The history of boxing is rich with paradox, and few figures capture this like Emile Griffith. Born in 1938 in the Virgin Islands and later raised in New York, he rose to become a world champion in three weight classes. In an era marked by race and migration tensions, boxing  offered Black and Caribbean communities an avenue of social mobility. However it also enforced a narrowed view of masculinity both inside and outside of the ring. Yet remarkably Griffith quietly countered these societal expectations with a perceived gentleness, working as a hat maker outside the ring. 

A tarnishing moment in Griffith’s career came in 1962, when his opponent Benny “Kid” Paret entered the ring for the world welterweight title. Tensions were already present between the two, when Paret had taunted Griffith with a homophobic slur. During the fight, Griffith unleashed a series of punches which knocked Paret unconscious. In his unconscious state, Paret slumped against the ring ropes, his head tilted back, unresponsive. A relentless barrage of punches continued from Griffith, delivering a total of 29 unanswered blows. In a horrific tragedy, Paret was rushed to hospital and died ten days later. The fight marked a distinctive moment in boxing history, raising questions about broadcast and refereeing. For Griffith, the burden was unimaginable, he would later state, “I kill a man and most people understand and forgive me. However, I love a man, and to so many people this is an unforgivable sin”. Here lies the cruel irony of his life: the sport tolerated, even demanded, the violence of the ring, but his sexuality was cast as a greater transgression.