1970s middleweight boxing champion Carlos Monzon was a heavy smoker. His idea of sacrificing for training was to cut back to around one pack a day. During an era of 15 round title bouts he still had incredible stamina in his early 30s.
And he'd have been even better without the butts. He slowed down toward the end of his championship reign, often relying on controlling the tempo of a bout with a long jab rather than the relentless pressure of his younger days. It made for some unexciting fights that he usually dominated but occasionally came close to losing, including his rematch against the great Emile Griffith, another ageless wonder who fought like a much younger man in his comparative dotage (by boxing standards).
But some folks are gifted with natural superhuman endurance and resistance to stuff that would disable us mere mortals. I love the smell of good tobacco but a whiff of second hand smoke makes my throat swell up. I do miss a good cigar.
Eventually fate caught up with Monzon. He was shot by one woman he'd abused, but he survived. He went to prison for murdering his girlfriend. Then he died in a car wreck heading back to prison after a weekend furlough.
Cigarettes may not always kill but living a smoking fast lifestyle often does.
Former welterweight champ and notorious loudmouthed bully Ricardo Mayorga is another successful athlete who smoked, including lighting up in the ring after a fight.
