Most mentally tough boxers past and present

Margarito
MRquez
Holyfield
Maidana was a mental beast

 

Normally, you hear these questionable stories about injuries after a loss or a close fight with somebody you supposedly shouldn't have one with. Ward clearly beat Froch but had a badly damaged hand doing it. With Froch's head, you know this took the grit of a John Wayne character, ya'll.

 

Rocky Marciano.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
Evander Holyfield.
Muhammad Ali.
Pernell Whitaker (This is especially evident in the Hurtado fight and in the Trinidad fight).

 

Oliver McCall.

 

Dereck Chisora. Fights anyone, never quits, gives everything. No bs.

 

You'd have to put Calzaghe up there too then. He was often out-gunned but never buckled despite knock-downs. Never wilted against Hopkins and generally complained less.
I'm no Calzaghe fan but in this regard he really was great, pretty much impossible to faze him and he usually liked to look people right in the eye and trade.

 

He's got the x-factor and is gutsy too but I've seen him get a bit hesitant and panicky under high volume pressure. Mind games yes, ring savvy yes, but he can get twitchy and lose his flow, he starts to look raggedy and uncoordinated at times.

 

Eubank Sr, no tougher.

 

Tyson Fury is a mental midget who folded after the WK fight.

 

Iron willed past and present…

Ali, Marciano, Holyfield, Greb, Dempsey, Tunney, SRR, Hearns, Hagler, Lamotta, Pep, Frazier, Mayeeather, Monzon, Gatti,
Louis…. That’s just a few off the top of my head.

 

I like all the guys you mentioned above including Froch (though let’s be honest he can be a prat but at least he admits it lol) who is not as athletically gifted or as skillful as the others you mentioned.


My iron willed warriors are:
My Uncle Azumah Nelson, he took particular perverse pleasure in going into another champions hometown to not just take their belt but inflict a conclusive knockout such as the great Wilfredo Gomez in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jeff Fenech in Australia etc. He wanted to do a job on Barry McGuigan in Britain preferably Ireland. As Tim Witherspoon said his friend your Uncle is one determined guy. Little anecdote in 1982 when he was picked as the last minute substitute for the title defence by Salvador Sanchez, Uncle knew he was not ready but was determined to give his best and Sanchez hell on earth and promised the Ghanaian leader Jerry Rawlings as much. Even though he lost with a few seconds left a star and legend was born. Greatest fighter ever from Africa.


Muhammad Ali, what is there to say about the Greatest that has not been said. It takes a particular mindset to predict what you will do and go out there and and do it consistently . I remember him predicting he would stop Doug Jones in 6 then later changed it to 4 then this time when the prediction did not come true and the TV presenter queried his prediction, Ali said 6+4 make 10 don’t it. His mentality and Will was shown when he was allowed to box again after his ring exile and the older Ali had lost the unbelievable speed of feet but was able willing and ready to go toe to toe as necessary and prevail against a murderous row of opponents. His mentality was off the charts.

Thomas Hearns, everyone talks about his right hand power, boxing ability etc but for me his greatest attributes was his mindset mentality such dedication to his craft he outboxed boxers and executed punchers even those elite few who beat him had to pay a terrible price as Hagler and Leonard will testify.

Julio Cesar Chavez, his record is a matter of recorded history as the greatest Mexican fighter of all time but anyone who walks right through the unbelievable power of “El Chapo” Edwin Rosario and beats the living daylights out of him has a special will. For every 5/6/7 punch blistering combination the dazzling Meldrick Taylor was landing JC superstar 1 or 2 punches were exacting a toll.

Sugar Ray Leonard, I never liked him as a man probably because of his wins over all my guys Hearns, Duran, Benitez, Kalule and Hagler, but I cannot deny his greatness. I have no doubt Hearns damaged his retina in their fight with his eye shutting but on Angelo Dundee’s word in the championship rounds “you are blowing it son” he comes out and puts it on Tommy Hearns a guy who it’s impossible to beat at 147 pounds. To understand SRL’s mindset only a mad man would get into a toe to toe Mano and Mano contest with an animal like Duran(this meant as a compliment) at his peak.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler, what a man!!! His whole career displays mental toughness.

 

Interesting pick. Why? Is it because he is a ghost.

 

As in Archie Moore?

 

Khan quit against Crawford though.