I mean this guy had all the skills and boxing IQ to be one of the greats in boxing ever. But if he really did retire he will only be considered a great fighter. His resume ain't deep enough to be up there with Hopkins, Roy, Mayweather, pacman. Too bad because I know he has the skill to be up there. Just my two cents.
He made it to the top of the sport and carried the tradition of USA Boxing's P4P Kings
SRR
Ali
Leonard
Whitaker
Roy Jones
Mayweather
Ward
Lol no way Ward is up there
I mean this guy had all the skills and boxing IQ to be one of the greats in boxing ever. But if he really did retire he will only be considered a great fighter. His resume ain't deep enough to be up there with Hopkins, Roy, Mayweather, pacman. Too bad because I know he has the skill to be up there. Just my two cents.He said his body can't handle the hard training needed to keep him fighting at the highest level. Why should he keep fighting and risk losing to a guy he would have defeated earlier. It's a good decision. He has defeated many good fighters and his place as an all time great is already established. Not everybody is an ageless boxer like Mayweather and Hopkins. Ward made the right choice. To fight on when his body tells him to retire might get some Ls on his record. If Leonard had retired at Ward's age he would have avoided humiliating defeats to Norris and Camacho.
The last punch of his professional career was perhaps the most blatant low blow I've ever seen in a professional fight
Which kind of sums up his career as a whole
I wanted to see him fight Stevenson too. Fighting those other top fighters would be great too.
However I can't help but to feel this is that ol "ok honey, just work ONE more year and we'll be good"..."ok, just hold out ONE more year and I'll pay you back"
There will always be more fighters to enhance your legacy. At some point you have to decide when it's your time to stop. I think that as long as you're happy with what you've done and look forward to life after Boxing while young, that's what matters. Some will never give you credit for your accomplishments and some will. Can't please everybody. So why not focus on pleasing your own self and those important to you.
I can't imagine that Boxing is everything to him.
Sure, it's his life and he knows his body better than I do, but assuming he could have replicated his form from the Kovalev rematch a couple more times he definitely could have given his legacy a nice boost. It's not a matter of placating the doubters, just of maximising his potential, which I don't think he fully did
Kessler, Abraham, Froch, Dawson, Kovalev 2X are some big scalps on his record. Several other solid names.
Beat the toughest guys possible for his era and looked for challenges. I think he's about 5 good fights from being top 20 all time. Will go down top 50 though.
I mean this guy had all the skills and boxing IQ to be one of the greats in boxing ever. But if he really did retire he will only be considered a great fighter. His resume ain't deep enough to be up there with Hopkins, Roy, Mayweather, pacman. Too bad because I know he has the skill to be up there. Just my two cents.
He's a HOF'er for sure, maybe even a 1st ballot HOF'er. He beat everyone he faced.
He had a very good career but it still feels like it could have been better. His legacy rests heavily on the shoulders of Froch and Kessler, who were good but not great fighters, and Kovalev, who currently has a few question marks above him that need to be resolved. With just a couple more wins of that calibre his place in history would be much firmer. I was really hoping he'd face Adonis and then at least one of the strong LHW contenders coming through (Jack, Beterbiev, Gvozdyk, etc.)
I wanted to see him fight Stevenson too. Fighting those other top fighters would be great too.
However I can't help but to feel this is that ol "ok honey, just work ONE more year and we'll be good"..."ok, just hold out ONE more year and I'll pay you back"
There will always be more fighters to enhance your legacy. At some point you have to decide when it's your time to stop. I think that as long as you're happy with what you've done and look forward to life after Boxing while young, that's what matters. Some will never give you credit for your accomplishments and some will. Can't please everybody. So why not focus on pleasing your own self and those important to you.
I can't imagine that Boxing is everything to him.
Yeah man he's finally the undisputed #1 p4p fighter and he retires. He could've beaten alot of top names still. I thought Kovalev 2 was the best he has ever looked, sharp and strong as hell. I was just beginning to be a fan of him and then he retires... he could've become undisputed at 175 too
He had a very good career but it still feels like it could have been better. His legacy rests heavily on the shoulders of Froch and Kessler, who were good but not great fighters, and Kovalev, who currently has a few question marks above him that need to be resolved. With just a couple more wins of that calibre his place in history would be much firmer. I was really hoping he'd face Adonis and then at least one of the strong LHW contenders coming through (Jack, Beterbiev, Gvozdyk, etc.)
He doesn't have to be Ali, Pacman or Leonard. I think he's perfectly happy with what he's done and can retire without beatings, slurred speech and simply be healthy to enjoy his money young with his wife and family.
That sounds like a BIG win for a Boxer in a sport where fans and writers want you to keep on keeping on until you've got nothing left.
There will ALWAYS be another challenger. Always another threat. Always another foreign puncher. Always another skilled man at your weight. Always another huge money name at the weight below you. Always another mountain to climb in the weight above you. Always another title to collect to continue to unify. Always another lineal champ. Always another #1 contender.
It can go on and on until Boxing retires you. Everyone's motivation isn't always to fight and take beatings until the majority of internet forum fans begin to accept you. Life is much bigger than Boxing for him.
It's refreshing to see a great fighter (while not ATG) of his generation be able to retire in his 30's after accomplishing a lot, undefeated, doing well with his money and have upside in his life to enjoy the hard work he's put in.
What you're saying is not wrong, but I don't think most fighters truly care about legacy. They care about making money to be financially set. Once they no longer have the hunger, it's dangerous to stick around to build a legacy against younger/more hungry fighters. He's a hof'er, but I agree he can't be considered a GOAT candidate.
I mean this guy had all the skills and boxing IQ to be one of the greats in boxing ever. But if he really did retire he will only be considered a great fighter. His resume ain't deep enough to be up there with Hopkins, Roy, Mayweather, pacman. Too bad because I know he has the skill to be up there. Just my two cents.
well he has his own legacy he is great
Coming from a fool like you. With an ignore list...wtf....I'll smash you and not even notice...
In isolation. Soul survivor may have impressed your phaggot lover...
Let's meet and discuss...my treat...that guy is a fvcking moron
He is miles from being great, let alone GOAT LOOOOL
Coming from a fool like you. With an ignore list...wtf....I'll smash you and not even notice...
In isolation. Soul survivor may have impressed your phaggot lover...
Let's meet and discuss...my treat...
He beat frock and kovalev once and losing to kovalev once whilst taking him distance
So he's better than I thought he was. Not bad career. But was waiting for the next fights to really cement himself