Here's an interesting topic to discuss -

If you were a boxer, and were offered 1,500 ... Dollars, pesos, euros, hay-pennies, schillings, coppers, wampum, or whatever the hell currency is called where you're from... Would you throw a fight?

(Although, 1500 pesos isn't really worth anything... And I guess, if we were talking Yen, that would be... Completely worthless... So I'm just gonna go with dollars.)

Some points to consider:

In favor of taking the fall -

-In general, there are two kinds of boxers.
Good boxers...
And Great boxers.
Anyone can be a good boxer... It just takes a bit of training. Once you learn to throw a punch, and to avoid getting hit, it's all pretty much cut and dry.
But great boxers are rare. These are your Arturo Gattis, your Mike Tysons, and you (best of all) Muhammad Alis. (Ali was fuggin' amazing.)
All boxers have a shelf life. That of even a great boxer can be short, and, as such, that of a simply good boxer is often minuscule. Would it not make sense to take every opportunity to make a few bucks while you have the chance?

- While we're on the financial aspect of the issue, let's discuss other business opportunities this presents. For example, gambling. Let's face it... People... Bet... On... Fights. This is a given. It can't be avoided.
When people bet on fights, as with any sport, they tend to put their money on the side that seems more likely to come out victorious. Betting on the underdog usually pays out more, but a bet on the favorite is, as a rule, safer. Now, which side is the underdog and which is the favorite is determined by statistics, or, as bookkeepers call them... Odds. It gets somewhat complicated, and I'm pretty slow with math, but the layman's version would be: Every fight you lose causes the odds to indicate that you're likely to lose again. Every time you win, the odds of you winning again are increased. So, basically, someone who wins a lot is going to be favored over someone who gets beaten all the time.
So, what I'm getting at is that throwing a few fights will cause the odds to show you as being an underdog. Since "risky" bets on the underdog pay out better than the "safer" bet on the favorite... You can then go to a bookie, and place a $100 bet on yourself to win the next fight! (Actually, you'd have to have someone place the wager for you... Betting on yourself is... Frowned upon.) If you win, you've just made... Potentially, a lot of money. If the odds are 3:1 against you, you've made $300, and if they're 10:1, you've turned over a cool grand. If you don't... You'll generally get at least the $100 just for showing up.
(Actually, if the odds are 10:1 against you, then you suck and probably won't win anyway)

- All that aside, the gist of the entire question here is, "Would you take a few punches in exchange for more money in one night than the average laborer makes in a month?" Business logic dictates that the answer is an emphatic "Yes."

- Yes, every argument in favor of taking the fall involves money, but then again, in a modern society, everything involves money.


Against Throwing the fight -

- One of the fist thoughts to pop into one's head when the subject of throwing a match enters the conversation is "Street cred." Or, maybe not those exact words. Perhaps it was "Career, honesty, honor, credo..." Whatever you call it, it's a matter of pride. Yes, the rewards for taking that fall are great, but is it worth having to know you threw the match?

- Illegal dealings, man. Generally, offers like this are given by corrupt bookkeepers, usually working for a bunch of gangsters out to fund their gangster shit. The offer is made because it screws with the odds, as well as allowing the bet to be rigged. It's frowned upon from many perspectives, and, in some cases, it's even illegal. Just... You really don't want to get tied up in that.

- Every single point made in favor of taking the fall centers around one thing and one thing only: GREED, asshole. Don't be greedy. Greedy people do very bad things. *nods sagely*

Anyway, that's about it. Thoughts?

Leaf