Emile, a former boxer who was the first fighter from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion, as a youth never dreamed of becoming a boxer and was discovered by accident. As a teen he was working at a hat factory on a steamy day when his boss the factory owner agreed to Emile's request to work shirtless. When the owner, a former amateur boxer, noticed his frame he took Emile to trainer Gil Clancy's gym.
Emile won the 1958 New York Golden Gloves 147 lb Open Championship. Emile defeated Osvaldo Marcano of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch Center in the finals to win the Championship. In 1957 Emile advanced to the finals of the 147 lb Sub-Novice division and was defeated by Charles Wormley of the Salem Crescent Athletic Club. Emile trained at the West 28th Street Parks Department Gym in New York City. He turned professional in 1958 and fought frequently in New York City.
Emile was destined to become a boxing icon until his collision with Benny "the Kid" Paret on March 24, 1962. The wreck was thought to be a clean match-up. Emile had "the Kid" against the ropes revving away, when unbeknown to Emile (or the judge), an impact spun the Kid into 360 degrees of unconsciousness. Emile continued to power his guns with a multi-punch combination. Paret never regained consciousness and died 9 days later. Apparently, Paret called Griffith a maricón (Spanish for homosexual)
Emile went on to win several more bouts, but it's said that he never recovered from the death of Paret. Decades later, Sports Illustrated found an angle that might have explained the fatal drag race.
In 1971 Emile married Mercedes (Sadie) who was a member of the dance troupe Prince Rupert and the Slave Girls at the time two months after meeting her. Griffith adopted Donastorg's daughter.
In 1992, Emile was viciously beaten and almost killed on a New York City street, after leaving a gay bar.
Emile was quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying "I like men and women both. But I don't like that word: homosexual, gay or faggot. I don't know what I am. I love men and women the same, but if you ask me which is better ... I like women." He was also quoted in a Newsday blog as saying, "I keep thinking how strange it is ... I kill a man and most people understand and forgive me. However, I love a man, and to so many people this is an unforgivable sin; this makes me an evil person. So, even though I never went to jail, I have been in prison almost all my life."
Today, Emile requires full time care and suffers from pugilistic dementia. Emile currently lives in an apartment in Hempstead, New York. He is a frequent visitor of the Winters Brothers Boxing Club on Post Avenue in Westbury, New York.
