Fighters with every excuse to lose.....but didn't!

One armed Williams with his comeback KO.

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An obvious one, Buster Douglas losing his much loved mother 23 days prior to facing Tyson in Tokyo - it seems in many if not all of these cases, the very thing/excuse that might be offered is actually incorporated as a significant motivator to win/prevail.

 

Sometimes if you go into a fight with nothing to lose, it can be a great scenario and motivator, no one expects you to win anyway. But then a pleasant surprise happens.

 

Douglas against Tyson, everyone talks about how Tyson was ill prepared. Douglas’ mum had just died, he was on penicillin going into the fight as he was sick all week, and going into training camp he was 300 pounds

 

Billy Miske knocking out Bill Brennan in 1923 while he was ****ing dying of Bright's disease.

 

Excellent point - just merely being the heavy underdog (viewed in a certain way, can be seen as excuse enough for losing -LOL) can free you up, do your thing and possibly achieve the least expected of you.

 

Sometimes I expect the worse so that I am prepared, then lo and behold, a very pleasant surprise. And even if it as expected, I was fully prepared, no shock of any kind.

 

I remember reading that Spinks’s daughter came into the dressing room mere hours before the fight and said ‘Where’s Mommy?’ and Spinks broke down completely.

Remarkable that he could recover and regain his focus and maintain his game plan so perfectly.

 

When I saw JT’s thread there was an example lurking in the back of my mind - it wouldn’t come to me - I kept getting the Spinks example already cited.

I kept thinking “someone’s brother shot..??”

Well that recollection wasn’t quite right but it finally triggered me to remember Hearns’ brother being arrested for killing his (the brother’s) GF. Wasn’t that arrest virtually on the eve of Tommy’s inspired and gutsy performance in the rematch with Ray Leonard?

 

Bang on Rich. Not to forecast doom but entertaining the worst case scenario can be very realistic - it can help to alleviate potential disappointments but still allow for the good feels that welcome surprises can bring.

 

Great thread premise - illustrates how the same event can be the cause of one person’s failure while also possibly being the catalyst for another person’s success.

Both effects/outcomes are wholly legitimate -it just comes down to an individual’s personal make up - though viewing/incorporating a tragic event in the most positive possible way prob lends to the best outcomes in general -