Beyond Belief

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Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world

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Beyond Belief: Boxing

Boxing

BBC Radio 4 - Beyond Belief, Boxing

Why does Christianity play such a big role in the corners of so many fighters?

Ernie Rae finds out how Christianity became so deeply intertwined with boxing, the theology behind the punches and how boxers reconcile loving thy neighbour with knockout blows.

Straight after Oleksandr Usyk dethroned Anthony Joshua on points in a boxing masterclass in London, the new world heavyweight champion told a crowd of 65,000 that: "The only thing I wanted to do with this fight is to give praise to Jesus Christ."

A fortnight later, the world's other heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury proclaimed to a global audience of 920,000 that Jesus helped him knock out Deontay Wilder to retain his title.
  
Why have boxing and Christianity become so deeply embedded in each other’s corners? Ernie Rae goes toe to toe with the theology behind the punches with stories of some of the sport’s biggest names and those at its grassroots today. 

How do Christians in the fight game reconcile love thy neighbour with delivering knockouts? Especially when we know much more about the long term brain damage boxers are exposed to.

To answer these questions and more, Ernie is joined by: 

Pastor Lorraine Jones, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Dwayneamics, a boxing gym in Brixton.

Amy Koehlinger, Associate Professor of History and Religious Studies at Oregon State University and author of the upcoming Rosaries and Rope Burns: Boxing and Manhood in American Catholicism from 1880 to 1970.

Gordon Marino, former boxer who covered the sport for the Wall Street Journal and HBO.  A boxing trainer with 30 years’ experience, professor of Philosophy at St Olaf College, Minnesota and author of The Existentialist's Survival Guide: How to Live Authentically in an Inauthentic Age.

Plus, as he prepares for his next fight, boxer, Jazza Dickens tells Ernie precisely why he believes God “strengthens his hands” whilst keeping him and his opponent safe no matter what he does in the squared circle. 

Producer: Julian Paszkiewicz
Editor: Helen Grady


(Image: Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after being crowned the new World Champion following the Heavyweight Title Fight between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25, 2021 in London, England. Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

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