After being taunted with homophobic slurs for his interest in men, Emile Griffith would knockout Benny Paret so bad he would die days later…
Emile Griffith and Benny “Kid” Paret’s rivalry in the boxing ring is etched in history for its tragic culmination. Their intense trilogy of fights within a year, culminating in Griffith’s fatal victory over Paret on March 24, 1962, is a stark reminder of the brutal nature of the sport. Paret, only 25 and a recent welterweight champion, faced Griffith, a year younger, in a match that would end in irreversible tragedy.
