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Through these discussions, we intend to bring light to some of the darker areas of the general boxing consciousness. My hope is that fans and fighters from any and all parts of the world will contribute their commentary and that we might glean a better understanding of boxing as it is in territories other than our own. This week we have been lucky enough to gather such a response.
Unfortunately, due to the changing of my Internet server I was unable to access any more correspondence than is shown in today’s article. I offer each reader and contributor my sincerest apologies for this, I assure you that it was an aberration that will certainly not be repeated. My e-mail address is now jam2lis@sprint.ca and all future correspondence should be sent there.
For now, please enjoy the fan feedback on the topic of undefeated fighters.
Undefeated
What do I expect form a fighter? I expect a fighter to have a desire to prove the world that, on his best night, he can be one of the best in the world. I expect a fighter to take on all comers, even those who have a very good chance of defeating them. I expect a fighter to give his best at all times, even on the verge of defeat, or when in deep water. I expect a fighter to have the humility and mentality to accept the possibility of defeat, and to accept it when he finally does lose a fight.
I can honestly say that all fighters feel fear. All fighters are nervous. All get exited before they step up in that ring. So I can honestly say that for a fighter to give his best and face the best available is realistic. After all, I do so myself....(though I'm only an amateur with 18 fights... 10 wins, 8 losses.. but I faced the national champion in my first fight. (retired him with a brutal 3 round k.o.). I faced a russian guy with 78 fights and 72 wins in my 9th fight. I went to the european championship with only 17 fights...injured..)
I'm by no means undefeated. But I think that it's stupid to call me off because I face the best at all times, regardless of my form, regardless of training, regardless of lack of experience. Being undefeated does not mean a jack shit to me! Look at Shane Mosley... He faces the best, even if he knows that Forrest and Winky will give him problems because of styles. He loses, accepts it, and jumps in rematches, willing to risk another loss just to prove that he can defeat them on his best day. He is a real fighter! Felix Trinidad is a real fighter.
Roy Jones is bollocks, though the most skilled fighter in the world. You cannot disregard a fighters accomplishments just because he lost one fight, two fights, three fights or more, when he has faced the best competition in the world to achieve that.
I mean, how can you disregard Evander Holyfield and his accomplishments, just because he's got half a dusin losses? He faced the best available opposition at all times. Won some, lost some. That's the way it's supposed to be.....At least in my mind...
And I think people look up to undefeated fighters so much, because we're all looking for a hero. An idol. One who can withstand anything, and fix everything. We're looking for our very own Superman....
- Tommy Ostad from Norway
Undefeated
well, undefeated fighter are always facisnating because they carry with them
a mystique and aura of invicinbility, I can see where some fighters are
protected,like camacho Jr he was undefeated for a while yet I knew it was
cause he was fighting bums, but I remember Trinidads 40-0 streak at that
time he seemed like some sort of super man, the same with Cotto now if he
keeps winning agaisnt quality opposition in a year or two that same Aura
will surround him too. While I agree it is safe to say that most undefeated
fighters are benefited from smart match making there comes a time when they
have to fight champion and if in the end of the day they can still keep that
0 on their record, they are seen as invincible. In this toughest of sports
being undefeated garners you respect, once you lose you lose some luster
simply because it is now known to the world that you are human, that you
have a weakness, you lose the mystique, Trinidad is now remembered as a
great with freakish punching power, but no longer considered that perfect
assasin, that flawess terminator, no until he can beat Bernard Hopkins and
still we now know that Tito is indeed human. He is still feared, he is might
still be the best puncher in the game, his left hook is the stuff of
legends, but now all of his future opponents and the people watching will
know that when faced with a guy who can give him angles all night he could
lose. So there is no longer that Mystique...
- S.Rivera
A great many thanks to these fans for their contributions to this discussion. Please remember to keep checking the site and look out for the third installment of the challenging boxing myths series, which will be available in the next few days. |
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