How much importance do you attach to the concept of 'mind games' in the build up to a fight?

It depends on the individuals involved. Plenty of fighters are beaten before they get in the ring. exactly my words mate.....it depends on who you are fighting and how that fighter temperament is.....two biggest examples was ALI VS FOREMAN AND LEONARD VS HAGLER .....Both times psychology was a major part in Ali and Leonard winning.....Tyson also used his aura to win especially when he beat spinks....he was terrified in that ring against Tyson

Eubank vs Collins. My man used a hypnotist to have him believe he was invinicible before the fight, spooking the daylights out of Eubanks as he went on to claim victory. After winning he said it was BS :lol1:

I don't buy this mindgames nonsense. You mean to tell me had Tyson not dressed like Batman Wlad would have won? Not likely. You mean to tell me had Fury been nice to Wilder, Wilder would have KO'd him? I don't think so. If anything, it's for the man saying it not the man hearing it. If Mike Tyson was nice to people then dudes like Tucker and Tubbs would have won? I doubt that. Exactly. It's ridiculous to believe this bullS**t has an impact on a boxer, stupidity.

I can't think of any fights off the top of my head where an opponent had an advantage because he got inside the other guy's head. Setting aside the fear factor that defeats many fighters, I don't think trash talking ever swayed the outcome of a fight. If that were true, Mayorga would be undefeated.

It depends on the individuals involved. Plenty of fighters are beaten before they get in the ring. Agreed, but that isn't necessarily because of any "mind games". BTW, Fury is going to get absolutely destroyed by AJ. It's a mismatch.

I don't buy this mindgames nonsense. You mean to tell me had Tyson not dressed like Batman Wlad would have won? Not likely. You mean to tell me had Fury been nice to Wilder, Wilder would have KO'd him? I don't think so. If anything, it's for the man saying it not the man hearing it. If Mike Tyson was nice to people then dudes like Tucker and Tubbs would have won? I doubt that. Have you ever been intimidated by somebody or a situation?

None at the upper level. These guys have been fighting/training for years. Sometimes decades. They don’t let dumb shyte affect them.

Everything has a affect which a fighter must deal with, if this was not the case? Why are top fighters or some of them complaining about no crowds? Surely everyone where has been involved in a street fight or tussles during their school days? Did intimidation and mind games not play a part then? Or did everyone just walk about like Borg's from star trek? It all plays a part, some people enjoy mind games. Others seem to dislike the heavy bombardment. Somebody like Anthony Joshua seems not to like psychological warfare, he always looks uncomfortable or seems to take things to personal 'In a way where he looks kind of upset like a school boy'. If Joshua could become friends with all of his opponents I sense that he would, his default settings see to just want to be friendly with people. Fighters like Tyson Fury, David Haye seem to enjoy and relish this type of chaotic environment 'Apart of them enjoys it'. Violence comes in many forms, not just physical attacks. It may not have a massive affect on the outcome of the fight, but ANY form of a attack has a affect on somebody. If you cannot give as good as you get? the best way to deal with such things is to ignore or just not react 'That is what Joshua does, when he does react it really seems not to be a comfortable behavior' I don't think he should go down that route with Fury. Tyson Fury will bombard Joshua heavily during their build up 'Have the time of his life'.

It's both good marketing and a psychological tool. It impacts fighters differently, though. Ali could never get into Frazier's head like he did Liston. It worked wonders for Fury against Klitschko. He was so bewildered by Fury's tactics he wasn't sure who was in front of him. A braggart or a bona fide giant. Also, see the build up to the Mcgregor vs Aldo fight for the ultimate psychological beat down. Yes, Connor knocked him out within a minute, but you could tell Aldo was was pent up with rage that he lost his focus. Now watch the build up with Mcgregor vs Habib or Mcgregor vs Diaz. Both gave back verbally as they recieved and didn't seem affected at all. When Connor didn't see a chink in their armour, it sort of back-fired and in turn they became cold-blooded psychpaths in his mind.

It depends on the individuals involved. Plenty of fighters are beaten before they get in the ring.

Marketing ploy