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by David P. Greisman - Andre Ward is still undefeated. Adrien Broner is undefeated in fights that don’t take place in the welterweight division.
Both of those statements are true, and yet…
And yet Ward’s ninth-round technical knockout of Paul Smith this past Saturday was only his third fight since he won the “Super Six” super middleweight tournament three and a half years ago, at the end of 2011. It was his first time back in the ring in 19 months.
Broner’s unanimous decision loss to Shawn Porter on a separate card Saturday, meanwhile, was the second time he’s been defeated as a pro. This loss was not as humbling as was the decision he lost to Marcos Maidana at the end of 2013, but it won’t be good for him either unless he learns from it and then recovers from it.
A fighter can right himself by winning, then winning again and again, particularly if he wins at a high level. A boxer who disappears from the sport for a prolonged period of time can return to the public consciousness. A boxer who has lost can work his way back into contention, can earn seven-figure paydays and world title shots, and can retain a fan base even after they’ve seen him at low moments.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired in 2008 after his win over Ricky Hatton in 2007 and when negotiations months later for a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya hadn’t reached an agreement. He then came back after a 19-month layoff, beating Juan Manuel Marquez in 2009 and then topping Shane Mosley in 2010. Another sabbatical followed, this one for about 16 months, with Mayweather not stepping back into the ring until September 2011 and a fight with Victor Ortiz.
He remained one of boxing’s two biggest pay-per-view attractions and soon became far and away its biggest box office star.
Manny Pacquiao already had two losses when he debuted in the United States, became an even bigger star after Erik Morales gave him his third defeat, and remained highly popular even after fourth and fifth blemishes were added to his record, one coming in a highly controversial decision loss to Timothy Bradley, the other one the result of a one-punch knockout at the hands of Marquez. Nevertheless, Pacquiao was still able to be one of the two essential parts in the most lucrative boxing match ever held when he fought Mayweather, and lost, this past May.
Canelo Alvarez lost to Mayweather in 2013 and just attracted 31,000 people to see him fight in Houston and drew the largest audience for boxing on HBO by far since 2006. Miguel Cotto has lost four times, all decisively, but continues to succeed in the ring, with ticket sales and with television ratings. [Click Here To Read More]
Both of those statements are true, and yet…
And yet Ward’s ninth-round technical knockout of Paul Smith this past Saturday was only his third fight since he won the “Super Six” super middleweight tournament three and a half years ago, at the end of 2011. It was his first time back in the ring in 19 months.
Broner’s unanimous decision loss to Shawn Porter on a separate card Saturday, meanwhile, was the second time he’s been defeated as a pro. This loss was not as humbling as was the decision he lost to Marcos Maidana at the end of 2013, but it won’t be good for him either unless he learns from it and then recovers from it.
A fighter can right himself by winning, then winning again and again, particularly if he wins at a high level. A boxer who disappears from the sport for a prolonged period of time can return to the public consciousness. A boxer who has lost can work his way back into contention, can earn seven-figure paydays and world title shots, and can retain a fan base even after they’ve seen him at low moments.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired in 2008 after his win over Ricky Hatton in 2007 and when negotiations months later for a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya hadn’t reached an agreement. He then came back after a 19-month layoff, beating Juan Manuel Marquez in 2009 and then topping Shane Mosley in 2010. Another sabbatical followed, this one for about 16 months, with Mayweather not stepping back into the ring until September 2011 and a fight with Victor Ortiz.
He remained one of boxing’s two biggest pay-per-view attractions and soon became far and away its biggest box office star.
Manny Pacquiao already had two losses when he debuted in the United States, became an even bigger star after Erik Morales gave him his third defeat, and remained highly popular even after fourth and fifth blemishes were added to his record, one coming in a highly controversial decision loss to Timothy Bradley, the other one the result of a one-punch knockout at the hands of Marquez. Nevertheless, Pacquiao was still able to be one of the two essential parts in the most lucrative boxing match ever held when he fought Mayweather, and lost, this past May.
Canelo Alvarez lost to Mayweather in 2013 and just attracted 31,000 people to see him fight in Houston and drew the largest audience for boxing on HBO by far since 2006. Miguel Cotto has lost four times, all decisively, but continues to succeed in the ring, with ticket sales and with television ratings. [Click Here To Read More]
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