Emile Griffith, Boxer at Rest

As I was doing my AP Art History homework, I stumbled across a piece of work that reminded me of Emile Griffith, more recently known as the main character in the play Man in the Ring.

Boxer at Rest - Image from Google

This bronze sculpture, Boxer at Rest, comes to us from the Greek Hellenistic period. The artist is unknown, but the sculpture is estimated to have been created anywhere from 330 to 50 B.C.E. It now resides in Rome after being excavated in 1885.

Emile Griffith - Image from Google

Although the features of Emile are not exactly identical to Boxer at Rest, they share the same general physicality. 

The reason the sculpture reminded me so much of Emile is the emotion conveyed by his posture. Still wearing his boxing gloves, he sits slumped over, defeated, and physically wounded. It is believed that the boxer sits between fights, looking hopelessly behind him at his next opponent. 

It is very likely that Emile felt this way as well, perhaps after his fight with Benny Paret. Following Benny's death, Emile did not want to continue fighting, but knew there were opponents in his future just like Boxer at Rest.