Kimbo Slice is a BEAST in the ring. ESPN wants you to think otherwise. The media are portraying Kimbo Slice like the amateur fighter that he is, with the exception of one thing, the media wants him to expose himself. Kimbo Slice is currently breaking down barriers in a relatively new primetime sport. He is becoming a black phenom in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. He was recently featured on the cover of ESPN the Magazine. Kimbo Slice, better known to his acquaintances as Kevin Ferguson, was featured in a story that described his background and his elevation to national syndication. Ferguson was awarded a scholarship at the University of Miami, Fla. on academics. After his home was destroyed in a hurricane, he lived out of his car for an extended period of time. Following that short time, he began his career as a body guard for an aparently popular, unnamed pornography website. Described as a mild-mannered man, only out to harm those who harm others, he began his fighting career beating up neighborhood bullies and accepting challenges from men who wanted to fight him. The story made him out to be more of a protector than an antagonist. In his young career, he has yet to be beaten. He finished walloping another cocky contender last Saturday by technical knockout.
In my opinion, the ESPN article was more of a burden to the mixed martial arts fighter than a boost. His physical appearance is that of a staggering dark figure that would scare your soul out of your body before gently offering you a handshake. The article spoke of a life made up of poverty, barbarianism, and pornography. It gave a positive outlook on his life, but it also made the reader question whether or not Kevin Ferguson is who he says he is. The media are watching. Waiting for him to prove that the stereotypes are true. Please believe that as soon as this man makes a mistake outside of the ring, his career inside of the ring will be at question. Just like the Terrell Owens', Allen Iverson's and Kobe Bryant's of the sports world. They will be ready with the pen and pad handy. Just watch.
2 comments:
Tony, I gather you may have a minor distrust of the media. Hmmm. Do you believe that the media is waiting to pounce just because the people you mentioned were people of color or just that they really wait for people to make mistakes....What about the storytelling in the article, does it reinforce or cultivate or neither? Why the grimacing photo? Do you think that was was his idea? Open up the door to some of your other media habits, let's go there.
As an avid sports watcher and fan of MMA, I have become very familiar with the phenom known as Kimbo Slice. Kimbo has interested me like many others, so I ventured further into his fighting past on YouTube. Originally, Kimbo began fighting in underground circuits, which were usually staged in backyards or emptied parking lots. In his documentary Kimbo is almost sometimes perceived as a hustler, another epithet of African-Americans, where he fought in order to bring home the bacon. However, because these fights were in many instances not sanctioned by the city and in were some accounts highly illegal, Kimbo was seen as a mere street brawler who excelled in street fights in the urban community of Miami. To many who live in this area, hearing about a fistfight between minorities is common and somewhat mild to other events that take place in the community such as shootings and murders. The videoed street fights only further fueled the stereotype of minorities being a violent people. Since there was no discipline involved in the fights or any sort of technical training, Kimbo’s fights are viewed as barbaric and discredited as anything more than mindless fighting.
However, I am someone who believes that Kimbo is the real deal and was hugely impressed by the interviews he has conducted. Kimbo is the type of fighter that is much needed and in high demand in the world of MMA. He is hungry there is no denying that and in the world of MMA the bold are favored. Since Kimbo decided to break into the national spotlight by training religiously and putting time and effort into his craft he has successfully legitimized his image as a professional fighter not a brawler. However, his past will always be of question in the world of MMA, not because he is black, but because he has already garnered so much success and publicity in a sport that he is relatively new at while others have been perfecting the art for years. Luckily in the world of MMA, prejudice and racism is not a prevalent issue as other mainstream sports.
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