The obvious place to start in analyzing this story is to take a closer look at the strange plot device on which the rest of the story hangs: a boxer is obligated to continue fighting (even as he ages out and begins losing and taking serious damage), because he made a literal blood pact with the literal black community to represent supreme power and alpha dominion.
Now, if that's not a picture of patriarchy, then what is? This person's literal situation should be viewed as a figurative depiction of the rat race that the author feels black people are often thrown into as a result of the difficulty of their lives in the global community. The argument seems to be that instead of living happy, healthy lives, men (especially black men) are often forced into a role where their success or failure means something to their community.
In other words, men are made to compete by the people who root for them, who want their success. But Shorty just wants to be an actor, which is still of social utility, but his commitment to be power-oriented and successful has led him to an experience of daily life that is literally unsustainable. As he ages, he will begin to lose fights more drastically, and eventually, his career in boxing will end in irreparable damage to his person.
The argument is clearly that we cannot obligate ourselves or others to serve social roles that are destructive for them. The basic idea of the plot seems to be that when someone wants to change their life, they should be allowed to just go and become whoever they feel called to become, no questions asked.
