How'd greats who burned the candle at both ends 'n in the middle do so well?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by john garfield, Oct 6, 2010.


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  1. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Seems incredible. Flies in the face of reason.
     
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    #1
  2. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Some sort of burning desire that only the exceptionally talented have ? Genius comes with flaws.
     
    Stevie G, Oct 6, 2010
    Stevie G, Oct 6, 2010
    #2
  3. turpinr

    turpinr Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    sugar ray liked to party but left the drink alone
     
    turpinr, Oct 6, 2010
    turpinr, Oct 6, 2010
    #3
  4. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    bump
     
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
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  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I'd imagine ferocious physical training.

    Mugabi was a party-animal, he was also one of the keenest trainers and brutal sparrers in recent boxing history.
     
    McGrain, Oct 6, 2010
    McGrain, Oct 6, 2010
    #5
  6. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    No, M, not guys like Pep 'n Lew Jenkins, ta name two, who did most of their training in gin mills 'n partyin' till dawn.
     
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    #6
  7. burt bienstock

    burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Mickey Walker, loved his John Barleycorn,and good times.
     
    burt bienstock, Oct 6, 2010
    burt bienstock, Oct 6, 2010
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  8. lefthook31

    lefthook31 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    Some people need chaos in their life to keep them sharp. Personally I perform better in my professional life when I have twenty irons in the fire.
     
    lefthook31, Oct 6, 2010
    lefthook31, Oct 6, 2010
    #8
  9. dpw417

    dpw417 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    A hard question to answer...but it seems like some fighters (Pac for example) thrive when they have things going on around them...(DLH lawsuit, movies, congressman) while others lock themselves away from distractions and even family (Hagler). I guess it totally depends on the individual...Guys like Pep, Walker, maybe Greb (who problably didn't party as much as it is perceived) there isn't an explanation for it...Which is amazing in itself...
     
    dpw417, Oct 6, 2010
    dpw417, Oct 6, 2010
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  10. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I'm sure they did John, but unless you are saying Pep was a natural Bantamweight who fought at Feather because he was bloated on beer and whisky, he was making that weight off the back of hard training.

    Maybe he could have trained down to bantam in his prime though?
     
    McGrain, Oct 6, 2010
    McGrain, Oct 6, 2010
    #10
  11. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Forget the weight issue, M. For me, it's dancin' on the head of a pin. Trained with Willie (if pub crawling's training) in N.Y. 'n Miami. My question is: How'd he maintain his brilliance for decades 'n only phone-it-in at the gym?
     
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    #11
  12. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Well, in 1950 Pep fought 10 or 11 times. Fighting was what kept him sharp for fights I suppose, and what you see as his phoning it in was more about weight control. He doesn't have to work on sharpness, timing, finding shots etc., because he just hasn't had the time to go stale.

    But the weight is a pertinent issue. It's just not possible to maintain weight without training properly.
     
    McGrain, Oct 6, 2010
    McGrain, Oct 6, 2010
    #12
  13. Johnstown

    Johnstown Boxing Addict banned

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    Usually guys who do that burn out quicker..not always but often....still I have a hard time believing that guys like pep and srr where totally adverse to training
     
    Johnstown, Oct 6, 2010
    Johnstown, Oct 6, 2010
    #13
  14. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    BELIEVE IT! J...'specially Willie.
     
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    john garfield, Oct 6, 2010
    #14
  15. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    If you're supremely talented, it's easy enough I guess to get away with it when you're young, but it comes a cropper when they get older. Hangovers do get worse with age. You just can't recover as quickly.
     
    salsanchezfan, Oct 6, 2010
    salsanchezfan, Oct 6, 2010
    #15
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