While Kim's plight is sad beyond words, imagine being a 21 year old kid who accidentally brought death to his opponent in a fair fight. Ray going to Kim's funeral in Korea and facing his mother and fiancee was more brave in my eyes than any time he's stepped in the ring. That is honor and integrity at its finest. As a kid, I always looked up to Boom Boom because we were both Sicilian kids born and raised Youngstown in the same neighborhood and generation. Boom Boom has never forgotten about Youngstown. In fact he's been raising money for the families outside the city who were recently displaced by the train derailment in East Palestine. Thanks for carrying our broken city on your back no matter what, Boom Boom. We will always love you!!
Not to cause an argument but what does being a gentleman have anything to do with his death? He died from complications caused by a subdural hematoma. He took too many shots in the head and a blood vessel burst causing the blood to pool in his brain. It's a risk ALL BOXERS TAKE!!
Sas Quatch Tye OP was referring to Ray, not Kim. Also, the doctor who attended to Kim said that the damage was probably caused by one punch, most likely the last one or one of the last ones because nobody could have fought with the size of blood clot on the brain that he had. So he died from one punch, not several.
Truely, I fought in a high school tournament in 1988, he came for championship night( boom boom ko drugs tournament) he talked to anyone who approached him.. true gentleman, true champ
The most moving part of this tragedy is that his fiance still married him, knowing that he has already passed. Thats what i call true love! Bless that lady for honoring his love for her!
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X8nMEGOjG5g.html You should watch the Good Son documentary. There's a part where Ray meets Kim's wife and son for the first time, and introduces them to his family. I cried like a baby.
@@drdre4397 Did this marriage happen in the U.S.? If it did, it would be nullified because it's illegal to marry someone who is deceased. "In the U.S., federal law doesn't recognize posthumous marriage ceremonies, but a few people have tried to conduct one anyway. After Floridian Isaac Woginiak passed away, his surviving fiancée successfully filed for a marriage license in 1988."
I binge on Ray content every few months when I look at all his signed trunks and gloves that I own. Literally the guy who got me into the sport that has been my life for decades now. They dont make them like Ray. As good a fighter as ever existed and as good as a man as well. If not for the heartbreak of that Kim fight which just destroyed Boom Boom as an upstanding Catholic man, he would have had a much longer and more award winning career.
I watched this whole fight in November 1982. As a former boxer in high school, I was a huge fan of Ray Mancini. I simply could not believe the punishment I was watching both fighters dish out and accept. It was truly terrifying. Duk Koo Kim, you died an honorable man and you are remembered.
It's even more heartbreaking when you learn about the life Duk-koo Kim had before boxing. When he was very young, he survived the same condition that killed his father. His mother, Sun-nyo, married another man. The man's son was violent and abusive, so Kim's mother escaped with Duk-koo and his siblings. They went to Banam, a poor fishing village near the DMZ and North Korean border. Things were so bad that the family had to share an outhouse with a cow. Kim's mother met her next husband, a fisherman, when she was begging in the street for food. As a child, Duk-koo often went swimming for seafood and caught locusts and rabbits to eat. As a child, Duk-koo's stepbrother made him fight with other kids. Duk-koo eventually got to Seoul by selling pencils, waiting tables, etc. That's where he began boxing. He was not a great technical fighter and didn't particularly excel in any one area, but he had no choice but to fight. Boxing was all he had. He was fighting out of necessity for survival. He also had an insane amount of toughness and an unbreakable will. He became even more confident, courageous, and determined when he starting dating Young-mee and she became pregnant with his child. He was finally going to have the healthy family life he had always wanted. It really puts things into perspective and adds an extra layer of tragedy to the whole situation.
I remember watching that live on TV with my uncle and cousin. It was brutal! Back and forth neither man would go down. Thrilling and tragic at the same time. No quit in either, but when Kim went down they went to commercial and when they came back Kim was still down. I'll never forget it! Kim was one tough SOB as was Boom Boom.
Duk-Koo Kim's childhood was a poor and hard knock life. His father died when he was 1 years old (2 years old in Korean age), his mom went through three different marriages and Duk-Koo himself ran away from home at age 17 being tired of constant fights with his half siblings and his stepdad didn't even let him go to school. He moved to Seoul and worked as a shoe shine boy, tour guide, doing manual labors...just about anything to survive. He must have learned the importance of education because he finished high school while working at those jobs. Boxing was the passion he found afer going through everything and his style of boxing reflects his life.
The only solace I get is seeing the Good Son and seeing his wife and son doing ok. Knowing what he went through to get to that fight, only for that result is heartbreaking.
Salt of the earth is an accurate discription of Mancini.I know,I grew up around families of this character.This is the true American Italian man.Handling adversity,moving pass it.Humble men,tough as a lion with a heart of gold and beyond loyal.Class act unlike that douchebag Bramble.I absolutlely know if it was the other way around it would never even entered Mancini's head to call him a murderer.What do you exspect from a fool who into witchcraft.While Mancini is still a positive productive guy with a net worth over 6 million.Bramble is a personal trainer who bums around shows selling autograph's.Now that shit is killing me
An eerie moment for me was watching this video and seeing Sean Taylor's name crawl across the bottom of the screen. Sean Taylor, a superior defensive back for the Washington Redskins, would later be murdered in his home during a "hot break-in".
probably dehydration. When did he arrive in country? did he even have time to be climatized? Korea during November is very cold, and coming over to Nevada Desert and no proper time to climatize, being outdoor, and weight cut probably put him over the edge and all of those bodyshots probably resulted his brain being shut down. My opinion. much respect to both fighters, poor mom and ref...
I have a bottle of Boom Boom Bourbon signed by him I was contacted to be a sparring partner years ago for Kenny “ Bang Bang “ Bogner when he was to fight Boom Boom that would have been a great fight but it never happened I think Bogner got into some trouble
watched the movie "champion" the other night, not knowing it was a true story. i end up looking into it to and end up realizing the story of duk koo kim gets more and more interesting. after seeing this documentary, watching the movie again will more than likely get me a little teary, granted im not very emotional upon watching dramatic films. as pointed out in the documentary, this would be best described as a modern day shakespearean tragedy
Now I know everyone's going to say this sounds crazy. but what if the mindset of Kim you know having a coffin around saying either he's going to die or I'm going to die got him killed. the mine is a very strong thing have you ever noticed when people are together for a long time when one dies even with animals the other one dies like 6 months or a year later. so what if that mindset got him killed because the fight look like any other fight accept fist flying crazy. but it didn't look like he was going to die. He wasn't on the ropes like Rocky 4 and the ref didn't stop you know and he's just getting wailed for like an hour he covered up the whole fight some of those punches Missed Kim I think if it was eight rounds Kim would have won 12 rounds it was damn close. and they said that one punch that killed him was that last hit .so what if it was the mindset. I don't know. The mind is a very powerful thing. But just a thought
That is very strange he did stand up I mean is there any chance that his own team could have did some type of Foul Play if you lose the fight you're dead maybe drugged him something I don't know again just maybe my imagination or crazy theories
In the old days it was nothing to fight 20 or more rounds, with lighter gloves, and they had no more deaths than modern times, but it is a fact the more you fight the more brain damage you can suffer, it's not normal to take blows to the head without damage.
I felt like shit when the tragedy happened, because I had a stupid personal grudge against Mancini and I realized what a young selfish shit I was after this. Mancini and I are the same age. No one here will believe the story, so I won't tell it. It involved a girl. A really, really, really hot semi-famous girl. Suffice it to say that he got the girl and I didn't. Although I was supposed to. Damn. Anyway, Mancini seems like a decent guy, and didn't deserve to be saddled with such tragedy.
Boom boom Mancini : not only a pro boxer ... but a Pro human being and a man full of true feelings and values. Thank You very much for this very meaning documentary.
everybody ray took the news of kim and he was depressed when he found out kim died i watched thhat fight ,that fight should have been stopped what they are not showing is the entire thing ray beg that ref to stop that fight god rest his soul ,everyone i no that watched said the same thing ,stop the fight you could see kim was not right ,,,,,,even as he layed dying in the ring ,i feel for hts mom god rest her soul but boxing did change that day,boom boom keep your chin up
If you have seen all or most of Ray's fights, you can clearly see, he was not the same fighter after this fight, he had less desire and heart, and I believe in the back of his mind, he never forgot that fight, even while in the ring, and it hurt him in every fight thereafter, he did not go 110% as he always did.
This is the saddest story in boxing I ever heard. Mancini accidentally kills Kim in his fight and then Duk Koo Kim mother and the referee commit suicide. It's horrifying when you think about it. I don't know how Mancini managed. I know a cousin of Boom Boom in Chicago, and he told me Mancini took the deaths a lot worse than portrayed in this video. He was never the same. Mancini's brother accidentally shot by his girlfriend. Every time a woman shoots a guy it's an accident.
I think this was rather well done. The producers took some great pains to humanize both Mancini and Kim and they succeeded. The hopes, aspirations, and the tragedies of these fighters are all present here.
Every man who enters the ring, that includes women now, knows they have the chance of losing their life. This is a VERY dangerous sport. You must train to save your life and NO ONE did that more than Ray. That doesn't make it any easier when you have an opponent that dies. Kim was not murdered he died. Anyone taking up the sport needs to know the possible consequences because no matter how well trained you are a flick to the right spot or a host of other things with your heart which could happen walking down the street can kill you. I love the sport and I love 15 rounds but I do not agree with this Octagon MMA fighting which is ridiculous and I believe people watch it in the hopes of seeing someone die. BOXING is such a beautiful sport and I hope it never dies.
Flowey - You don't get it do you? People are always going to die as a result of boxing, amateur or pro, bums or championship quality. Nothing you or I can do will stop it. Dieallday is absolutely correct in a 15rd bout Taylor does not beat Hopkins once let alone twice. ODLH may have never won a real world title if they were contested over 15 rds. The list goes on and on of guys who just coast to the finish line of 12rds that would have NEVER won titles if they had to go 15 that's my arguement.
Ray has a great heart, is a kind human being, and had good boxing skills.He was outmatched by the outstanding boxers Livingstone Bramble, Alexis Arguello, and Hector Camacho - three great boxers of the modern era.
I lived in Youngstown then while attending Youngstown State University and even was involved in amateur boxing for a time as a referee and corner man. Have nothing but fond memories of those days and some other fighters deserve mention: Eddie Graves, Harry Aroyo, William Whipple, Jeffrey Lambkin, Jeff Tate, Greg and Randy Richardson, Michael Dokes, and of course Earnie Shavers 'the hardest puncher in heavyweight history'
*the referee of this fight was the guilty of this tragedy,he didn't stop the fight even seeing kim's situation,completely out of condition to keep fighting*
I watch this fight with my father-in-law,I told him after the first round that someone was going to die.HOW i WISH i WAS WRONG.all you can says it was unbeliveable. my hart goes out to both families.
Kim had so much heart it’s amazing . He did not give up at all. They are both phenomenal boxers. I understand Mancini blaming himself because he did technically beat him to death but it was completely unintentional and the fact that Kim didn’t back down, made Mancini think he was ok. Just a tragedy. I hope Ray finds eternal peace. May Kim, his mother and the Ref rest peacefully. This is one of the saddest stories in boxing
I don't think we need to worry, Boxing seems to be on the way out, I use to love it, growing up in the 70s, watching it on the Wide World of sports, but now all the fighters are going MMA, which actually in my opinion is less dangerous as they don't take near as many punches and careers are very short, as only the best can survive and they don't even last long once they begin to lose, but boxing is dying a slow death.
I remember watching this fight at age 25... and screaming from the dinner table... why doesn’t this referee stop the fight. After watching/ listening to the Ali/Frazier fights at 14/15 years old... this showed me boxing is not sport it’s savagery.
Thanks for this interesting show, Islander. Watched this fight live on tv. For some strange reason, before this it had never occurred to me that someone actually could get seriously hurt in a boxing match. Cast my vote for 12 rounds. In boxing, as opposed to other sports, the stakes become too high when these athletes start reaching the limit of their stamina and endurance.
The same month of the Mancini-Kim fight, Arguello was brutally knocked out by Aaron Pryor. It may have actually been the day before but I don't know for sure.
Shawn Gamble November 1982 was not a good month in boxing, at least not in terms of fighters' health. There was the Mancini-Kim tragedy, the scary Argüello-Pryor situation, and then the brutal Holmes-Cobb fight too.
I ❤ Boom Boom, but, i think he almost knew one of us will die....that was Kim's mentality. Ray is a fighter. He didn't sign up for this....and it ruined him. Such a good soul.
It was a fair fight. It was one of those fights on survival of the fittest. Nothing you can do about it. The only mistake was fighting outdoors. Glad they don't do that anymore. Stay inside.
As a 16 yr. old I watched it Live on CBS Sat. 11/13/82 which was the day after another great 14 Rounds of action produced by the Pryor vs. Arguello fight in Miami. Never seen such a non-stop slugfest up to that point and it went on like that round after round until the 14th. Just incredible. Not to mention they were fighting out in the desert of Las Vegas. I'll never forget that day and that amazing fight which unfortunately ended in tragedy. I also agree with some of the people making comments on here and that is Mancini wasn't the same fighter after this fight. It absolutely affected him.
Mancini is deserving of much respect and admiration. He has talent but also spirituality, compassion and empathy. Not a braggard and brute. A fine human being. How he mourned, prayed for and embraced Kim's fiancee and son is very heart-felt. May GOD May speed and GOD Bless him where ever he goes and in all he does. A true warrior physically, spritually and mentally. He didn't have to blame himself for the tradgedy. A brute with no character would have shrugged it off...👍👆💪
You got that right! Mancini is a better man than I, b/c if it was me and he called me a murderer I would have looked him straight in the eye and said, "If I'm a murderer then I guess that means you should be real worried when we get in the ring!" As I said earlier in another comment Bramble was a 2nd rate champion who got blown away by the 1st elite boxer he faced Edwin Rosario.
I've watched this match many, many times, and there was absolutely no reason for referee Richard Green to stop the fight. None whatsoever. I hope Green didn't take his own life over because of his management of the match. He made no error. If you know much about professional boxing, you know it's a shame to see former professional boxing referee Richard Steele passing commentary on anything to do with professional boxing. At the end of his career, this man's decisions were so faulty as to lead one to believe he was paid to make them.
Like they said, every time Greene wanted to step in and stop the fight, Kim would come back and go on the offensive again. I am surprised Greene didn't stop it when Ray threw 39 unanswered punches, though.
@123icecoldbeer YW for the upload. In regards to 15 rd fights - Name 1 other 15 rd fight before or after this in which a boxer died as a result of a 13, 14, 15 rd stoppage or the result of a 15 rd decision. Go ahead try real hard. Kudos to dieallday there is no proof of any of the bull coming out of Arum or Ratner's mouth. Ask why Kiki Bejines was killed in the 12th round of a fight w/Albert Davila less than a year later after the WBC changed the fights to 12 rounds for the vacant WBC 118.
Raymond God Bless U , I don't have the Words .. I remember this I was Just little kid.. UR A Hero too a lot of Us Italian Catholic people. Much Love 2U & UR Family.. UR A Hero too Lot's of people regardless of Faith & Race.
He clearly was a top ref in Vegas for 35+ years. Watch Taylor vs Chavez on this site. He was in the ring and knew Taylor was taking a beating for more than the cameras and audience knew. He thought he was saving Taylor's life. He didn't not want Taylor to get hit again, like Kim did.
Thomas Paglione Agreed about his status as a top ref but, the Mancini-Kim tragedy had nothing to do with Chavez-Taylor. Taylor took WAY WORSE a beating over 11+ rounds compared to Kim. Kim may have lost his life due to a rare cerebral hemorrhage but it was Taylor who lost nearly 2 pints of blood, had his face broken (orbital bone) yet was winning the fight. Many believe Steele was preserving Chavez' undefeated record, I'll argue that if the time keeper wasn't paying attention Chavez may have killed him CONT
Thomas Paglione PART II Everybody assumes that every single round of boxing is exactly 3 minutes or 180 seconds and the truth is there have been several at the championship level that have been shorter than 3 minutes and longer. Most notably was the 8th and final round of Greg Page-Gerrie Coetzee which went over 4 minutes. If the same thing happened in the Chavez-Taylor fight Taylor might not be with us today. Maybe Steele was taking such things into consideration.
Taylor was robbed and people that know boxing know this. There is a reason Steele never reffed any more big time fights. If steele was so concerned about Taylor's well being he would have stopped the fight way before that.
