Too early or stayed too long.

[AneesMoha]

I posted a thread about Pirog who through injury was forced to retire early (ish) into his career. Besides Ali who do you folks think stayed active past thier sell by date and also you do you think had to or decided to hang it up too soon?

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Nearly every fighter stays too long

Tyson
Holyfield
Mercer
Toney
Jones
barrera
Morales
Bowe

Countless others

[Anthony342]

Yeah Holyfield, Jones and Toney I was thinking of when thinking about sticking around too long. Speaking of which, you guys really think Hopkins will fight one more time before he retires. The guy hasn't had much decline into 50.

As for leaving early, I guess Sanchez and Valero due to death. Or most of the undefeated fighters left early to maintain their 0, like Sven Ottke, Michael Loewe, most of the rest of the guys on that huge list compiled here years ago. Ike Ibeabuchi didn't have too many fights, but that was more due to him being sent to prison. I heard he's trying a comeback though, so might end up in the sticking around too long category if he does come back.

SRL made 2 comebacks too many with the Norris and Camacho fights, which he even later admitted. Hagler was done after Mugabi, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to finally fight Leonard and most likely a good payday too.

[yngwie]

Almost every fighter has stayed too long.
Mayweather, Lopez and Marciano were smart enough.
Frazier and Trinidad quited before entering in a row of losses before ending like Jones for example.
Pier Olivier Cote retired pretty young.
Plenty of tragedies have been trough boxing history, Sanchez, Nunn, Valero, Ibeaukuchi, Bernard Mays, etc..

[soul_survivor]

The list of fighters staying too long can go on forever but the list of guys who left early is almost impossible to make. In fact, what does it mean to retire too early anyway?

Do you mean guys who got out before they were shot as fighters?

[Anthony342]

Sounds more like guys who left when they could've or should've stuck around a few more years.

[BM dnobagaV]

JoeyC could've won even at CW if he tried, or gotten to 50-0. So technically, he left early.

[bklynboy]

I posted a thread about Pirog who through injury was forced to retire early (ish) into his career. Besides Ali who do you folks think stayed active past thier sell by date and also you do you think had to or decided to hang it up too soon?

From a boxing perspective Gene Tunney retired too early.

[The_untouchable]

As aforementioned so many have stayed too long. Ones that got out maybe "too" early (some would label them as smart getting out with lots of money and still youth on their side)... Naseem Hamed... and I know this next name will get many scratching their head as he already had a long career and greatness solidified and wasn't young when he retired but Marvin hagler as he still was at a great level and could had fought more and won more world titles if he hadn't of retired after the loss to Leonard. Maybe we could list examples of those who got out at the perfect time... I can think of from the top of my head Lewis, mayweather and calzaghe