Let's Be Honest: Fighters With Old School Mentality...

What do you think is the main reason for this? The twelve round distance, fighting only two or three times a year, or just most of us not remembering the details from thirty or forty years ago?

 

People just get nostalgic or wish for better things, I guess, and naturally people aren't going to know as much about what went on many years ago as today.

I mean mentalities may have been a little different before but I doubt it was some drastic difference and there was still the same type of **** going on years ago.

If you're getting paid less, then naturally you're going to fight more often to pay your bills. A lot of the old-time HW champs, excluding Louis, were inactive in defending their belts. HW champs got paid more than the other guys.

But even some of the guys fighting very often back turned down some high-risk/low-reward fights, just as fighters now get criticized for doing. They just had about a dozen other fights in the year, some against very tough opposition, to pay the bills so it's more excusable.

"Why would I fight Burley when I have Zivic"- Jake LaMotta

 

Just curious what your thoughts were. I still think there's some truth to the old school "myth" though. The nature of the sport in the old days almost has to have weeded out the people who weren't extremely physically and mentally hardened.

 

Apparently you can't read.

 

Timothy Bradley.

 

Most of what's been said here, plus:

Marquez in terms of training and attitude. The guy doesn't trash talk; he just gets on with the job.

Pavlik - usually - in terms of training and background. He stays around in the same house he always did, trains by flipping tires and running bleachers. Not flashy with the money he has.

 

He's not elevating him above anyone; he's just pointing out that Jermain's record alone isn't adequate precedent to write him off, since the other fighters would have likely had more losses.

Obviously, it doesn't stop him being past prime and having had a fair bit of fight beaten out of him.

 

There's some differences, obviously you needed to be tougher if you were fighting all the time.

I look at fighters with injury-prone hands like Mayweather and Calzaghe. Look at their KO percentages. Both very good. If you're fighting 10-15 times per year and have hurt hands then you'd probably try to preserve your hands since you have less time to recover between fights. Like someone like Tommy Loughran who had a messed up right hand throughout his career.

But I still think the main mentality of fighters has always been doing what's best for them and their careers so obviously money and risk/reward will play some part in that.

 

He's making a damned good case.

 

Wlad Klitschko. Fights everyone available in the division

 

yep, surprised no one mentioned that name before.. :huh

 

The guy hasnt ducked nobody plus fights evryone whos put in front of him:bbb

 

Both Marquez, Vasquez, Cotto, Pac, Margarito, PWill, im sure there is more i havent thought of.