Editing Emile Griffith (section)

====Benny Paret====
{{Main|Benny Paret vs. Emile Griffith III}}
Griffith and Paret's third fight, which was nationally televised by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], occurred on March 24, 1962, at [[Madison Square Garden]]. Griffith had been incensed by an [[homophobia|anti-gay]] slur directed at him by Paret during the weigh-in. Paret touched Griffith's buttocks and whispered into his opponent's ear "''maricón, maricón''", Spanish slang for "[[faggot (slang)|faggot]]".<ref name=ShadowBoxer>Smith, Gary [https://www.si.com/vault/2005/04/18/8257823/the-shadow-boxer "The Shadow Boxer"], Sports Illustrated, April 18, 2005.</ref><ref name="NYT_Klores" /> Griffith had to be restrained from attacking Paret on the spot. The media at the time either ignored the slur or used [[euphemism]]s such as "anti-man". Griffith's girlfriend asked him about the incident, saying, "I didn't know about you being that way."

In the sixth round Paret came close to stopping Griffith with a multi-punch combination, but Griffith was saved by the bell.<ref name=Rivilries>[http://www.cbssports.com/boxing/story/5981685 The Great Rivalries] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826002343/http://www.cbssports.com/boxing/story/5981685 |date=August 26, 2012 }}, CBSSports.com; accessed January 30, 2016.</ref> After the sixth round Griffith's trainer, [[Gil Clancy]], later said he told him, "When you go inside I want you to keep punching until Paret holds you or the referee breaks you! But you keep punching until he does that!".<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

Griffith told a television interviewer: "I'm very proud to be the welterweight champion again. I hope Paret is feeling very good." When the seriousness of the situation become known, Griffith went to the hospital where Paret was being treated and unsuccessfully attempted for several hours to gain entry to Paret's room. Following that, he ran through the streets while being insulted by passersby. He would later receive hate mail from Paret supporters who were convinced Griffith intentionally killed Paret.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

New York [[Governor (United States)|Governor]] [[Nelson Rockefeller]] created a seven-man commission to investigate the incident and the sport.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/> Griffith reportedly felt guilt over Paret's death and suffered nightmares about Paret for 40 years.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

The fight, and the widespread publicity and criticism of boxing which accompanied it, became the basis of the 2005 documentary ''Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story - Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ring_of_fire_the_emile_griffith_story |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>