If a fighter damages his body with drugs (say), is he past his Prime?

his body is still damaged wether because of pugilism or drugs, it's not what it once was.

 

I'm not sure if he past is prime, but I'm sure he past a few nights in jail...

 

well yea of course he is past his prime,you answered your own question "if he damaged his body".the effects of drugs on a athlete can be wideranging,with mild drug use such as marijuana maybe some psychological issues but probably not too much of a prob,but going on to smack/steroids of that sort the long term implications put a boxer well past his prime.just an example,look at the use of steroids,im not saying jeff lacy used them,but he was a beast rather than a boxer,lost his mobility because of his size and got beat down for an entire 12 rounds.diego corrales?

 

good point,well we know that fighters who take a ridiculous amount of punishment in their career do not fight in their prime for as long,although usually this type of fighter will have the heart on will to continue boxing for a long period of time ala duran/foreman,u then look at people like gatti or ward,the punishment they took had awful implications for their boxing careers.however if you look at a fighter such as wayne mccullough,it makes you question the physical nature of boxing and ask is it 90% psychological.
but yes i would definatly say a boxer who takes more damage during their career will most often find the shortest careers,health willing.

 

wen this type of fighter fights,can we not take into to account entertainment value towards their ATG status.
yes they become past it earlier,therefore expectation is lessened.
can we measure damage through looking at fight style,and nature of fights.
ricky is still relatively young and his exuberance makes up for punishment.
floyd stating his body is breaking down,whyis this? due to the way he trains?

 

You are past your prime when your body of work is no longer at its highest level. Drugs can have something to do with it, but that is not everything.