Wilfred Benitez, Gerald McClellen, Pritchard Colon – John Scully Focuses On Fighters In Want

By: Sean Crose

He was known as the “Bible of Boxing.” At 17, he was the youngest world champion in historical past on the time. He was so slick within the ring, a younger “Sugar” Ray Leonard was virtually unable to defeat him. The identical was true for Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns. Roberto Duran, “Manos De Piedra” himself, failed outright in his try to greatest the person. Make no mistake about it, Wilfredo Benítez is a official legend within the sport of boxing. But now the fighter who as soon as actually thrilled tens of millions is motionless, residing destitute together with his sister, the sufferer of too many head photographs. When Leonard went to pay him a go to, Benitez was unable to recollect his outdated good friend and foe.

Gerald McClellan was some type of fighter himself. So exhausting did the person hit, that by the point he confronted Nigel Benn in 1995, a whopping 29 of his 31 wins had been by knockout. McClellan wasn’t one to tackle straightforward touches, both, having notched victories over the likes of John Mugabi and Julian Jackson. Certainly, McClellan knocked Benn out of the ring within the first spherical. Benn got here again, nonetheless, ferociously knocking McClellan out within the tenth. McClellan would by no means get better from the battle. Now residing together with his sister, McClellan has been supported partly by the likes of Roy Jones, however remains to be clearly in want of assist.

Pritchard Colon has a really spectacular 16-0 resume when he slipped between the ropes to face the man undefeated welterweight Terrel Williams in 2015. It was admittedly a tough and unusual battle (Colon was disqualified as a result of his nook began to take away his gloves on the finish of the ninth spherical, pondering it was the top of the tenth and remaining spherical). Colon is now cared for by his mom, as he’s in a persistent vegetative state (PVS).

What Benitez, McClellan, and Colon have in frequent, other than struggling everlasting and extreme harm in the middle of their careers, is John Scully. Often known as “Ice,” the previous gentle heavyweight turned broadcaster and extremely regarded coach spends a substantial period of time serving to these and different needy ex-fighters get the monetary assist wanted to help themselves and their households.

“Mainly it’s fairly easy,” Scully says of his charitable methodology. “I’ve totally different items of boxing memorabilia that I’ve acquired both by myself or via individuals sending them to me within the mail, and I put them up on my Fb and have individuals bid on them like an public sale. As soon as they obtain it within the mail I can then ship the cash to totally different individuals who want it at the moment.” Scully typically likes to keep in touch with these he helps, although that may’t at all times be the case.

“I’ve some guys who I see in individual frequently and I’ve others that I can merely mail cash to,” he says. “Additionally I typically simply merely point out these specific boxers on social media to type of remind folks that they’re there and that they nonetheless need assistance.” These guys entertained and impressed quite a lot of individuals of their time. It’s good to see individuals going out of their option to return the favor.