Why do boxing fans act like a loss means you are tarnished forever?

Fans demand perfection and they want every generation to out do the previous one. Fighters today cant so they camoflauge it with a undefeated record.

 

Because convenience is so convenient, I think.

 

Count the number of posts from ESB members who call fighters "hype jobs" after a loss. Go on, I dare you.

 

It is strange, that's for sure. In mma, K1 etc a loss is a loss; you just didn't have a good night, you were beaten by someone better etc. Even the absolute best lose, it's a fact of life.

I think losses tend to be put into perspective a bit more as time goes on; Wlad gets loads of **** for his losses but in 10 years time he'll be remembered for his positives. Same happened with Lewis.

It does seem to be a very prominent mentality in boxing, though.

 

and that's why some boxers do over-protect their "zero" and would avoid the best competiton available to them.

 

It's a recent thing & it's an American thing in reality what with the PPv company's taking over boxing they want to market a product too the masses as someone percieved as flawless as in "Unbeaten" must be the best" & "Beaten is less than best" & this company only sells the best products. A box of 6 eggs all unbroken or a box with one cracked, they've sold boxing as a product to be consumed & like all packaging it's done to catch the eye of the buyer, how many times have you bought something at the supermarket with a high profile endorsement & flashy packaging & got it home & found out that once opened your package was empty or the item did'nt do what it said it would do on the box.

They've sold this unbeaten pup to joe public for the last 20 years or so & now it's well & truly entrenched, thats why the paranoia about staying unbeaten by padding yer resume with easy victims so that you can catch some HBO/Showime/Sky marketing exec's eye & hopefuly cash in for a major 4 fight contract payday before you're thrown to the wolves & exposed.

Contact GBP/HBO & Hatton Promotions for more info on this subject:smoke

 

Call me a cynic, but that sounds a bit TOO convenient for me.

 

It's bloody annoying, I'll say that.

There are some fighters that might have developed into something special, but the eagerness to preserve that '0' led to stagnation. The tv networks often didn't help there either.

You can learn a ton more in a tough loss than yet another journeyman win.

 

This way of thinking has got worse over the last 15 years or so.It was always there to a degree but not as bad as it is now.Guys would lose fights and it was just accepted as part of the sport.If Nigel Benn had lost by stoppage to Eubank last weekend he would now be labeled as "glass chinned,overatted or nothing better than Euro level"It is the Americans who have become most obsessed with remaining un beaten.

 

Cause too many "experts" like to inject their opinions casually.

 

Duranimal makes a great point, the promoters have put so much emphasize on an undefeated record and it's so ingrained in people's minds now that a fighter becomes devalued as a commodity. It's so counterproductive.

The other reason is, no other athletes are judge as harshly as boxers. More is expected from prizefighters then anyone else. The goal posts are moved in terms of whats demanded, mainly due to the nature of the sport.

Fighters are also less active now, there's so much build-up leading up something thats only gonna happen at most 3 times a year, which means a lot of emphasis is put on your last performance as you might not be out again for 6+ months. Fighters don't have the luxury in this day and age to put a bad performance behind them and be out again a week later. Football players for example, can always rectify it the following week and if they win then everything is forgotten and it's all rosy again. With fighters a bad performance or a loss is a bigger stain and defines you for half a year. Having the '0' helps keep of the snipers.

 

hypejob, damage goods, overrated etc

 

The best, at their peaks, only lose to the absolute best.

There's no honour in boxing, in dropping losses to guys like Morales