Well said. There has to be some middle ground between heavily admired, uncommon heroics and outright quitting in the ring. Otherwise where is the understood value in the former if the latter immediately defaults you into disrepute and shame?
Chuck Wepner before his title fight with Ali " tonight honey you will be sleeping with the heavyweight champion of the world " wife to Chuck " why honey I hardly know him " keep well.
"I'm gonna fight,not for me,but to uplift my little brothers who are sleeping on the concrete floors today at America" -Muhammad Ali
In 1963, the New York State Assembly had held a special hearing where a special subcommittee, headed by state assemblyman Hayward Plumadore, introduced a bill that would, in effect, outlaw the sport of boxing “You have been giving some predictions about which round you will win in. Don’t you think these predictions, and the fact that these last few fights have happened to end in the exact round that you say, have given a bad image of the sport of boxing to the general public?” “It is on record that I predicted eight rounds on Archie Moore. He talked and talked so I cut it to four,” Ali replied. “I have eleven fights, eleven of them I predicted what would happen. Would you say all of these people are crooks? All of the promoters are crooks? I say I’m the greatest and if he falls in five and he falls in five, that just makes me that much greater,” . “Will it be a fix when Doug Jones falls in six?” , as onlookers in the courtroom erupted in laughter"
Reading some of these quotes by Sean O'Grady, about as qualified a boxing commentator as anyone - remembering one that stuck with me: "Power rules boxing - but speed beats power" Not true every time, but often enough ...
“Everyone has a plan until you bite part of their ear off.” Variation on the quot: “Everyone has a complete ear until you bite part of it off.” Context: After being DQ’d in his rematch against Evander, Mike Tyson trying to explain and justify the acute change in his own tactics and plan after displaying a clear distaste for being punched in the mouth. Mike’s only regret? That he didn’t have a side of fava beans and a glass of Chianti to wash it all down with. Ear, ear! Disclaimer: Fee and Artistic licence has been employed in the conveyance of the original quote and its original timing/context. Basically, still close enough for hand grenades.
"I am the toughest man of my State, outside of the Governor!" Reginaldo Andrade This guy here: https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/19771
Not sure where I read this one. Ali to a flight attendant - Superman don’t need no seatbelt. The flight attendant - Superman don’t need no plane either, now buckle up.
Joe Louis on Billy Conn: “He can run, but he can’t hide.” Numerous trainers (myself included), last instructions to a fighter before the bell: “Three things: keep your hands up, your chin down and your ass off the canvas.” I actually first heard the thing Tyson said about everybody has a game plan til they get hit in the mouth from Bruce “The Mouse” Strauss when he fought a local guy in my hometown. His version was “til they get hit with a brick,” just a slightly different version of the same thing. Adrien Broner: “I beat Paulie. I left with his belt and his girl.” Paulie Malignaggi: “Don’t brag about taking my side piece!”
"Well he's no friend of mine" - former middleweight world champion Terry Downes when I told him a friend of mine had said he was giving away signed photos of himself. (This was long before any of us had heard of selfies.)
"Champions aren't made in the ring, they are made in the moments when no one is watching." (Sonny Liston)
From Marvin Hagler "Feed the faith, starve the doubt" because that quote is relevant in your day to day life not just for boxing. If I'm ever having a bad day or feel down I think of Hagler saying that quote and it motivates me.
Hi Buddy. When asked who he would like to fight next, ( minutes after the Tiger beating ) Downes replied " the promoter of tonight's fight " sounds like Terry. stay safe buddy, chat soon.
