When Trash Talking Goes Right

Fury got inside Wilder's head and really wound him up. He lost the fight before it even started.

 

Ali against Foreman - Think Ali got into big George's head.

Duran - Leonard 1

 

Following the referee's instructions before Roy Jones-Antonio Tarver II, Tarver said, "Yeah. I got a question. You got any excuses tonight, Roy?"

I nearly spit out my drink that night. I never heard a guy say something like that when the referee asked that question.

Tarver was the top contender to Jones' title a few years earlier. Jones, who knew Tarver from Florida, refused to fight him unless Tarver fought an eliminator first. Tarver did and lost to Eric Harding. So Jones fought Harding. Tarver then got back in position for a second eliminator later, won that. Jones moved up to heavyweight. Then Tarver had ruined the Jones-Ruiz postfight press conference by standing and demanding Jones fight him. Jones tried to laugh him off, but was angry. Tarver won Roy's vacant light heavy belts, but wasn't satisfied, and kept calling him out. Jones come back down to light heavyweight to fight him. They fought. Antonio appeared to deserve the decision. He got a rematch because the first fight was controversial.

And, after YEARS of seething, Tarver was just at the height of being mentally and physically prepared. He wasn't going to lose that night.

A true grudge fight.

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There's no way Tarver deserved the first Jones fight.

 

I guess this is more antics than smack talk but when Fury showed up to a press conference for the Wlad fight in a Batman costume, I think he freaked Klitschko out. He knew then he wasn’t dealing with a guy holding a full deck of cards/

Then Fury refuses on fight day to get into the ring if they didn’t take out that pillow padding under the canvas (designed to slow Fury’s footwork) and Wlad’s side gave in.

Fury had the upper hand mentally all the way, as he usually does.

 

That’s a genius line by Fury.

 

Mayweather vs Delahoya....trash talking turned Floyd Mayweather into a superstar

 

Bernard Hopkins-Felix Trinidad

 

Many examples have been cited over the years, but it is hard to be sure whether it really made a difference.

 

This isn't really trash talking but it was equally effective. I remember seeing an interview with Zab Judah where he talked about how he was giving Tszyu a death stare and trying to intimidate Tszyu before their fight and Tszyu walked up to him and extended his hand and wished him luck. That simple act shocked Zab and through him off according to him.

Zab said that the way Tszyu was so casual and confident about it freaked him out. It was the biggest fight of both of their lives and Tszyu wasn't worried one bit.

 

If I am not mistaken Duran talked **** to SRL and its affected SRL's fighting style in the first bout.

 

Wilder just wasn't good lol