Boxers Fight on too Long
Every boxer enters the fight game in the hope to leave behind a lasting legacy when all is said and done, and they hang up their gloves for that final time. However, many do not know when to call it a day; something we see time and time again. Unfortunately the unwillingness to quit their beloved sport often damages a fighter’s career and tragically, can cause complications to their long term health.
Erik Morales: Comeback?
Erik Morales has recently decided to return to the ring after 2 and a half years out of the game. Yet at 33 years of age, he is far from the oldest campaigner around, and some might not question his desire to enter the ring a few more times. Unfortunately, Erik is just 1 of many fighters who come out of retirement in the hope to taste glory once again. Most fail.
When a boxer does come out of retirement, they are usually competing in weight divisions higher than when they first left the sport – testament to the shape they needed to be in to be successful first time round. The lure of being announced the world champion in-front of 15,000 screaming fans must be a hallucinogenic antidote for the gruelling and tedious workout regime and lifestyle required in order to compete at the highest level.
In the last few months, we all pondered whether Ricky Hatton should hang ‘em up, or continue fighting. When questioned on this himself, he admitted to feeling the kind of hunger I spoke of in the previous paragraph. But can this hunger be the undoing of many a great boxers’ legacy and even health?
Further to those who come out of retire, are those that just stay in the game for too long. For financial reasons or in blind delusion, we have seen once great competitors in the ring reduced to a shadow of their former self, slumped in the corner of the ring with a distant and lost look on their face as they taste defeat.
Many say Ali went on too long, and thus suffered defeat against Holmes and Berbick – 2 men he would have breezed past in his pomp. There is also a case that his parkinsons condition is maybe a result of the extra years he unnecessarily spent in the ring.
In more recent times we have seen the likes of De La Hoya beaten up at the hands of Manny Pacquiao, Roy Jones demolished inside a round by Danny Green and Marco Antonio Barerra stopped by young Amir Khan. Just last weekend Mexican warrior Jose Luis Castillo was humiliated by Alfonso Gomez signalling the end of his career. Gomez also ended the career of the tragic Arturo Gatti in 2007.
Gatti’s final fight against Gomez defines what this article is all about. As Gatti took a beating in the ring, the camera panned to his wife in the front few rows in attendance. She was in tears, and trying to clamber over the security barrier, begging the referee to stop the onslaught and potential health damage being sustained. Her screams and pained look was haunting, and it is these kinds of beatings that will haunt a fighters career forever.
These are all examples where once great fighters have lost fights they maybe should never have been in. Some fight on for the glory while some do so for the financial rewards. Boxing is a tough sport, but it also pays generously at the highest level. Many boxers become millionaires, and live a lavish lifestyle, in many cases making the most of their rise from the slums of inner city life.
Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Hector Commacho, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Azumah Nelson and Jeff Fenech are just some of the more high profile names who have fought in their 40’s and 50’s in some cases due to financial struggles. It is a sorry case that they have all blown their wealth, and have no other option but to step through the ropes to earn some cash in the only trade that they know.
How do we know when a fighter is finished? Many times it isn’t until a devastating loss. A fighter can’t be denied a license based on age either. They should have a right to fight on if they so wish. Bernard Hopkins is a perfect example where age is no barrier. At 45 he is still performing exceptionally at the very top level. His style has allowed him to fight on, effectively, for so long.
Bernard Hopkins: Active at 45
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Erik Morales and Ricky Hatton. While both are much younger than Bernard, they are very old and shop worn in boxing terms. Their fighting styles have resulted in them being in many brutal fights, each of which takes its toll on the body.
Fighters will no doubt think they still have what it takes to compete as they get older, and we will always see them fighting on beyond their means, but maybe more could be done by their families, friends, critics and fans to dissuade them. Barry McGuigan is just one former boxer who quit at the right time, with his health in check and also shows concern for some fighters continuing to fight. He recently wrote about his concerns about Frans Botha fighting Holyfield and also Roy Jones, who is set to fight Bernard Hopkins in a rematch which should have happened 16 years ago.
McGuigan is just one man who people feel left the sport at the right time. Lennox Lewis, Joe Calzaghe and Rocky Marciano are 3 others who all quit while they were on top. They are all healthy, have their legacies secured and have lived or are living a good life etched out from their wealth made from the fight game.
No one can stop a boxer competing. Its what they know and love best of all. But they need to understand better their limitations as they age and that they are just mere mortals after all. The strain these fighters put on their family was perfectly demonstrable at ringside during the Gomez/Gatti fight as mentioned earlier. Boxer’s are also responsible for their own actions. If they choose to squander their money, climbing back in the ring isn’t always the answer. Is that feeling of glory really worth putting your family through all that pain. Furthermore is it worth the long term health risks? I think the answer is no. And the sooner that boxers understand this, the better.