Contender Omar Henry has passed away one week shy of his 26th birthday. He leaves behind unfulfilled promise, and a 12-0-record, with 9 KO's. Henry was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer a few months back, and given the proximity to the liver and pancreas, once that cancer moves, it is usually a curtain call. While an element of freak luck is always involved in a nearly 26 year old professional athlete being diagnosed with cancer, we are seeing this more and more these days.
Daniel Jacobs and Anthony Dirrell may have gotten a bit luckier in their respective outcomes, but to be diagnosed with cancer during that age range is not nearly as rare as it once was. We cannot correct every risk factor as individuals, as we are powerless to the big machine of technology, but we can reduce risks by our individual behavior. There is also a lesson to be learned about how we spend the precious time we do have.
I continue to witness parents, particularly in the black and latino communities, making horrendous nutrition decisions for their children. Until you eliminate the constant stream of canned foods, white bread, sugary drinks, as well salty batters, sauces and marinades... you will be facing a roster of health problems for your children. Your body needs raw, organic nuts, fruits, and vegetables, as well as water. That is about it.
Whole grains and eggs are acceptable too, but anything additional should be considered a fun once and a while thing to eat. I love food, and much of what I love is unhealthy, but I eat it sparingly now. Also, when a fighter's job is to stay in shape, you need to create good habits when they are young. Watch the nonsense the older Mayweathers proudly eat in any 24/7 episode, and wonder if it's a coincidence that they are plagued with health issues like sarcadosis and diabetes.
Pollution will be what it is, but we need to control our individual damage factor. We need to limit one's time in front of computer screens, and stick that pesky phone in a drawer for a few hours every day. It's not as if we will discover health issues caused by these technological advancements someday in the future. We already know they are killing us!
Also, Omar Henry was plagued by inactivity. We see more and more of these young fighters taking their sweet time developing. It's bad for them, bad for the sport, and as we learn from tragedies like this, it's a waste of time they are not guaranteed to have. Don King's practice of letting fighters rot on the vine, fighting once a year, if that, is bad for many reasons... but think of all the fights Henry could have racked up had he been put to good use.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
