..How To Tell If A Fighter Is Shot...

First and foremost, I just want to clear up any ideas that some of you may have. I didn't start this with ANY fighter in mind, just fighters in general. I'm also not trying to get on the soapbox and tell a fighter to quit. It's not my place to tell a grown man what to do with his life. With that being said, I do happen to think that it's sad when a fighter sticks around for what is clearly too long a period of time. Especially when the fighter was once incredibly great. It allows you to see the decline all the more. When you see a fight like Evander Holyfield struggle with guys that he would have decapitated in his prime, it really lets you know that he's holding on for far to long. As you watch these fighters, you notice certain things that they all seem to have CERTAIN things in common. Here, I present to you my beliefs/opinion on how to tell if a fighter is truly shot. 1. This is an obvious one, but is often times overlooked. When the fighter lacks the speed he once had of both hand and foot. You know something is up. If the jab doesn't snap out and tuck back in as quickly as it used to, it's the easiest way to tell. If he stumbles a bit more, loses his balance when his balance used to be a lot more impressive and slips when he otherwise would have caught himself.... You have a problem. 2. If a fighter is getting up there in age and suddenly changes his style of fight, something might be up. We're not talking about Marco Antonio Barrera changing from bull to matador. That was to stretch his career. More even Bernard Hopkins changing to the cerebral awkward fighter. He did that because it made sense for him to do that. We're talking about someone really slowing his pace. Someone who gets hit a lot more, so he has to lay against the ropes and cover up a lot more than at one point. Can't slip the punches he was once able to dodge with relative ease. 3. Reflexes in general. When you see the fighter getting hit a lot more than was once the case, it only spells trouble. When a fighter relied on their reflexes for the most part of their career, you can REALLY see the slip happening right before your eyes. You can't make it any easier. Once the fighters face gets marked up a lot, and a lot quicker. Also, a fighter will be less able to take advantages of openings that he once would have exposed. (Thanks to duffgun.) 4. When a fighter is effected, dramatically, by certain things happening that wouldn't have fazed the fighter in his prime, it might be time to think retirement. Erik Morales would be a prime example of such an act. In the second fight with Manny Pacquiao, and certainly the third fight, you could tell he was much more affected by those punches then any other punches prior. His body had been worn down from all of his wars and he was simply not able to take what he once was. 5. A small thing to notice, but still something you can catch if you pay attention. When you notice a fighter taking off a lot more rounds than was once the case, it's beginning to happen. A round here or there in a tough fight is understandable at any point in your career. But when you notice a fighter who once ignored the natural call of his body to rest, beginning to take a breather more and more, you have to assume the worst is yet to come. 6. A good (but not always accurate) rule of thumb would be a look at his recent record. If the last 6-10 or so fights consist of more losses than wins, it might be time to think about hanging 'em up. This depends on how far along a fighter is and who he fought of course. Regardless, when it becomes apparent, it's not something that sneaks by you. 7. If a fighter that was once resilient has conceded defeat in any two fights out of his last 10, you have a major problem. For this, think about Julio Cesar Chavez. In his prime, if he thought about finishing a fight on his stool, he'd of kicked his own ass. But later on in his career, it seemed like the fight got to be too much for the aging warrior. 8. When the years of fighting are beginning to wear your body down physically, the fighter is essentially finished. It doesn't matter how sharp a mind is, how well you know the game, if your body can't cooperate, you can't do a damn thing. You have to be able to do what that brain tells you to do. What you know what to do instinctively. Think Vitali Klitschko. 9. The fighters attitude. If a once brash and confident fighter now seems to resign himself to comments like, 'I'm going to go in there and put on a good show. Try to execute a game plan, and stay focused. Hopefully, I'll come out with a victory,' something might be up. A fighter might realize that it's a lot more difficult to actually back up those words that were once uttered without a second thought. On the other hand, if a once calm, cool and collected fighter suddenly switches to a loudmouth, you could be alarmed. It might mean he is trying to convince himself as well as those around him. 10. The schedule he is beginning to take. This isn't always the case, but it can be a good indication, some of the time. If a fighter seems to fight now more for money, in much more calculated risks, he might sense that it'd be best for his career and legacy to stay away from a real test. Possibly because he thinks that it's a test he might fail. In a sense, think Oscar De La Hoya and his Antonio Margarito/Pacquiao situation. Well, there is my personal perspective on the subject. Feel free to comment, judge, add or subtract what you'd like. Thanks for the read. While I know it was a lengthy one, I hope you enjoyed. Discuss.