Boxing is a sport fraught with the highest highs – world titles, incredible hometown performances, and daring to be great. However, it can also be brutal, and drive fighters to the lowest lows, with potential career-ending injuries.
Ray Oliveira retired in 2005 with a record of 47-11-2. In his 25th fight, he fell short of the world super-lightweight title but became half responsible for the fight with the most punches ever thrown against Zack Padilla.
Oliveira and Padilla both averaged over 125 punches a round, for every single round.
Oliveira lost to Ricky Hatton in the tenth round in his penultimate fight, before taking on the fight with a journeyman that ended his career, but saved his life.
Emanuel Augustus refuses to punch Ray Oliveira’s head
Oliveira, then 47-10-2 faced Emanuel Augustus, who had a record at the time of 29-25-6, in 2005.
Augustus was known as the ‘Drunken Master’ as a result of his extremely unorthodox movements – punching from strange angles or throwing with both hands at once, and moving his legs as though he were a puppet on a string.
Though his record may indicate he was a softer touch, Emanuel Augustus gave Floyd Mayweather the toughest fight of his career and fought a very close fight against Irishman Micky Ward. Augustus was far from one of the worst journeymen of his time.
Augustus and Oliveira traded back and forth until the eight round when Oliveira clutched the back of his head in pain.
Though the ref allowed the bout to continue, Augustus was all too aware of the potential seriousness of the injury and refused to target Oliveira’s head any longer.
Even as Oliveira unleashes on Augustus, the eccentric journeyman refuses to answer back to the head and simply covers up and throws to the body.
Eventually, the fight was stopped, with the referee stating, “I don’t like the way he looks, I don’t like the way he’s acting, I don’t like any of it.”
An X-ray later revealed that Oliveira suffered a pinched nerve in his neck, and he never boxed again.
Though awarded the win, Augustus was willing to lose the victory, if it meant sparing another man’s life.
Chris Eubank told son to perform a similar act of heroism to Emanuel Augustus
In a similar instance of empathy to Augustus, Chris Eubank gave his son, Chris Eubank Jr. advice in the corner that may well have saved Nick Blackwell’s life.
Eubank Jr faced Blackwell for the British title and toward the end of the fight when it was clear Blackwell was hurt, Chris Eubank Sr spoke to his son in the corner, telling him to stop targeting Blackwell’s head, just as Augustus had done against Oliveira over ten years prior.
Eubank Sr knows firsthand the power of the punch not thrown after his bout with Michael Watson, which left Watson with brain damage and ended his career.
The fight was stopped after Blackwell’s eye swelled up and left him unable to see. Blackwell soon collapsed and was later put into an induced coma. Blackwell has since made an inspiring recovery and continues to improve.
Chris Eubank Jr. is now at the forefront of boxing, as he is set to face Conor Benn in a fight set to continue the legacy of their fathers. Some pundits like Barry McGuigan favor Conor Benn over Eubank Jr. in the fight, though others believe Eubank Jr. will be too big. Conor Benn himself has denied Eubank Jr.’s weight will be an issue.