Why do boxers who were great refuse to retire and end up with so many losses?

[paulf]

Boxing is their job and bills need to be paid.

[New England]

losses at the end of your career take absolutely nothing away from the wins you had during your prime, which are the most important criterion for evaluating how a great a fighter is.


robinson would not be greater if he didn't go broke and end up having to fight for money.


to answer your question, most fighters have nothing else fulfilling in their lives outside of their families and boxing. some can't make money with their skills doing anything but fightng. it'd be nice if everybody could land an HBO commentary gig, but they only employ a few fighters at a time at the most, with most of the work usually going to one guy [in this case, jones, who is still trying to fight, and not for the money.] it' d be nice if everyt fighter possessed the communication and teaching skilsl to train, or the financial acumen to promote or to manage, but most do not. how many other professions leave a dude with so few options, no pension, no health care, and brain damage in his 30's?


another reason they keep fighting while they're shot is because they're... shot. they don't know they don't have it any more. they think they can go through training and get in shape and still be the same fighter they used to be. they get the wrong people around them with an agenda telling them they're one or two wins from a title shot. and promoters love to get the scalp of an old legend on the resume of their guys, so these guys have no problem getting fights and making five or six figures.



not everybody is floyd mayeather, larry. i understand that he's really the only boxer you care about, as you very obviously view everything in the context of a comparison to the career of floyd mayweather.


when floyd reads, we read.

[NUCLEAR]

Like floyd said legacy doesn't pay the bills.

Who cares if they lost if they could fight a bum for a million dollars then why not? They have a lifestyle to maintain and thats whats important.

[jmrf4435]

I think they get slightly brain damaged and on't know their own limits anymore.

But mostly money, they just run out. You can work until like 55, not boxing. Boxers should all be required to take personal finance class

[McNulty]

Manny Pacquiao now has 7 damn losses

Ray Robinson ended up with 19 damn losses

Shane Mosley has 10

Roy ****ing Jones has 9 damn losses

Holyfield stuck around to long and has 10 damn losses


why **** up your record like that?? losses no matter what people say do effect your legacy..It takes away the "WHAT IF" SUPERHUMAN factor away..you demoralize yourself by losing to people you would have ran thru in your prime

Hopkins has 8 damn losses and was knocked out the ****ing ring by a damn construction worker.....

This **** is disgraceful...

Robinson was broke and needed the money. Mosely needs the money (Jin).

The rest --- I've only fought in the Am's but even in the Am's the limelight is very addicting. Walking into the ring, winning fights, walking out of the ring, people patting you on the back...super exhilarating. Being in the media, super ego-blast.

IMO, that's the biggest thing they can't let go.

Most of these guys have poor money management skills too. RJJ didn't make the money he should have cuz he self-promoted instead of having a pro do it.

I really don't get your "what if" factor though. When they were at their best, that still holds true. Mosely at 135 vs FMJ at 135 --- maybe greatest fight of all time. Mosely losing so much doesn't take away from that.

[Johnny Steele]

Ray Robinson ended up with 19 damn losses

Shane Mosley has 10

Roy ****ing Jones has 9 damn losses

Holyfield stuck around to long and has 10 damn losses

All of those fighters should have more losses.
But they were robbers.

Mosley, Jones and Holyfield were dopers so fcuk them.

I enjoy watching Roy get Knocked out. And plus It's good for boxing.

[Johnny Steele]

losses at the end of your career take absolutely nothing away from the wins you had during your prime, which are the most important criterion for evaluating how a great a fighter is.

What a crock of shi't!

Pull your head out your a55!

[N!Ck F.]

Manny Pacquiao now has 7 damn losses

Ray Robinson ended up with 19 damn losses

Shane Mosley has 10

Roy ****ing Jones has 9 damn losses

Holyfield stuck around to long and has 10 damn losses


why **** up your record like that?? losses no matter what people say do effect your legacy..It takes away the "WHAT IF" SUPERHUMAN factor away..you demoralize yourself by losing to people you would have ran thru in your prime

Hopkins has 8 damn losses and was knocked out the ****ing ring by a damn construction worker.....

This **** is disgraceful...

Most fighters end up broke.
Holyfield bankrupt, Mosley lost half in a divorce, Roy Jones has money problems, There's been Pacquiao $$$ rumours.

If it's not for money it's their competitive spirit and a self belief that will never be destroyed. They will believe loss after loss that they can bounce back. Most for money reason though.

[Thraxox]

prior to floyd, cats actually put their titles, pride, etc. on the line, and lived with the results win or lose...

Bernard Hopkins Murderer's Row: Roy Jones, Joe Calzaghe, Sergey Kovalev, Chad Dawson, Felix Trinidad

Roy Jones Murderer's Row: James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, Virgil Hill

Manny Pacquiao Murderer's Row: Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales.

Floyd Mayweather Murderer's row: Victor Ortiz, Marcos Maidana, Andre Berto

LMAO

There is a saying that

The Knight with a shiny armor is a knight that never had set it self in the battle field.

[Buckfever]

I think it's a variety of reasons. Sometimes they mismanage their money and so they have to continue or return to the ring. Sometimes they have a hard time believing that their skills have diminished. But another thing and this is true in many professions, it becomes so much of their identity that they simply don't know how to be anything else, until that idea gets beaten out of them.