Can a boxer be called a coward?

[Mr. Objectivity]

U can call them that, but 99.9999% of the time u would be wrong!!! Fighters don't duck or cherry pick....hell they hardly decide their opponents....the real culprit is savvy business that looks to maximise profits and longevity.

The guys we see on tv are the best, of the best, of the best. The worst champ you've ever seen has ego, skillset and confidence the size of Texas.

Most cowards are weeded out the gym long before their 1st amatuer fight. The few that survive are plucked long before their 1st professional fight. In fact, anyone with even an ounce of doubt will have a difficult time winning a fight, let alone a belt.

Not really.

When it talks, walks and acts like a duck....it probably is a duck.

[pvj]

Not really.

When it talks, walks and acts like a duck....it probably is a duck.

Have you ever laced them up? ...don't worry, I know the answer, when it talks, walks and acts like a duck...

[FinitoxDinamita]

Absolutely not. Anybody who is willing to take punches for a living are anything but cowards.

[LaidOut]

Lucky you asked this question when you did, because we have a living coward legend in Canelo right now.

[Mr. Objectivity]

Have you ever laced them up? ...don't worry, I know the answer, when it talks, walks and acts like a duck...

your point being?

Dont blame me he is called a coward son. you reap what you sow.

[LoadedWraps]

Im expecting some criticism and hate as usual for this but differences of opinion are what this site is all about so here goes...
Ive been thinking about this, and i would argue, yes. Yes, a boxer trades punches and can be knocked out at any time, but bravery takes many forms. I'd argue that a lot of the top guys currently could be accused of being cowardly at times. Its these constant articles i see of fighters saying a clearly gifted fighter doesnt deserve a fight (e.g GGG, spence, ortiz) then fighting someone way less deserving. Its the constant cherry picking of people who arent on their level. To me, this culture of cherry picking is reminiscent of the schoolyard bullys picking on people weaker than them.
And the most recent examples (i can think of many more this year) of garcia fighting vargas, wladimir trying to fight lucas browne, joshua fighting molina, certainly isnt boxers fighting people on there level. To me when someone is 1/33 on like joshua is to win, i dont consider that huge bravery stepping in the ring and getting paid for beating someone up whos a lot worse than them. Again before people start throwing a **** fit, these are recent examples and its not a thread to slate the fighters ive mentioned.

Also, When theres such a disparity in class between two fighters, theres much more of a danger of someone getting hurt too, for example eubank jr v nick blackwell. Should he really be given a pat on the back for fighting live punching bags?

It just seems that many boxers get glorified as these amazing warriors immune from criticism, when what many in boxing are doing in boxing is taking the easy route, because in my opinion many of them are scared of losing. Of course many boxers have shown unbelievable bravery (abraham fighting with that broken jaw, the wars that we see e.g santa cruz v frampton) and there are a couple of great fights coming up (ward/kovalev and loma/walters) where the fighters are putting it all on the line.
But recently im seeing so much crap where i see 'A' level boxers avoiding each other like the plague to beat up people they know they will beat, and everyone else knows is a mismatch. And im fed up of it.
So what do people think? Can a boxer be accused of being cowardly? Or should a fighter always be respected for stepping into the ring, regardless of the opponent?
Please discuss...

I have no problem calling a fighter a coward.

The general thought is that you respect all fighters who enter the ring for our entertainment, and there's truth to that.

But beyond that initial respect, you can still very much be a coward.

I am also a firm believer in not calling a fighter a bum or coward if you have never laced em up before because it's ignorant to harshly criticize someone doing something you have never done yourself. However, I have laced em up, been a licensed amatuer for years, so I feel I have that right.

I am confident enough in my own knowledge and experience that I have no problem arguing with fighters or trainers if our opinions differ on something. I am not just going to concede to your side of the argument because you have more experience in boxing on paper than I.

[pvj]

your point being?

Ha! That's my point exactly.