Boxers who really loved the game?

I always think Roberto Duran or Thomas Hearns. I think they loved it more than Hagler or Leonard, but maybe they didn't have the options.Hagler and Ray one became an actor the other commentator.. And Tommy and Roberto both lost a lot of money which meant they had to keep fighting..

 

James Toney

 

My first thought is Mayweather. Yeah he seemed obsessed with money but I believe he is passionate and would succeed even if no money was involved

 

Harry Greb would fight you for free in the street.

 

Maybe everybody who who retired late in their career? Y'know, perhaps Bert Cooper, Roberto Duran and Roy Jones Jr?

 

Ali

 

Henry Armstrong

 

Not a well-known fighter today, but this was an excerpt from an interview with Ray Lunny. I always remembered this because it is quite clear this dude really loved boxing.

DH: You said after the fight that you were packing it in and you did. But you were only 25. Did you ever get the itch to give it another go?

RL: No! But did I miss it? Every single day. Dan, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed boxing and loved going to the gym. But there are just so many times you can come in second best.

DH: Ray, what was the one fight you wanted in the worst way and just couldn’t get pen to paper?

RL: Dan, more than any title fight, I wanted a rematch with Vilomar Fernandez. My two worst fights were against Fernandez and Blakeney Matthews. That was not me in either of those fights, but more so, the Fernandez fight. Maybe it’s my natural competitiveness that has me feel this way, because I’ve lived a great life. But to this day, I still wake up at night thinking of that Fernandez fight and being unable to get him back in the ring.

 

Pacquiao
Marquez
Barrera
Morales

 

“I fought maybe three, four hundred fights and every one was a pleasure.” (Sam Langford)

Such a statement really demonstrates Sam Langford's immense love for the game.

This tough guy was born to fight.

 

Nigel Benn just loved to fight.

 

Freddie Roach

Even now, the man is in extremely poor condition but still eats and sleeps boxing.