Competitive Sports as Peacemaker
Usually, we think of sports in terms of winning and losing, sometimes in terms of physical activity, and in moments of cynicism as advertising opportunities. But it is also an opportunity to bring people together. Boxing may not seem like such a sympathetic sport, but recently the International Boxing Organization's intercontinental heavyweight champion Roman Greenberg has served as a vehicle for aiding organizations which provide help for Arab and Jewish youth in distress and promote peace.
The twenty-four-year-old Greenberg, who is Jewish, was born in Russia and moved to Israel as a child; he served in the Israeli army and was the youngest-ever fighter to win the country's national heavyweight title. He has been a vocal supporter of Israel and famously sports a conspicuous Star of David on his boxing shorts. The online Backgammon company, BackgammonMasters has recently purchased these shorts from in order to sponsor Greenberg as he trains in England for upcoming fights. The site, which features online backgammon, poker, and Perudo, intends to auction off the shorts, with the bidding starting at $100,000 and donate the auction proceeds to organizations offering assistance to Arab and Jewish youth.
Greenberg has won all 25 of his professional fights, including seventeen knockouts. Most recently, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, he defeated American boxer Michael Simms in a unanimous decision.
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