Without boxing, many people who take it up wouldn't have much else. In fact, I've just been looking up this kid who was my age and an amateur star. He was also Indian, which is how I knew him, I was supposed to be trained by his father but his father only taught his own kids. He must have done a great job, all the brothers had decent to great ammie careers. This youngest one was the star though and the one that everyone had their hopes up for. I was present at his last fight, we were both 13. I still remember him bouncing nervously down the aisle to the ring, the only words he ever spoke to me were a nervous, "he is so tall" and laughed. He fought hard, got knocked down twice by big right hands, the many Indians present would gasp a collective gasp and he got up each time shaking his head. He never fought again. (the obit says he had 300 fights and 5-7 losses) I saw him some 8 years later asking for beer money outside a store. I told him I remembered him and he said "i can still kick a little ass". Well, that was most likely the pattern of his life, drugs and alcohol and he died, the info i have says he died of apnea but I would suspect there are other factors.
Boxing is tough, life is tough too and things don't always turn out like you want. It's sad.