I'd never seen Rigondeaux's face without it being obscured by headgear or a photograph of Fidel he was holding up after winning a tournament. Finally I saw him, only to recognize the saddest face I'd ever seen in Cuba. Brin-Jonathan Butler cubafacefidel share on social
Castro always used the boxers as a symbolic war against American values to demonstrate that they fight for something more than money. Brin-Jonathan Butler americanboxercastro Change image and share on social
When I first asked my boxing coach, two-time Olympic champion Hector Vinent, what made the Cuban style of fighting distinct from the rest of the world, he smiled and told me to sit on a bench in Prado and watch the Cuban women walk. Brin-Jonathan Butler askbenchbox share on social
Cuban eyes often look close to tears. Tears never seem far away because both their pain and their joy are always so close to the surface. Brin-Jonathan Butler closecubaneye Change image and share on social
Castro branded Rigondeaux a 'traitor' and 'Judas' to the Cuban people. Brin-Jonathan Butler brandcastrocuban Change image and share on social
I was told before my first trip that no city in the world offered the dreams you could have sleeping in Havana. But nobody warned me that Havana also always feels like an exhausting nightmare that never quite fulfills the promise of what it's threatening you with. Brin-Jonathan Butler citydreamexhaust share on social
An offer to fight Muhammad Ali came after Stevenson won his second Olympic gold in Montreal in 1976. Stevenson was at his peak. The world had never seen a heavyweight with the tools Stevenson brought into the ring. Brin-Jonathan Butler alibringfight share on social
We're a long way away from someone like Willie Pep winning a round without throwing a punch. Brin-Jonathan Butler longpeppunch Change image and share on social
On June 27, 1988, a 21-year-old Mike Tyson made in excess of 21 million dollars for 91 seconds of work. It took him just over 14 seconds to pull in more money than Michael Jordan, in his prime, made for an entire season of work that year. Brin-Jonathan Butler dollarentireexcess share on social