trainer has devoted a considerable amount of time to helping these and needy former boxers. others get the financial help they need to support themselves and their families.
“It’s pretty simple, basically,” Scully says of her philanthropic approach. “I have various pieces of boxing memorabilia that I either buy myself or have people mail to me, I put them on my Facebook and have people put them up for auction as an auction. After they receive it in the mail, I can send the money to different people who need it at that time. ” Scully often enjoys being around the people he helps, although that’s not always the case.
“I have some people that I meet in person on a regular basis, and I have others with whom I can simply mail money,” he said. “Also, I usually just mention these particular boxers on social media to remind people that they are there and they still need help.” These people have entertained and inspired many people of their time. It’s nice to see everyone leaving to repay the favor.
