Cases of fighters taking other fighters soul pride and dignity?

Golovkin - Alvarez without a fight.

Also

Maidana - Broner
Margarito - Cotto

 

That's exactly what the OP was fishing for. Give the man a cigar:deal

 

Froch-Bute

 

Froch Groves II
Pac/Margarito - took each others souls. Neither was the same after.
Tzsyu/Judah - something in Judah died that night. He was never the same man after.

 

Broner grossly underestimated the 170lb raging bull that is Madaina. He gave away the first 4 rds, just trying to adjust and not get knocked cold. And far too many ppl forget that even down 4 rds from the start, the fight wasn't some type of one-sided shutout, Broner adapted, and made a solid showing in spite of being nearly decapitated many times throughout.
He handled the loss with humility but showed genuine determination that he was still a top 140-147lb fighter.

Since the fight, he's had a couple easy ones, but looks stronger and more explosive and definitely more focused on his opponents strengths while training for upcoming fights so that he's not susrpised by what's in front of him.

As for Cotto v Margs....It's quite likely that Marg's was loaded for the fight, which Cotto fought quite bravely in all things considered, keeping the fight very close in spite of taking heavy hands only doing more damage with each passing rd before he finally succumbed in the 11th.
Directly after the fight, Cotto didn't look for a comeback fight, but instead took the WBO up on it's offer to fight the #3 rated contender, and he took the overmatched opponent out as he should have, and without any lingering fears coming out of the Margarito war.

He also even the score with Margorito, by dominating him over 9 rds before the ref finally saved Margs from being permanently blinded.

 

Best example yet.:think

 

Calzaghe - Lacy

 

Barrera vs Hamed