Like a moth to the flame.....

[Willow The Wisp]

No matter how wealthy or well positioned, with very few exceptions; the greatest champions cannot pull away from the roar of the crowd. It is an allure that the very best of them can't seem to walk away from, until they are satisfied that their flame is fully extinguished.

It is a phenomenon indeed.


1748097812625110293128286947303.jpg

[Willow The Wisp]

17480983329598451064219165373807.jpg....They just can't

[JAB5239]

I totally feel this. I'm not a great champion and had my last kickboxing match last September at 55 years old. But I still want to compete. I realize I can't do the things I use to as quickly nor efficiently, but there is always that voice in my head telling me I have one more good fight left. I'd imagine the great boxers of the past that couldn't let go felt the same, heard that same voice. My last good fight was the last one, and I lost. Time to listen to the body and not the head. The head will play tricks on you, the body never lies.

[Willie Pep 229]

I totally feel this. I'm not a great champion and had my last kickboxing match last September at 55 years old. But I still want to compete. I realize I can't do the things I use to as quickly nor efficiently, but there is always that voice in my head telling me I have one more good fight left. I'd imagine the great boxers of the past that couldn't let go felt the same, heard that same voice. My last good fight was the last one, and I lost. Time to listen to the body and not the head. The head will play tricks on you, the body never lies.

I suspect it is less about the "allure of the crowd" than it is about a sense of self-worth.

To put so much of one's self into anything, and then be told in the middle of your life, at the mere age of 40, 'now go find another way to feel accomplished' must be a very difficult task.

I suspect what you feel, they feel in spades.

It isn't so much about wanting to hear the crowds cheer, and feel the hubris, but is more about a desire to feel successful. The cheering crowds just note that successful feeling.

It's a personal thing.

"I never retired from acting, they stopped calling."

Claudette Colbert

[Coverdale]

Pacquiao being from an eastern culture I would have thought he would be more inclined to turn inwards in a search for peace. I would be fascinated to know if he meditates.

[max baer]

They asked sugar ray leonard why he comes back,

is the fame? is it the money? is it the adulation?

and he said "yes all of those things."


Fury is definitely coming back. I said he would when I joined the forum he would keep coming back.
I hope that he works at tactics more because his reflexes are not like they were and so he needs to work on tactics like big george did in the 90's to find success.
https://www.youtube.com/@RichtheFightHistorian check out rich the fight historian.

[Anomalocaris]

I can think of a few ATG's who retired at the right time and stuck to it.

Hagler and Lewis for a start.

But it is rarer than hen's teeth.

[solidman]

Marciano was smart

[QueensburyRules]

Pacquiao being from an eastern culture I would have thought he would be more inclined to turn inwards in a search for peace. I would be fascinated to know if he meditates.

- - Devoted Catholics pray. Maybe a few also meditate but I prefer to cogitate.