How does one define a boxer’s career and legacy when they continue fighting long after their prime?
There appears to be two schools of thought on the subject. One side is that a fighter can tarnish his legacy by staying around too long. The philosophy is that the entire sum of a career should be measured from day one to his final fight. The other side believes that when a fighter reaches a certain point, everything past that is the icing on the cake. In that school of thought, after a series of accomplishments, a legacy can only be enhanced but not hindered.
The argument over what effects staying around too long has on a boxer’s legacy has been around for a long time. Recently, events have once again pushed this question back to the front of boxing debates. In the past month, three fighters, all well beyond their primes, have had embarrassing fights.
On May 7, 2011, the once pound-for-pound king Shane Mosley gave a non-effort against the best fighter in the world, Manny Pacquiao. While there is no shame in losing, even in lopsided fashion to Pacquiao, it was the fact that Mosley fought in fear. Mosley has long been lauded for his willingness to engage opponents. This seemed to change the moment he tasted Pacquiao’s power. This came almost one year to the day after a similarly non-spirited showing against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
On the same night as the Mosley fight, former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield fought Brian Nielsen. While Holyfield managed a late-round knockout of Neilsen, the fight was no less sad. Nielsen had been retired for years and was never close to a legitimate contender even in his prime
That Holyfield took the fight, claimed he deserved a title shot from the victory, and that he struggled even slightly speaks volumes to the status of Holyfield’s career. For 10 years now Holyfield has been on the decline with his only victories coming against nobodies and has-been fighters
This past weekend, Roy Jones Jr. was frighteningly knocked out by Denis Lebedev. Lebedev is a talented young fighter, but would have been thoroughly outclassed by Jones Jr in his prime, who has spent more than a decade as the recognized best boxer in the world, but is now being knocked out with alarming frequency.
What effect do these fights have on a boxer’s legacy? Is Jones Jr. lessened as a fighter for having been knocked out by Levedev? When Jones Jr. first fought Antonio Tarver, it was apparent that age and changing weight classes had diminished him physically to the point that he was no longer the stunning physical specimen that he once was. Was everything that has happened past that point a career footnote?
Boxers have long fought past their primes. Few fighters, such as Rocky Marciano or Lennox Lewis, leave while on top. A few more such as Oscar de la Hoya or Kostya Tszyu leave shortly after realizing that they can no longer compete at the top levels. But for every boxer that retires at or shortly after age catches up to them there are countless others that sadly soldier on
Historically, fighters have been forgiven for the misfortunes that occur late in their careers. Ask someone to picture Muhammad Ali and they will likely imagine him beating Foreman, Frazier, or Liston. Few will think of his sad loss to Larry Holmes. Joe Louis is better remembered for the second fight against Max Schmelling than he is for being a balding old man whom was batter by Marciano. Sugar Ray Robinson retains the widely held belief that he is the greatest fighter who ever lived that for the numerous losses he suffered late in his career.
However, the modern fighter has to deal with something that Ali, Louis, and Robinson never had to face in modern media. Historically, fights were shown once, maybe twice on television. The truly fanatical could trade reels of film or video cassettes but most fans only saw these fights once. Now there is the 24-hour sports news channel and the Internet which replays these sad moments ad nauseum.
It has become more difficult for these sad instances to fade away in the collective boxing memory. Louis’ loss to Marciano was only shown a few times. In modern times one could watch Jones Jr. being knocked out repeatedly on their cell phone from anywhere in the world at any time of day.
The truth is that the sport is designed to have fighters stay around too long.
Boxing is the sport where the stigma of being a quitter is the most damning. Fighter’s train their entire lives to mentally be willing to engage in difficult or frightening situations. Fans and writers ruthlessly chastise boxers that show the slightest bit of fear. Yet many of these same fans and writers publicly blast boxers for not knowing when to call it quits on their career.
Further, many fighters are financially strained when they retire. In boxing there is not an effective union or a 401k plan to help plan for retirement. Unlike other organized sports where an athlete is unable to earn money as their ability fade boxing is the opposite. An old fighter with a decent name can always draw a crowd. Young fighters are always looking for an old name to add to a resume.
The disdain boxers who stay around too long receive may have less to do with them and more to do with fans. It is like a poor movie adaption of favorite childhood book; watching a once great athlete lose in fight after fight tarnishes the memory of that fighter. Then comes the chorus of young fans who never saw that fighter in their prime to say that so-and-so was overrated. An individual who once brought so much excitement now only brings frustration.
It also reminds us of our own mortality. After all, if a once sublime physical specimen like Evander Holyfield can be become a plodding shell of his former self then what chance do the rest of us have?
In the end it is unfair to judge a young man and an old man the same. Boxers who are beginning their careers are not criticized for fighting mediocre opponents. Their skills are too unrefined and they are learning. Boxers at the end of their careers should not be judged for fighting poorly. They are adjusting to their new position in life and they are learning.
As fans we can only trust that in time our memories of these fighters at their peak will replace the current site of them at their lowest.
There appears to be two schools of thought on the subject. One side is that a fighter can tarnish his legacy by staying around too long. The philosophy is that the entire sum of a career should be measured from day one to his final fight. The other side believes that when a fighter reaches a certain point, everything past that is the icing on the cake. In that school of thought, after a series of accomplishments, a legacy can only be enhanced but not hindered.
The argument over what effects staying around too long has on a boxer’s legacy has been around for a long time. Recently, events have once again pushed this question back to the front of boxing debates. In the past month, three fighters, all well beyond their primes, have had embarrassing fights.
On May 7, 2011, the once pound-for-pound king Shane Mosley gave a non-effort against the best fighter in the world, Manny Pacquiao. While there is no shame in losing, even in lopsided fashion to Pacquiao, it was the fact that Mosley fought in fear. Mosley has long been lauded for his willingness to engage opponents. This seemed to change the moment he tasted Pacquiao’s power. This came almost one year to the day after a similarly non-spirited showing against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
On the same night as the Mosley fight, former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield fought Brian Nielsen. While Holyfield managed a late-round knockout of Neilsen, the fight was no less sad. Nielsen had been retired for years and was never close to a legitimate contender even in his prime
That Holyfield took the fight, claimed he deserved a title shot from the victory, and that he struggled even slightly speaks volumes to the status of Holyfield’s career. For 10 years now Holyfield has been on the decline with his only victories coming against nobodies and has-been fighters
This past weekend, Roy Jones Jr. was frighteningly knocked out by Denis Lebedev. Lebedev is a talented young fighter, but would have been thoroughly outclassed by Jones Jr in his prime, who has spent more than a decade as the recognized best boxer in the world, but is now being knocked out with alarming frequency.
What effect do these fights have on a boxer’s legacy? Is Jones Jr. lessened as a fighter for having been knocked out by Levedev? When Jones Jr. first fought Antonio Tarver, it was apparent that age and changing weight classes had diminished him physically to the point that he was no longer the stunning physical specimen that he once was. Was everything that has happened past that point a career footnote?
Boxers have long fought past their primes. Few fighters, such as Rocky Marciano or Lennox Lewis, leave while on top. A few more such as Oscar de la Hoya or Kostya Tszyu leave shortly after realizing that they can no longer compete at the top levels. But for every boxer that retires at or shortly after age catches up to them there are countless others that sadly soldier on
Historically, fighters have been forgiven for the misfortunes that occur late in their careers. Ask someone to picture Muhammad Ali and they will likely imagine him beating Foreman, Frazier, or Liston. Few will think of his sad loss to Larry Holmes. Joe Louis is better remembered for the second fight against Max Schmelling than he is for being a balding old man whom was batter by Marciano. Sugar Ray Robinson retains the widely held belief that he is the greatest fighter who ever lived that for the numerous losses he suffered late in his career.
However, the modern fighter has to deal with something that Ali, Louis, and Robinson never had to face in modern media. Historically, fights were shown once, maybe twice on television. The truly fanatical could trade reels of film or video cassettes but most fans only saw these fights once. Now there is the 24-hour sports news channel and the Internet which replays these sad moments ad nauseum.
It has become more difficult for these sad instances to fade away in the collective boxing memory. Louis’ loss to Marciano was only shown a few times. In modern times one could watch Jones Jr. being knocked out repeatedly on their cell phone from anywhere in the world at any time of day.
The truth is that the sport is designed to have fighters stay around too long.
Boxing is the sport where the stigma of being a quitter is the most damning. Fighter’s train their entire lives to mentally be willing to engage in difficult or frightening situations. Fans and writers ruthlessly chastise boxers that show the slightest bit of fear. Yet many of these same fans and writers publicly blast boxers for not knowing when to call it quits on their career.
Further, many fighters are financially strained when they retire. In boxing there is not an effective union or a 401k plan to help plan for retirement. Unlike other organized sports where an athlete is unable to earn money as their ability fade boxing is the opposite. An old fighter with a decent name can always draw a crowd. Young fighters are always looking for an old name to add to a resume.
The disdain boxers who stay around too long receive may have less to do with them and more to do with fans. It is like a poor movie adaption of favorite childhood book; watching a once great athlete lose in fight after fight tarnishes the memory of that fighter. Then comes the chorus of young fans who never saw that fighter in their prime to say that so-and-so was overrated. An individual who once brought so much excitement now only brings frustration.
It also reminds us of our own mortality. After all, if a once sublime physical specimen like Evander Holyfield can be become a plodding shell of his former self then what chance do the rest of us have?
In the end it is unfair to judge a young man and an old man the same. Boxers who are beginning their careers are not criticized for fighting mediocre opponents. Their skills are too unrefined and they are learning. Boxers at the end of their careers should not be judged for fighting poorly. They are adjusting to their new position in life and they are learning.
As fans we can only trust that in time our memories of these fighters at their peak will replace the current site of them at their lowest.
"Is he fucking serious?"
He begged for the judges to take it away from him and they obliged...
