Well Mohammed Ali had it right.

We all know he changed his name from Cassius Clay to Mohammed Ali because Cassius Clay was his "slave name" - so giving himself a Moslem name with an African connection was his way of reclaiming ownership of himself.

But there is more to it in his case ...

... Cassius was a Roman gladiator ... a slave who fought for his living and his survival.

... Ali saw himself as the slave gladiator fighting to win his freedom.

And while there was romance in ancient rome around gladiators, and while they got the girls and could make a fortune (if they survived) the practice was eventually consigned to history for being barbaric.

Middleweight champion Chris Eubanks summed it up when, to the outrage of his competitors (who he was beating), he punlicly described boxing as "a mugs game".