Why do boxers who were great refuse to retire and end up with so many losses?

Lampley, "People ask why Foreman is doing this?" Merchant, "Because he's a fighter"

Warriors/Gladiators fight until the end! Until there is nothing more left (There is something very artistic and beautiful about this way of life inside of the ring, which some Fighters/Champions adhere to! Its very honorable)...

And for those who say losses don't tarnish you, I say, If Roy Jones would have retired after he won his heavyweight fight he probably would have been considered the best fighter ever at least top 3 all time

$$$$$$$$$$

That's like taking Jordan from the #1 spot and puting him outside the top 30 because he came back amd played with the Wizards. Jordan coming back and playing with the Wizards reduced his career PPG average from like 32. something to 30.1 putting him on level with Wilt Chamberlin. It tarnished that part of his record and truthfully reduced a small part of his mystique. Of course Jordan was so great that people easily brush that off, but in the end he should've stayed retired.

Manny Pacquiao now has 7 damn losses Ray Robinson ended up with 19 damn losses Shane Mosley has 10 Roy fvcking Jones has 9 damn losses Holyfield stuck around to long and has 10 damn losses why fvck up your record like that?? losses no matter what people say do effect your legacy..It takes away the "WHAT IF" SUPERHUMAN factor away..you demoralize yourself by losing to people you would have ran thru in your prime Hopkins has 8 damn losses and was knocked out the fvcking ring by a damn construction worker..... This sh1t is disgraceful... Money first and foremost, and second that is all they have ever known. It's not like most boxers can just transition into something else that is just as lucrative, with the exception of Roy Jones, not exactly sure why he hasn't hung em up a long time ago seeing as he is now with HBO and they like him. Lennox Lewis was one of the only very few men to do it right. I even disagree with Floyd's choice to fight Mc'Gregor, but when 100 million dollars are on the line you better bet a fight is going to happen, thats more money than most NFL players get for their whole career nvm for 48 minutes of a fight.

Yep. They always hold out this sliver of hope that they can rediscover the fountain of youth, even if it's just for one fight, and be the guy that they used to be. Look at the Pacquiao/Horn fight. Pacquiao, according to his camp, watched his entire highlight reel like the night before the fight. To motivate him and to see if he could recapture that fire. And even though I still think he won that fight, it was clear that he was a shell of the guy he used to be. You always think you can recapture it but then you get into the ring and reality sets in. hadn't heard that. that;s super sad when you think about it. the guy was superhuman in his prime and now that he's a few years and a few punches older he's just another welterweight and going tit for tat with jeff horn.

What a crock of shi't! Pull your head out your a55! look at robinson's resume, which doesn't even fit on one page, and then tell me that taking a beating late in life when you're broke takes any of those wins off of his resume. did he not go 5 and 1 with jake lamotta just because he took L's when he was broke and shot? did he not win the MW title five times? did he not have arguably the best left hook ever? you get the idea. what happens when you're past your prime has nothing to do with what happened when you were in it, and it certainly does not take those wins away.

another reason they keep fighting while they're shot is because they're... shot. they don't know they don't have it any more. they think they can go through training and get in shape and still be the same fighter they used to be. Yep. They always hold out this sliver of hope that they can rediscover the fountain of youth, even if it's just for one fight, and be the guy that they used to be. Look at the Pacquiao/Horn fight. Pacquiao, according to his camp, watched his entire highlight reel like the night before the fight. To motivate him and to see if he could recapture that fire. And even though I still think he won that fight, it was clear that he was a shell of the guy he used to be. You always think you can recapture it but then you get into the ring and reality sets in.

Probably one of the greatest explanation on why old legends fight and still keep on fighting. Green K bro, and spot on Yeah NE most definitely knows his sh*t.

I think it's a variety of reasons. Sometimes they mismanage their money and so they have to continue or return to the ring. Sometimes they have a hard time believing that their skills have diminished. But another thing and this is true in many professions, it becomes so much of their identity that they simply don't know how to be anything else, until that idea gets beaten out of them.

Manny Pacquiao now has 7 damn losses Ray Robinson ended up with 19 damn losses Shane Mosley has 10 Roy fvcking Jones has 9 damn losses Holyfield stuck around to long and has 10 damn losses why fvck up your record like that?? losses no matter what people say do effect your legacy..It takes away the "WHAT IF" SUPERHUMAN factor away..you demoralize yourself by losing to people you would have ran thru in your prime Hopkins has 8 damn losses and was knocked out the fvcking ring by a damn construction worker..... This sh1t is disgraceful... Most fighters end up broke. Holyfield bankrupt, Mosley lost half in a divorce, Roy Jones has money problems, There's been Pacquiao $$$ rumours. If it's not for money it's their competitive spirit and a self belief that will never be destroyed. They will believe loss after loss that they can bounce back. Most for money reason though.

Manny Pacquiao now has 7 damn losses Ray Robinson ended up with 19 damn losses Shane Mosley has 10 Roy fvcking Jones has 9 damn losses Holyfield stuck around to long and has 10 damn losses why fvck up your record like that?? losses no matter what people say do effect your legacy..It takes away the "WHAT IF" SUPERHUMAN factor away..you demoralize yourself by losing to people you would have ran thru in your prime Hopkins has 8 damn losses and was knocked out the fvcking ring by a damn construction worker..... This sh1t is disgraceful... Robinson was broke and needed the money. Mosely needs the money (Jin). The rest --- I've only fought in the Am's but even in the Am's the limelight is very addicting. Walking into the ring, winning fights, walking out of the ring, people patting you on the back...super exhilarating. Being in the media, super ego-blast. IMO, that's the biggest thing they can't let go. Most of these guys have poor money management skills too. RJJ didn't make the money he should have cuz he self-promoted instead of having a pro do it. I really don't get your "what if" factor though. When they were at their best, that still holds true. Mosely at 135 vs FMJ at 135 --- maybe greatest fight of all time. Mosely losing so much doesn't take away from that.

I think they get slightly brain damaged and on't know their own limits anymore. But mostly money, they just run out. You can work until like 55, not boxing. Boxers should all be required to take personal finance class

Like floyd said legacy doesn't pay the bills. Who cares if they lost if they could fight a bum for a million dollars then why not? They have a lifestyle to maintain and thats whats important.

losses at the end of your career take absolutely nothing away from the wins you had during your prime, which are the most important criterion for evaluating how a great a fighter is. robinson would not be greater if he didn't go broke and end up having to fight for money. to answer your question, most fighters have nothing else fulfilling in their lives outside of their families and boxing. some can't make money with their skills doing anything but fightng. it'd be nice if everybody could land an HBO commentary gig, but they only employ a few fighters at a time at the most, with most of the work usually going to one guy it' d be nice if everyt fighter possessed the communication and teaching skilsl to train, or the financial acumen to promote or to manage, but most do not. how many other professions leave a dude with so few options, no pension, no health care, and brain damage in his 30's? another reason they keep fighting while they're shot is because they're... shot. they don't know they don't have it any more. they think they can go through training and get in shape and still be the same fighter they used to be. they get the wrong people around them with an agenda telling them they're one or two wins from a title shot. and promoters love to get the scalp of an old legend on the resume of their guys, so these guys have no problem getting fights and making five or six figures. not everybody is floyd mayeather, larry. i understand that he's really the only boxer you care about, as you very obviously view everything in the context of a comparison to the career of floyd mayweather. when floyd reads, we read.

Boxing is their job and bills need to be paid.

prior to floyd, cats actually put their titles, pride, etc. on the line, and lived with the results win or lose...

The most common answer is money. The next answer is that it all they know how to do, they been doing it so long since childhood, it's their way of life. For someone like Roy though, I actually think he just enjoys himself win or lose now, so he may as well get paid for it.

Yeah cause all those loses at the end of Ray Robinson's and Ali's career really tarnished their legacy right?