Accepted excuses.

[HOUDINI563]

Walcott was a tough character. One could say he outboxed (an aging) Louis both times.

In Walcott II we saw a flash of the old champion when he caught Walcott with a perfect combination snatching victory out of defeat. I.e. Walcott was winning on the cards at the time.

The first decision was a gift, but one I wholeheartedly support.

Louis really got screwed around with leading up to the first fight, he just wasn't ready. He hadn't been shown the respect due a champion necessary to get himself properly prepared.

Second fight was very close with Walcott ahead by one round. Had Walcott survived round 11 the bout is even going into round 12.

• Referee: Frank Fullam 5-2
• Judge: Jack O'Sullivan 4-5
• Judge: Harold Barnes 3-6

There is no complete film of the first fight in existence so no way to judge for oneself who won or lost. Walcott ran like hell the latter part of the bout thinking he had the bout won. He would not be the only challenger for the heavyweight title to make that poor tactical choice.

[Anthony342]

I am a bit surprised how much more the online fandom accepts excuses compared to my local fandom. It got me wondering what exactly is an acceptable excuse for a loss or duck and if the ones I see often are the most accepted or simply the most well known / discussed.


I see age quite often cited as a reason to excuse a loss or deflate a win.

I see money as an excuse quite often to excuse ducking.

Layoffs you see now and then for losses.

Locations or the general business end of things outside of simply money seems, tv for example, to be an acceptable reason for heaps of people for both losses and ducking.

Steroid usage


What I don't think I have ever seen in any thread are any mentions of excuses I personally think are at least just as valid as rust and age and such:


Fighting sick or already injured for a loss or refusing the fight for the same reasons as a ducking excuse.

Fighting despite a personal tragedy, death of a child or some such similar. Or refusing a fight because of a personal tragedy.

Camps being cut short or in some way interfered with.

Likewise, and I have never even heard of any fighter bringing this up let alone fans but I do think it is a legitimate consideration, what about unfair camp advantages. Access to trainers, access to facilities, access to sparring partners, that sort of thing.


Is it because people can easily see the age on records and are less likely to know a fighter fought with a broken arm or their wife died a week prior to a fight and such?

Or is the only acceptable excuse for ducking and losing money and age?


I did say just as valid, and I do believe they are but I also think excuses are equally weak and we ought not use them.

Well like with any athletes, careers don't last too long, so they gotta make as much money as they can while active. And if someone is a big star, they know their worth and when they're being short changed.

Location is an interesting one and seems legit to me. I don't blame a fighter for not wanting to travel to a foreign country because they feel the judges there won't score the fight fairly. Even if there's a judge from their home country, they might be influenced by the crowd.

Age is also legit as many fighters fight way past their sell by date, including the greats. We all know fights like Ali-Holmes and Louis-Marciano go way differently if both buys are in their prime. Both Ali and Louis were at the ends of their careers by then. They came back because they needed money and in Ali's case, probably also to stay in the spotlight longer and defend the lineal title so he could lose it in The Ring.

Weight drained can be legit in the lower weight classes. We see fighters rehydrate up to about 15 pounds, which is crazy. I saw one weigh in where someone was literally shaking on the scale and could barely stand. The person was predictably TKO'd the next night. And we all remember the story Duran told after the No Mas fight, struggling to make 147 for the fight, then spending the rest of the day hydrating, eating a lot and claiming he had cramps from overeating breakfast that morning. The making weight I believe. The rest I don't.

So I'd say money, being past prime-shot, sometimes location and not safely making weight, which is the fault of the fighter though. The smarter ones walk around closer to their weight class to avoid this problem.

[GhostofDempsey]

Yet fight camps for world class fighters are anywhere from 2 to 3 months. Pretty hard to focus with such things going on around you to properly prepare.

Would you say the opposite was true for Buster Douglas? He never repeated the great performance over Tyson the rest of his career. Maybe he took that one time focus from his mother's death and could never repeat it again??

There was a pro I used to train with and spar from time to time in California. He was a better fighter than his record would indicate, but he was often distracted by his fiance who didn't support his boxing career, particularly the long hours at the gym and travel that took time away from her. He found it very difficult to focus and commit to his training with her neediness and threats to leave him. His coach was beyond frustrated because he had the talent to succeed but he couldn't get his head in the game.

Boxing is just as much mental as it is physical. Especially if someone is coping with a mental health issue or maybe cannot manage the stress in their personal lives, it will distract from their training and performance. This is why old time coaches used to tell their fighters to stay away from women. It had nothing to do with weakening their legs or something physical, it was the distractions that come with girlfriends.

[JAB5239]

There was a pro I used to train with and spar from time to time in California. He was a better fighter than his record would indicate, but he was often distracted by his fiance who didn't support his boxing career, particularly the long hours at the gym and travel that took time away from her. He found it very difficult to focus and commit to his training with her neediness and threats to leave him. His coach was beyond frustrated because he had the talent to succeed but he couldn't get his head in the game.

Boxing is just as much mental as it is physical. Especially if someone is coping with a mental health issue or maybe cannot manage the stress in their personal lives, it will distract from their training and performance. This is why old time coaches used to tell their fighters to stay away from women. It had nothing to do with weakening their legs or something physical, it was the distractions that come with girlfriends.

I can relate to this very much. I'm 53 and still fight competitive, full contact amateur kickboxing. Our fight camps are 8 weeks. My wife is absolutely insane during this time. I get up in the morning and run. Work all day. Get home for an hour and take off to train for 3 hours 6 days a week. She's is constantly on my azz. "Why are you even doing this? You're never home. You're not pulling your weight around the house. You never see the kids" It's mentally exhausting. At my age she has a point. But I love to compete and am still good enough to do so. I can only imagine what it's like for a professional fighter.

ps-there are so many guys with deceiving records who are just managed wrong or can't catch a break. Distractions certainly play a part. Great post by the way.

[Marchegiano]

I can relate to this very much. I'm 53 and still fight competitive, full contact amateur kickboxing. Our fight camps are 8 weeks. My wife is absolutely insane during this time. I get up in the morning and run. Work all day. Get home for an hour and take off to train for 3 hours 6 days a week. She's is constantly on my azz. "Why are you even doing this? You're never home. You're not pulling your weight around the house. You never see the kids" It's mentally exhausting. At my age she has a point. But I love to compete and am still good enough to do so. I can only imagine what it's like for a professional fighter.

ps-there are so many guys with deceiving records who are just managed wrong or can't catch a break. Distractions certainly play a part. Great post by the way.

Do you support her endeavors?

[Marchegiano]

Second fight was very close with Walcott ahead by one round. Had Walcott survived round 11 the bout is even going into round 12.

• Referee: Frank Fullam 5-2
• Judge: Jack O'Sullivan 4-5
• Judge: Harold Barnes 3-6

There is no complete film of the first fight in existence so no way to judge for oneself who won or lost. Walcott ran like hell the latter part of the bout thinking he had the bout won. He would not be the only challenger for the heavyweight title to make that poor tactical choice.

No radio recording either? Those old school radio guys were pretty good about just calling what the boxers are doing. Might not be video but would be interesting, I think.

[JAB5239]

Do you support her endeavors?

I try and support her in anything she does. We have differences of opinions from time to time, but it is what it is. I should also mention that thru all the turmoil of fight camp she is my biggest biggest supporter come the day of the fight.

[Anthony342]

I try and support her in anything she does. We have differences of opinions from time to time, but it is what it is. I should also mention that thru all the turmoil of fight camp she is my biggest biggest supporter come the day of the fight.

That's nice. But geez 53? That's kinda crazy to still be fighting at that age, even at amateur.

[JAB5239]

That's nice. But geez 53? That's kinda crazy to still be fighting at that age, even at amateur.

Yeah, I get that a lot. My trainer keeps telling me I don't need to keep doing this and that I'm nuts. I'm just enjoying myself. The next one will be the last one though. Fight camp is to hard on my body. Fighting is the easy part. It's the training for a fight that wears you down.

[Anthony342]

Yeah, I get that a lot. My trainer keeps telling me I don't need to keep doing this and that I'm nuts. I'm just enjoying myself. The next one will be the last one though. Fight camp is to hard on my body. Fighting is the easy part. It's the training for a fight that wears you down.

You know Mike Tyson said that same thing early in his career. That the fighting is the easiest part and it's the training that's hard.