By Phenyo Molefe: Last week saw Le Roy Neiman laid to rest. I believe that boxing lost a man who helped capture some its golden years, its participants and their bouts, casting images upon varied tapestry throughout the years, aided by brush strokes and colourful sketches. He is undeniably thee most recognised sports artist and helped cast light on a niche so often misunderstood by its own establishment.
In reviewing old fight footage some years ago, I can remember seeing his discernable figure seated near ringside unseen by many but ever present. His focussed gaze, held above dark whiskers as he consumed the atmosphere burning upon memory the night’s action soon to be immortalised on strings of canvas.
I never had an opportunity to meet Neiman or follow his life as I have the many boxers who have graced our sport; however the little which I have been able to share in, has led me to believe that this fine man was due all his praise and more. He first came to my attention in boxing documentaries which featured fighters such Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Norton and Tyson as leads. He could often be seen sketching in real time as his subjects traded punches while his output took upon undisturbed brilliance; somehow his images never lost the energy and intensity of the blows served.
He was a maverick, a quality so often admired in those with the fortitude to find their purpose and the willingness to persist irrespective of the seas of evading praise. This may very well have endeared him to boxing circles. He formed friendship with some of boxing’s most distinguished stars; they embraced him as he too had embraced our sport. Having tried his hand at boxing in his high school years, I would like to believe that of the all the sports he covered, boxing was his favourite. He became a part of its historical fabric forging accounts of some of its noted battles; his creations spanned Ali- Frazier, Ali-Foreman, Hagler-Herns, Tyson- Lewis, De La Hoya -Vargas and many other distinguished fighters celebrated in his portfolio.
Although he found praise in disciplines somewhat removed from those cast by traditional art structures; his legacy remains intact as too does our reverence for his fine work. Perhaps it was buoyed by his liberated mindset as he shrugged off the lack of praise from esteem art critics. However he always found salutation in boxing. In 2007, the International Boxing Hall of Fame deemed him fit for induction on the basis of his contributions to our sport and its tapestry which had become woven into his own story.
He sculpted his own journey marrying his passion for sporting excellence with the talents endowed to him. Although Le Roy’s time here is spent, the value he added through his craft and the numerous philanthropic initiatives for underprivileged youth remains everlasting. His work shone emphatic light on boxing and etched out a path for those who are yet to follow his steps. May peace be with you Le Roy Neiman, you were our star.