Getting Off The Floor "The importance"

I agree. There is often an argument put forward listing knockdowns and then extrapolating a weak jaw, but many fighters who were "easy" to knock down, or at least suffered quite a few knockdowns in their careers, were not easy to knock out. Bob Fitzsimmons, Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Joe Louis, and Jack Dempsey come to mind.
It should also be pointed out that "taking a knockdown" and a count to clear one's senses was often a tactical maneuver for the old-timers, and, obviously, the old-timers fought under rules that made multiple knockdowns more likely, with the opponent standing over the fallen fighter. Even with the neutral corner rule in effect, for years the gloves weren't dusted and an immediate attack could be launched.

 

I think it's important but i put more significance on "heart" than merely "getting up to win". For instance, Jeffries never got off the floor to win. But he proved his heart many times (Fitz II, Corbett). The same goes for Lewis (Klitschko, Briggs).

Let me put it this way:

If Jeffries got knocked down by Fitzsimmons and Corbett but still won the way he did in reality, would you rank him higher or lower? Would you perceive him as a better or worse fighter? Note that a big part of his reputation, having an iron chin, would be gone.


When a fighter shows desire and mental toughness by continuing when in deep trouble, that is enough for me.

 

Yeah but I think getting off your ass to win a fight shows a fair amount of heart in and of itself. I'm also not sure that I agree with a person losing their claim to having an iron chin just because they were floored. How does having a weak or solid chin have anything to do with other factors such as, balance or being prone to getting tagged with a particular shot? Ali was floored a few times in his career but took shots form Liston, Frazier, Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, and Norton. Would you say that his chin wasn't iron?

 

I disagree. Getting off the Floor to win a fight is an overrated quality; some fighters simply go down easier than others and its as simple as that.

For example, if Lennox Lewis was dropped vs Shannon Briggs and came back to win, it may make for a more exciting fight but IMO it will do little if anything to enhance the win.

 

I agree with some of the comments about certain fighters being a lot harder to put down than others, but getting back up- and winning, for anyone, shows a certain mental fortitude and a belief that a contest can be won, despite the inferiority (even if it's temporary) that a fighter must feel when he tastes the canvas. It's something that separates the great and the good. The same applies to being in trouble (badly shaken, losing round after round) also.

 

Redemption is a fine quality when rating greatness; but like all intangables, it does need perceptive. Holyfield rising from getting knocked down by Cooper or the Big Black Cloud by Snipes deserves kudo's, but is simply not on the level of say Douglas rising to beat a Tyson.

And has been pointed out; Holmes taking his licks but finding a way to beat a Ken Norton is IMO a better achievement, despite no knockdowns, than him rising to beat Renaldo...

 

Getting off the floor to win shows a lot of heart. In Lewis case, I think he was too shaken up vs McCall, and failed to beat the count vs Rhaman, but tried.

Tyson basically gave up in the ring on more than one occasion. He lacked heart when the going got tough.

 

I agree totaly , this is the only thing I allways come back to when rating Lennox . In their respective primes though , Tyson did get up off the floor and try to win , Lennox has stayd down everytime he has been there . Im not tring to take away from Lewis , just stating a fact seen as though this thread is about fighting hart .

If the 'longcount' scenario wouldve went Mike's way then he wouldnt be involved in this discussion . I know he hadnt been knocked down before flooring Douglas , but the beating he had taken at that point , to come from behind was trully great

 

Lewis came off the floor and very definitely wanted to fight on but the ref stopped it. Holmes was probably just as hurt vs Snipes and possibly Shavers but allowed to fight on, to quote one example. I'd like to have seen it continue, i've seen many this bad let go.

 

All the greats have gotten up off the floor to press on and win while facing adversity. It's the great lesson of life, beyond boxing, and all other sports. It's what defines character in human beings, as God intended.

 

Both times the Teflon Don's fighters got the benefit of the doubt, of course.

 

That's means zip. Douglas was clearly waiting for the count to reach 9. This post is nothing more than a Tyson get-out clause...and it fails miserably.