The work beneath the gloves…Boxers don't walk. Boxers don't strut. Boxers glide, eyes forward,
their profiles reminiscent of Dick Tracy, strong and dashing, with a
hint of vulnerability that belies the ballet of brutality to come.
Noted
author Joyce Carol Oates refers to boxing as, "the lost religion of
masculinity," and the horde that gathered on a Friday night in the
Middle Sister Building of the Deschutes County Fairgrounds for the
preliminary bouts of the Oregon State Golden Gloves championship came
to re-christen this loss. Men dominated the throng as Ozzy Osbourne,
Rammstein and Mexican rap detonated from speakers. The overpowering
smell of nachos and popcorn blended with the bittersweet aroma of mixed
drinks. The bartender, resplendent in a jewel-toned vest and bow tie,
attempted to create a little bit of Las Vegas elegance on a
linen-draped card table positioned near a hall water fountain.
