In regards to what is 'best'... Losing well > ducking > losing badly Then again maybe MMA is poisoning my brain nowadays where losing well is celebrated
Losing is much worse for a professional boxer, no boxer wants a L on their record, as that is indelibly printed in boxing history. Whereas many ATGs like Dempsey have had accusations that they ducked other fighters, but it has not affected their ATG status.
Give me a valiant loser over a ducker any day. This era where some fans call any boxer who gets an L rubbish are as much to blame as the boxers and promoters who do the ducking.