This is a really beautiful story about Ndou

[Big Jack]

Lovemore's long and wounding road



See the small boy quaking with fear. He is 10 and thinks it unlikely he will ever see 11.
He is frail, hungry and alone.

http://www.sportsnut.com.au/category.php?intid=7

[Kev]

Have to say I stopped reading after the first couple paragraphs.

It seems to me that all these black African and Columbian fighters are on a mission to outdo each other's personal sob story.

They have probably been told by their promoters that Hollywood is wanting to create a heartwarming modern Cinderella Man tale with an impoverished black youth overcoming mighty obstacles to truimph in the ring.

They are all practically auditioning for the role although it's pointless as the one who looks the most like Will Smith will probably carry the day.

I wander how long before Sam Peter tells of how a plague of locusts ate his entire village as a child?

Actually Hollywood will probably combine all of their stories into one truly momemntous tale of overcoming adversity that even Antwone Fisher would be proud of.

Then all of these B list fighters can get a little cut of the profits for whatever part of the tragedy was inspired by their story. It's probably a nice little second income for all of these guys.

I imagine that Bob Arum, Garry Shaw et all sit them down on signing them and say 'Ok Ouladah, from now on you are going to be called Lovemore and your childhood went as follows..........'

[Big Jack]

That's a bit unfair mate. His mum died in appalling circumstances and he ahs fought everyone and anyone in their own backyards. He fought Cotto on six days notice, flew all the way from Aust and still gave him hell for 12 rounds.

[Kev]

That's a bit unfair mate. His mum died in appalling circumstances and he ahs fought everyone and anyone in their own backyards. He fought Cotto on six days notice, flew all the way from Aust and still gave him hell for 12 rounds.

I may sound callous but when you take away the article's melodrama it basically says his mum died at 42 in hospital and that he spent a night in a cell aged 11.

Not wishing to sound harsh but it really ain't a story at all. Showtime and HBO seem to like all black and South American fighters to have come from an impoverished life of poverty and hardship until they found sanctuary within the loving embrace of the good old land of the free and the brave.

I think it's demeaning to the third world the way we in the Western world shed mock tears over their plights and then comfort ourselves with knowing that now they have come to the promised land and tasted of real civilisation that they will be happy.

Condescending pricks in my opinon.

Life is tough...Lovemore got over it so why can't we?

[Mar]

I see boh sides of the argument here....we have it good here in the U.S. and we take it for granted....having a rough upbringing here is nothing compared to what they go through in some of these other countries...i don't see it as a black or white thing just like boxing isn't black or white...this guy could have done a lot worse things in his life but he decided to shed the crap that was delt to him and do something positive and i give him credit. Think of what little most of us have done with our lives and we never had to live in a cell when we were 11 and watch our mother die simply cause it's too expensive to keep her alive.....

[JT Rock]

That's a bit unfair mate. His mum died in appalling circumstances and he ahs fought everyone and anyone in their own backyards. He fought Cotto on six days notice, flew all the way from Aust and still gave him hell for 12 rounds.

Dont worry Bro.. Bilbo can be a Biggot and an ignorant racist at times

[Kev]

I see boh sides of the argument here....we have it good here in the U.S. and we take it for granted....having a rough upbringing here is nothing compared to what they go through in some of these other countries...i don't see it as a black or white thing just like boxing isn't black or white...this guy could have done a lot worse things in his life but he decided to shed the crap that was delt to him and do something positive and i give him credit. Think of what little most of us have done with our lives and we never had to live in a cell when we were 11 and watch our mother die simply cause it's too expensive to keep her alive.....

I dunno mate my best friends dad stabbed his mum to death with a pair of scissors when he was a child but I've never heard him use it as an excuse in life. My dad molested my sister, I got cancer at 24 and now live on disability.

Don't misunderstand me I'm not complaining about my lot in life or trying to top trumps Ndou's struggles I'm just saying that life is tough and hard for most people. We'll all experience our loved ones dying and we'll all die of something at some point in our lives.

It just seems to be fashionable these days amongst the white middle and upper classes to try and 'understand' the plight of the uncivilised folk of the third world. The richest white's will even go over to Africa and do their bit to right the wrongs by snatching a poor child away from his/her family and homeland to be raised in comfort in a proper country where they can live a happy life without having to endure the agony of having to actually grow their food rather than buy it in a supermarket, or to live without the life's essentials like television and a mobile phone.

[Kev]

That's a bit unfair mate. His mum died in appalling circumstances and he ahs fought everyone and anyone in their own backyards. He fought Cotto on six days notice, flew all the way from Aust and still gave him hell for 12 rounds.

Dont worry Bro.. Bilbo can be a Biggot and an ignorant racist at times

If you read my post JT you'll see that I'm actually arguing the exact opposite. I ain't the one looking down on the poor black man and his sorry life in this instance. If you think that coming to the USA and enjoying a nice Westernised middle class lifestyle is superior to the African way of life then isn't that fundamentally what racism is all about?

[skel1983]

You think he would have more respect, after what he has been through, pity he's a big mouthed clown.

[Kev]

You think he would have more respect, after what he has been through, pity he's a big mouthed clown.

Well you can call me that if you want but I doubt you even read the article. His mum died when he was 21 and his dad died when he was 30 something, sad but really hardly unusual.

The rest of the story was about his life in his home village in Africa which would be the pretty much the same story for virtually every other African and probably another 4 billion or so people on the planet who don't enjoy the luxeries we in the West take for granted.

If you want to feel sorry for people pity the ones who you never hear about, who don't get away from their poverty and who die without ever tasting fame and fortune.

And even then if you really want to pity those poor folk, consider the fact that those countries depsite being poor beyond out comprehension have a collective solidarity and sense of community that none of us in the West will ever experience.

The nation with the highest number of suicides in the world is the United States. They also have the most unhappy people, the loneliest people and the highest rates of depression.

Just because people are poor doesn't make their lives any less happy and fufilling.

[El Gamo]

Whilst I can see what you mean Bilbo in that there need not be all the drama around his background,I really don't feel the need for your constant referral to the colour of the person who is in the article. It just so happens that the majority of black/latino fighters have had tough times.

[Kev]

Whilst I can see what you mean Bilbo in that there need not be all the drama around his background,I really don't feel the need for your constant referral to the colour of the person who is in the article. It just so happens that the majority of black/latino fighters have had tough times.

You're missing the point El Gamo. I'm not the one constantly referring to their colour it's the likes of HBO and Showtime. Every single time they showcase a fight featuring an African or South American fighter they feel compelled to tell us what a hard life they had until boxing saved them and led them to the United States.

It's patronising bile imo.

[skel1983]

You think he would have more respect, after what he has been through, pity he's a big mouthed clown.

Well you can call me that if you want but I doubt you even read the article. His mum died when he was 21 and his dad died when he was 30 something, sad but really hardly unusual.

The rest of the story was about his life in his home village in Africa which would be the pretty much the same story for virtually every other African and probably another 4 billion or so people on the planet who don't enjoy the luxeries we in the West take for granted.

If you want to feel sorry for people pity the ones who you never hear about, who don't get away from their poverty and who die without ever tasting fame and fortune.

And even then if you really want to pity those poor folk, consider the fact that those countries depsite being poor beyond out comprehension have a collective solidarity and sense of community that none of us in the West will ever experience.

The nation with the highest number of suicides in the world is the United States. They also have the most unhappy people, the loneliest people and the highest rates of depression.

Just because people are poor doesn't make their lives any less happy and fufilling.

LMAO!!! Not you !! N.Dou!!! Take that sad click back!!

[Kev]

You think he would have more respect, after what he has been through, pity he's a big mouthed clown.

Well you can call me that if you want but I doubt you even read the article. His mum died when he was 21 and his dad died when he was 30 something, sad but really hardly unusual.

The rest of the story was about his life in his home village in Africa which would be the pretty much the same story for virtually every other African and probably another 4 billion or so people on the planet who don't enjoy the luxeries we in the West take for granted.

If you want to feel sorry for people pity the ones who you never hear about, who don't get away from their poverty and who die without ever tasting fame and fortune.

And even then if you really want to pity those poor folk, consider the fact that those countries depsite being poor beyond out comprehension have a collective solidarity and sense of community that none of us in the West will ever experience.

The nation with the highest number of suicides in the world is the United States. They also have the most unhappy people, the loneliest people and the highest rates of depression.

Just because people are poor doesn't make their lives any less happy and fufilling.

LMAO!!! Not you !! N.Dou!!! Take that sad click back!!

haha sorry mate I'm so used to getting rained on in this forum that when you said big mouth clown I assumed you must have meant me!

But I didn't sad click you, I never sad click anyone.....anyways have a cc

[El Gamo]

Whilst I can see what you mean Bilbo in that there need not be all the drama around his background,I really don't feel the need for your constant referral to the colour of the person who is in the article. It just so happens that the majority of black/latino fighters have had tough times.

You're missing the point El Gamo. I'm not the one constantly referring to their colour it's the likes of HBO and Showtime. Every single time they showcase a fight featuring an African or South American fighter they feel compelled to tell us what a hard life they had until boxing saved them and led them to the United States.

It's patronising bile imo.

Well firstly,I can only think of a few fighters they do that with and secondly,they are not lying,are they? Edison Miranda is the perfect example of that.