The bond that binds sex and sports is innate, almost like a contract incentive. Athletes are Adonis-like figures, sculpted specimens that attract suitors with GPS-accuracy. Taking it to boxing, where the object is to subdue your opponent and prove one's self superior, and the pheromones smell sweeter than ever. In short, knocking out other men is sexy.

Alongside protecting one's self at all times, boxing purists rank abstaining from sex as a cardinal rule in the sport. Sex is viewed as a taboo subject, boxing's version of the boogieman. Consensus thought had always been that sex robbed a man of his strength, strength needed for combat.

Many stories abound about how women were the death of champions. Mike Tyson recounted that he went through Japanese women "like he was eating grapes" shortly before his 42-1 upset loss to James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo. Max Baer attributed his downfall against Braddock to his preoccupation with cavorting women. The evil sex monster strikes all-time greats and club fighters alike.

To put things in perspective, take the account of a legend. Sugar Ray Robinson typically abstained for six weeks before a fight. "One of the biggest sacrifices in being a champion is sex," Robinson said. "If you're a fighter, you need your energy. You can't leave it in a woman." If he was preparing for a fight, a woman could sleep in the same bed as he and not have to worry about Robinson making a move. Robinson's belief in the precept was unwavering.

However, even The Sugar Man found a place for sex in his training camp. Herb Boyd notes in Pound For Pound, "If he would hit his peak early, a 'break' would be necessary." By break, they mean conjugal visit. "Then a few days before the fight the peak would be reached again." Charley Goldman was known to allow Rocky Marciano the same privilege when he reached his apex too soon.

Cus D'Amato employed relatively lax restrictions on sex with Jose Torres. In Fire and Fear, Torres says, "D'Amato taught his fighters that objectivity, impersonality, coldness, and detachment are essential to a professional boxer. If occasional 'relief' can foster those attitudes, so much the better." According to the former Light-Heavyweight champion, D'Amato would allow Torres' wife to stay in camp on the weekends, which he felt boosted his performance.

On the contrary, Marvin Hagler abstentation would carry over into all indulges. Describing the beginning of training camp as "going to jail," Hagler would stay away from women, alcohol, essentially anything that goes with the trappings of success.

By and large, contemporary trainers tend to believe that sex is a no-no when preparing for a fight. "I think it's definitely not good to have sex when you're in training camp," says Jeff Mayweather, trainer of WBO Heavyweight champ Sultan Ibragimov. "When you're in camp, your mind should only be on boxing."

John David Jackson, chief second for Nate Campbell and Allan Green, concurs with his colleague's stance. "I figure if you're getting ready for a title shot against a difficult opponent, then you should abstain from sex. It's more mental, but the first time you get hit, that's the first thing you're going to think about. You'd rather be safe than sorry."

Jackson recommends that his fighters remain celibate for "six weeks and beyond" prior to a bout. His training camp is located in Fort Lauderdale, which he feels is an advantage. "Most of my fighters are from out-of-state. They aren't able to find female companionship."

While Mayweather doesn't stress it, he suggests that his fighters stay out of the sheets for at least a month prior. Buddy McGirt and Nettles Nasser are slightly more lax on their guidelines. Three to four weeks before a fight, shouldn't be an issue.

Mayweather believes that sex alters a fighter's strict routines. "If you're having sex, it's probably late at night. You're already messing up your schedule. Legendary trainer/manager Angelo Dundee famously said, "It's not the act itself, it's the chase that I worry about. All the wine and late-nights, it takes a toll on a fighter."

McGirt offers his own unique perspectives on the topic "If you're a minute-man, it won't be an issue. But if you're up all night having sex, it will take all your energy. There comes a time in a fight when you have to dig down for energy and if it ain't there and it's sitting ringside in a young lady, it can't help you."

McGirt doesn't feel the detriment comes from losing focus, but the actual expenditure of energy sex incurs. In such incidences, McGirt has been known to send a fighter home early from the gym when he suspected a pupil of activities deleterious to his training.

Veteran manager, the-late Paddy Flood, clarified to Sam Toperoff in Sugar Ray Leonard and Other Noble Warriors his stance on how woman affect a fighter. "There's two ways. First, they come between a fighter and his manager. Then there's all the screwin'. I don't care what they say, it can't help. A fighter with women trouble is like a guy fighting with one hand tied behind his back. Only it ain't his hand that's tied up, if you get my drift."

Contradictions prevail in the medical field, however. Professor Emmanuelle Jannini, an Endocrinologist at Italy's University of L'Aquila, concluded that sex stimulates testosterone ouput. "After three months without sex...testosterone dramatically drops to levels close to children's levels." Given the significance of testosterone to an athlete, this is counterproductive to their cause.

A Nationalgeographic.com article by Stefan Lovgren expressed harmony with the above paragraph. Lovgren reported, "...Scientists say there is no physiological evidence to suggest that sex before competition is bad. In fact, some studies suggest that pre-sports sex may actually aid by raising their testosterone levels."

Being away from home in itself can give a fighter the blues. Says Mayweather, "You have some fighters who like to have their woman or family around. They might not even be missing sex; They might just miss those people. Even while sacrificing, they might want to have a day of peace."

Jackson is firmly against the idea of family-presence in camp. "Self-deprivation is what makes you hard, what makes you bitter, it's what makes you hungry. You have to sacrifice wives, the kids, the girlfriends. When you're in camp, that's when it's time to reflect on your opponent and your fight. That's why it's called camp. You get away from all of the distractions."

Mayweather views sex as an incentive for a boxer. "Most fighters, well most men in general, like sex. If it's something that's taken away from you, even if it's only taken away mentally, it drives you. It's almost like 'I have to work hard and get this over with so I can hurry up and get back to doing it.' The biggest thing about sex is that you lose a little focus because you're not making that sacrifice."

The primary questions begs to be answered: Is the hoodoo of sex a myth or reality. Once again, Mayweather has the floor. "It's one of those myths that really just scares you, not knowing if it's true or not. No one knows what the ramifications really are. The reality is that nothing's going to happen to you. It's like the story that if you masturbate, hair is going to grow on your hands. People plant those seeds so that they try to do the right thing. I know a lot of people that masturbate and I don't see anyone walking around with hairy palms."

"I won't say it's completely a myth," Jackson says. "It's all mental. If you dedicate yourself 110%, when you get hit you have no doubts as to whether you can do this. If you have sex prior to a fight, doubt is one of the first things that come to your mind. All of the stories you've heard, now they start to play on your mind. For me, it's a myth, but why test it? Be smart and stay dedicated to your craft and you won't have to worry about whether it's true or not."

Boxing is a sport that requires the utmost dedication and focus. A fighter has to live the Sweet Science to get the most out of his efforts. The muscles of a fighter may be mighty, but the psyche that controls their functions is fragile. The establishment remains split on the subject, while agreeing on principles and intangibles. Sex, while an essential, natural human function, still finds itself on the outs in the glory and pride that goes along with being a big-time fighter.

Perhaps Paddy Flood summed it up best. "When it was over, did you want to jump out of bed and do roadwork?"

Any questions or comments? Send them to mc_rson@yahoo.com .