"99% of fighters take up the sport to feel respected..."

Some of us to vent anger above all else. Every fighter has his reasons for fighting. Certainty the respect gained adds to the rush of beating a man with your hands, but it’s not the sole reason Many fight. Some fight for money as well, me was the rage. I needed to fight and thank god boxing allowed me to.

This is true

"99% of fighters take up the sport because they want to feel respected. The worry of performing badly and being made to look foolish is greater than the worry of getting hurt." - Barry McGuigan You agree or disagree with this statement? Split it in two if you like, you agree that fighters, for the most part, get into it so they will be respected? And worry more about being fooled than hurt? On thinking Id go along with it, fighting growing up is part of manhood and learning respect, learning what it is to lose it and what it is to gaining respect, and thats a great thing because youre building self . The problem on the street is that process gets lost somewhere between frustration or boredom and becomes aggression and predatory, wasted aggression can get you into a lot of trouble easy enough to fck your whole life and boxing is the greatest activity in the world at grounding that aggression. Fighting is part of life for a man, the bullied goes to boxing, the bully goes to boxing and after a little while they are equal this is whats great about boxing, it builds one mans backbone, and can whittle anothers down.

you certainly assume a lot There's only something dysfunctional about failing to comprehend the competitive spirit and drive in a person. And you've definitely never boxed. Boxing is a place where truths are discovered, where a rare intimacy is experienced, where two men get to know each other in a way perhaps their own mothers don't. When you lace em up and go toe to toe with another man, you are engaging in chess in one of the most pure, sacred and fair environments we can create. There is definitely respect earned in the ring. I've never exited the ring without an earned respect for my opponent. Doesn't matter if we've sparred 1000 times or we met that day. You willingly say to another man with your actions "here I am, show me who you are and what you are made of and I will do the same". A mutual understanding between two competitors. No reliance on others, on automation, on 3rd parties, just two men with their minds and bodies and souls, competing head to head. Respect is mutual and meaningful, and ever present in any gym around the world. Quite the opposite of dysfunctionality. Living life to the maximum.

theres certainly something dysfunctional about gaining respect from hitting people. There's only something dysfunctional about failing to comprehend the competitive spirit and drive in a person. And you've definitely never boxed. Boxing is a place where truths are discovered, where a rare intimacy is experienced, where two men get to know each other in a way perhaps their own mothers don't. When you lace em up and go toe to toe with another man, you are engaging in chess in one of the most pure, sacred and fair environments we can create. There is definitely respect earned in the ring. I've never exited the ring without an earned respect for my opponent. Doesn't matter if we've sparred 1000 times or we met that day. You willingly say to another man with your actions "here I am, show me who you are and what you are made of and I will do the same". A mutual understanding between two competitors. No reliance on others, on automation, on 3rd parties, just two men with their minds and bodies and souls, competing head to head. Respect is mutual and meaningful, and ever present in any gym around the world. Quite the opposite of dysfunctionality. Living life to the maximum.

i agree, not 99% though, but the true champs do it for respect. I think there are some like mayweather and others who are strictly money based

theres certainly something dysfunctional about gaining respect from hitting people.

Agreed. Men ether do things for respect or money. Respect from fellow men is a form of validation, but I think it matters to people. There was a video clip featuring Chris Eubank SENIOR, where he was explaining the respect he got from fellow men 'Meant more to him than belts or money'.

id take money over respect anyday of the week! and so would most people i think if u have never been beat in ur career u would feel a bit embarrassed if u lost or preformed badly