Tamerlan ‘Tom’ Tsarnev, From Golden Gloves Champion to Boston Marathon Terrorist
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Correspondent
New York, NY (April 24, 2013)–Tamerlan ‘Tom’ Tsarnev learning the art of prizefighting from his father Anzror Tsarnev in his native Chechnya in the classical straight up European style, hitting with power and accuracy. In 2004, Tsarnev won the 178 pound division in the Greater Lowell Golden Gloves. By 2010, Tsarnev had won the Rocky Marciano trophy as the New England Golden Gloves Heavyweight champion in the state of Massachusetts. Undefeated as an amateur for years, Tsarnev was finally beaten in the Golden Gloves Tournament of champions at Salt Lake City in 2009. Tsarnev stood 6’3″ and weighed 200 pounds.
Why did he blow up the Boston Marathon finish line? Tom was somehow influenced by online terrorist videos. Speculation has it that Tom may also have been affected by brain damage incurred during his amateur boxing fights. Tom’s brother Dzhokkar followed his older brother. You better be completely together upstairs, as your brother is following you. Not the case here.
From a prominent boxing writer’s perspective, Tom had aspirations to reach the 2012 Olympic Games at heavyweight, and had all the potential and promise of professional career success in the heavyweight division. Tom was a promising amateur heavyweight with skills who regularly beat experienced professional heavyweights and mixed martial artists in sparring.
What went wrong? How did his mind change from aspiring boxer to Islamic Jihad?
Far worse than the 1968 Olympic Games Black Power salute by African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony. Far worse than the Black September terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Five people were killed, and 299 were injured in the Boston Marathon Bombings. The loss of limbs and the loss of life from the two planted bombs of mass destruction set back professional sports 100 years and forever changed the scope of security preparations for security events NOT involving the Olympic Games.
The boxing fraternity must come grips with reality. One of their own athletes committed an act of terror. The psychological aspects of the relationship between boxing gym trainer and amateur trainer come into play in Tom’s promising boxing career at some point, as Tom’s life somewhere along the way took a sudden and abrupt downturn.
An important aspect of boxing is to keep troubled youths off the streets, give them discipline and a purpose, and make the world a better place through the sport of boxing. We have seen tragedy in boxing recently with the deaths of Arturo Gatti, Hector Macho Camacho and others in recent years, tragedy which has affected boxing.
The magnitude of what Tsarnaev has done cannot be overlooked. His actions have shamed and stained the sport of boxing. We must now consider if the sport of boxing somehow failed in its handling of Tsarnaev. Amateur heavyweight Tsarnaev got discouraged in the gym, and subsequently fell into criminal activity.
The lesson to be learned is not just to understand what Tsarnaev did and why but to understand Tsarnaev fell through the cracks somehow, despite having great promise as a boxer and working hard for his victories. In the future, amateur and professional boxing sanctioning bodies and state athletic commissions should be given a greater say in exercising their influence over prospects in the gym.
If Tom Tsarnaev had been kept in the gym with career encouragement, perhaps the Boston Marathon bombing tragedy would not have occurred. Without his Olympic boxing dreams, Tsarnaev’s soul became lost somehow.
However, nobody’s life is utopia. Because something bad happens, and you’re unhappy with yourself, it doesn’t mean you then blow up the world. Security for sporting events, in like of what the Tsarnaev brothers did, will be forever changed.
Add us to your circle on GOOGLE PLUS Real Combat Media
DONATE TO THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE SANDY :www.redcross.org/donate
HELP STOP WORLD HUNGER:www.realcombatmedia.com/rcm-stop-world-hunger
LEARN HOW TO FIGHT, WORKOUT & IMPROVE ENDURANCE: RCM MMA & BOXING STORE
We are always looking for new talent for the fastest growing US and UK based, Combat website. We have openings for the following positions – Internet Sales Advertising, Boxing Correspondents, MMA Correspondents and voluntary Radio Correspondents.
If you are a career minded individual and serious about starting a career or continuing your career in combat journalism, our contacts are below
There are also plenty of advertising and sponsorship opportunities available on our website and radio programs to help grow your business.Contact us [email protected].
RCM Main contact: [email protected]
RCM UK & Ireland contact: [email protected]
RCM Greece contact: [email protected]
RCM Radio contact: [email protected]
RCM Radio contact: [email protected]
RCM MMA contact: [email protected]
RCM UK Advertising contact: [email protected]
RCM MMA Advertising contact: [email protected]
COMMENTS
English