cutie

n. a boxer willing to take, and capable of withstanding, a lot of blows; an unrefined or unorthodox boxer who relies on tricks. Subjects: English, Sports & Recreation

Etymological Note: Perhaps from the idea of a “good chin,” meaning the boxer can take a beating to the face without being knocked out. Cute has a long-standing meaning of ‘clever,’ though less common now.

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Citations: 1936 Bill McCormick Washington Post (Mar. 22) “Around the Ring” p. X4: Prize-ring cuties are boxers who pay far less attention to inflicting damage on their opponents than to protecting themselves. Some of our most successful fisticuffians have been cuties, cuties who have outfumbled good opponent after good opponent, advancing relentlessly toward the top—and leaving every arena in which they appeared badly in need of fumigation. 1940 Jack Cuddy Sheboygan Press (Wisc.) (Mar. 21) “Louis Trains Seriously For Paychek Fight On March 29” p. 26: After Louis’ pathetic showing against Arturo Godoy on Feb. 9, the elderly negro with the razor tatting on his face is taking no chances against Paychek whom he described as “a cutie who ought to make Joe look pow’ful silly if he gits discautious.” 1956 Jack Hand @ New York City Reno Evening Gazette (Nev.) (Jan. 7) “Savage Draws With Lausse in Tight Boout” p. 17: Eduardo Lausse, the darling of Argentina, knows today why they call Milo Savage a “cutie.” The handsome South American had to get off the floor and close with a rush to get a draw in last nights’ 10-round…battle. 1970 Jake La Motta Raging Bull: My Story p. 113: I would have to say that Robinson was the best I fought—a cutie, fast, with all the tricks, but he could also take a punch and he could throw one. 1977 Dave Brady Washington Post (May 8) “Bobick Still Thinks of Stevenson As He Prepares for Norton Bout” p. D4: “Duane is better every time, with a fighter, than with a cutie, but they make him look bad.” Futch was reminded that Norton has other skills than being a fighter and, if he is not quite a cutie, he can box. 1986 Jack Fiske San Francisco Chronicle (Feb. 15) “Tossup Fight For Lightweight Title Tomorrow” p. 42: Crawley is a cutie, a side-to-side boxer who will stick and move, just like Anthony Fletcher, a southpaw, who holds the only win over Bramble. 1988 Michael Wilbon Washington Post (E5) (Sept. 16) “U.S. Is Uncertain If ‘88 Can Bring Stars in the Ring”: “Guys all want to be punchers now, not boxers. People are calling them cutie-pies, and it’s because they’re emulating guys they see in the ring as pros.”…He doesn’t want his boxers putting themselves at a disadvantage with theatrics. “I’ve been on them not to go into the middle of the ring doing those jive gestures,” he said. “I told them, ‘When you do that, the referee already considers you a cutie-pie and is going to rule accordingly.’” 1989 Lowell Cohn San Francisco Chronicle (Feb. 21) “Tyson Must Be Tested To Be Great” p. D1: Both are characterized by a brutal brawling style, although Tyson, who is no cutie, is slightly more polished. 1990 Jon Saraceno USA Today (Mar. 16) “Fans the real winners in Taylor-Chavez bout” p. 12C: Chavez is no defensive cutie, but he does have a terrific chin. 2002 Russell Sullivan Rocky Marciano: The Rock of His Times (Aug. 1) p. 83: Walcott’s fighting style also presented a target. He was commonly known as a “cutie.”…Some sportswriters…cast him as a stereotypical figure looking to sneak through life. Franklin Lewis, for instance, claimed that Walcott “is in the main a trickster.” Likewise, C.M. Gibbs of the Baltimore Sun maintained that he possessed “a gift of cuteness by nature.” 2005 Sean Newman RingSideReport.com (Feb. 23) “Boxing: Final Bell Tolls for Jimmy Young”: He was, in boxing parlance, a “cutie,” and used this style to his advantage in gaining wins over the likes of Ron Lyle and Foreman.

Posted 24 Feb 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend