I like Byrd's comment after Vitaly had quit. It was something to the effect that "I've fought with a broken hand and with a broken jaw, it's part of the game, you just don't quit". That's the attitude a true champion should have, and I think most great fighters have displayed it at some time or other. No one has mentioned Marciano, surprisingly enough. Basilio was a tough ******* as well; as was LaMotta. There's been a lot of tough Italians.
Dempsey,jeffries,jake Lamotta,ward,gatti,rocky Marciano,rocky Balboa/ha Ha ,fitzsimmons,frazier,patterson,ali
Of course there are a lot. They needed to be that way to get to where they were. Who is your favorite of all of them?
Names that spring to mind for me would be mickey walker muhammed ali diego corrales Jess willard - taking that beating from dempsey in the 1st round and coming out for more
Iran " the blade" Barkley,especially in Hearns 1. cut to ribbons and being broken in half by body shots found that right hand from nowhere...
Most boxers that fight at world level have great heart, otherwise they wouldn't be there. It would be easier to pick the fighters that didn't have heart, like Bruce Seldon or Audley Harrison for example.
Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe Calzaghe
Tex Cobb. The man had a head of stone, and anyone who takes the kind of punishment he took from Holmes for 15 rounds and doesn't even get frustrated has a ton of heart. Carmen Basilio, Jake LaMotta, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Joe Frazier, Ezzard Charles, Thomas Hearns, Arturo Gatti, Mickey Ward, and Gene Fullmer.
Even Seldon has demonstrated tons of heart. Like when he kept getting up after eating serious shots from McCall in the final rounds of their match. Hard to find a fighter who DOESN'T have heart.
............Your dad, no? Christ, look at that guy. Blood everywhere. Yet stood in and got the win. I salute him. This is an illustration of why there really is no answer to this question. "Heart" comes in many forms, not all of which involve getting up from a thousand knockdowns or an eyebal torn out or whatever. It's sometimes as subtle as a personal battle within oneself, as was the case with junior-lightweight Tyrone Jackson, who developed a reputation as a "freezer." Sometimes it is more overt, such as Jake Lamotta relaizing he couldn't beat Robinson in their sixth fight, and relegating himself to taking all that Ray could put forth. In fact, he made THAT the battle after about the 11th round. Courage has many faces. There is no answer to this.
Willard went 2 more rounds after that beating in the first comeback somewhat in those 2 rounds befor his cornor stopped it Jeffries in the Fitzsimmons Rematch when Fitz removed all the padding in his gloves Greb, Walker, Braddock, Joe Gains, battling Nelson, and Ad Wolgast come to mind
also Joe Grim reading his story I couldnt thank of this man as a real humen I cant imagen what it would have been like seeing him taken thos beatings
I agree Sal. There's no answer to this. You don't get into that ring at least not for too long unless this question is moot. It takes what it is gonna take, there's never a question about it. Ironic, you should say, "an eyebal torn out," because that eye, his left eye, he end up losin' years later, a result of the damage it took not just in this fight but throughout. You ended up with what you ended up with, and were lucky to have it. Thanks for recognizin' him.