Can a fighter gain heart?

[handsofstone]

What do people think of boxer's fighting hearts and whether someone might have improved their battling "heart"

I.like every poster on here have nothing but admiration for any man/woman who steps in the ring and i hate it when people who should know better questioning fighter's hearts,B&I is fine but CS seems to be 95% poster's slagging boxers one way or another

Some fighter's no matter what their achievements will only be remembered for having "no heart",Ortiz,Audley are a couple of current fighters of the top of my head who may be remembered that way

But can a fighter who earlier in their career have a moment where their heart has been called into question,regroup and make a vow never to quit or run or whatever it is again?

Surely it can and has been done as most people here surely at some points have had moments where after an incident maybe thought that they were too laid back or soft and have made a point of never letting it happen again so I'm sure a fighting man can


Johnny Nelson is one fighter whose bottle took a beating and came back to reach the top but although ive read his book i didnt see much of his career so i dont doubt he had some tough rounds but did he(or any boxer in similar circumstances) have to go to the trenches to pull it out of the fire?
I suppose its quite different with Nelson as he never really quit after taking a beating like Ortiz,he just ran

Ortiz on the other hand redeemed himself against Berto after quitting against Maidana so looked to have turned a corner only to quit against Lopez and maybe even Collazo

Judging from what i read on forums etc,once a fighters heart is criticised,its reputation is never repaired

[ALI]

I think Brook will take the Porter fight.

[Michael bennt]

Yes late on in his career Johnny Nelson finally found a heart and went on to become a great cruiserweight

[Controversial]

Danny Williams was always a weird one for me. Fought one handed after dislocating his shoulder against Mark Potter and stood up to Tyson and knocked him out, yet in other fights looked like he would rather be anywhere but the ring. Lack of heart or lack of confidence, never sure?

[HomicideHenry]

Heart, can only come about, if one is tested.

[The_Don1]

Amir Khan springs to mind, a true warrior although that word has become a cliché now

[Boxing Prospect]

I think you can mature in a way that makes you mentally tougher.

[MightyWarrior]

After Nigel Benn lost the Michael Watson fight, getting knocked out by a jab, but more really having his heart broken by Watson refusing to give an inch... Well a lot of people in the trade thought maybe he was just a front runner..... And boy did he turn that right around: now remembered, rightly so, as the ultimate warrior.

[Boxerbeetle]

What do people think of boxer's fighting hearts and whether someone might have improved their battling "heart"

I.like every poster on here have nothing but admiration for any man/woman who steps in the ring and i hate it when people who should know better questioning fighter's hearts,B&I is fine but CS seems to be 95% poster's slagging boxers one way or another

Some fighter's no matter what their achievements will only be remembered for having "no heart",Ortiz,Audley are a couple of current fighters of the top of my head who may be remembered that way

But can a fighter who earlier in their career have a moment where their heart has been called into question,regroup and make a vow never to quit or run or whatever it is again?

Surely it can and has been done as most people here surely at some points have had moments where after an incident maybe thought that they were too laid back or soft and have made a point of never letting it happen again so I'm sure a fighting man can


Johnny Nelson is one fighter whose bottle took a beating and came back to reach the top but although ive read his book i didnt see much of his career so i dont doubt he had some tough rounds but did he(or any boxer in similar circumstances) have to go to the trenches to pull it out of the fire?
I suppose its quite different with Nelson as he never really quit after taking a beating like Ortiz,he just ran

Ortiz on the other hand redeemed himself against Berto after quitting against Maidana so looked to have turned a corner only to quit against Lopez and maybe even Collazo

Judging from what i read on forums etc,once a fighters heart is criticised,its reputation is never repaired

I'm not sure heart is exactly what Audley lacked, he showed an enormous amount of heart against Sprott when he boxed most of the fight with one arm & pulled off a sensational KO in the 12th.

He definitely lacked something which made him freeze on the big stage, but I'd say it was more a fear of getting hurt than a lack of heart.

[coneye]

People can take it and call it heart , but its more confidence , When you have it your mind will be a lot more comfortable and allow you to show , more heart has some would say .

[Broomhall]

A lot can depend on corner work. Saying the wrong or right thing to a fighter can make a big difference to their morale during a fight. Frame of mind before a fight can also make a big difference.

Some fighters also fight better "scared" I have known guys throw up with nerves and fear or not sleep for weeks before a fight, seen guys shaking with fear or crying, then fight like the devil and I have seen others walking around dressing rooms like they are world champs, shadow boxing, flexing muscles and then crawling into a corner when the bell goes.

[Horse]

Amir Khan springs to mind, a true warrior although that word has become a cliché now

When did Khan lack heart?

[jessi]

Changing heart is simply a mental state, of course it can be made stronger

[ThereByTheGrace]

Changing heart is simply a mental state, of course it can be made stronger

James "Buster" Douglas was the best example of a fighter who could change his mental state.

Gave up against Tony Tucker, was a machine beating Tyson, and then couldn't care less when being embarrassed by Holyfield.

[gilgamesh]

I think guys can encounter things in their life that will make them mentally tougher, and therefore have more fighting heart. It just depends on the man, and what he's been through I suppose.

[Final round]

I think guys can encounter things in their life that will make them mentally tougher, and therefore have more fighting heart. It just depends on the man, and what he's been through I suppose.

Agreed.

[palooka]

I think guys can encounter things in their life that will make them mentally tougher, and therefore have more fighting heart. It just depends on the man, and what he's been through I suppose.

Agreed.

X2

There aren't many cowardly boxers and some can go a while before they get hit really hard or face difficulty. They may struggle or bail out or go into their shell the first few times; some will learn how to cope and some will learn to thrive.

[n1ebf]

After Nigel Benn lost the Michael Watson fight, getting knocked out by a jab, but more really having his heart broken by Watson refusing to give an inch... Well a lot of people in the trade thought maybe he was just a front runner..... And boy did he turn that right around: now remembered, rightly so, as the ultimate warrior.

think you need to give it a little more context than that. If anyone ain't seen it then find it on Youtube and I'd recommend Michael's book too The Biggest Fight. Guy is now a favourite of mine and I never even saw him box. Had I been into boxing at the time I would defo have been a big fan of The People's Champion. A very quiet, talented guy Michael comes up against a boxer like Nigel Benn and does an absolute number on him! In a tent! It's almost David and Goliath.....Nigel always respected Watson after that.
(Nothing to do with this topic as such, but there's a bloody good lesson for one Mr Broner in there about how to take your beating - with class - and move on).

[n1ebf]

I think coneye, Boxing Prospect are spot on but I like gilgamesh's definition the best, although I'm at a loss as to where he pulled such a punch-perfect quote as that from!

[manno]

In my extremely modest career I can say hand on heart that I never looked for the floor but there were defiantly times when I wish I weren't there. Heart or bottle shouldn't be confused with piss poor durability or a bad mental state.

[Clint Magnum]

I think guys can encounter things in their life that will make them mentally tougher, and therefore have more fighting heart. It just depends on the man, and what he's been through I suppose.

Agreed.

X2

There aren't many cowardly boxers and some can go a while before they get hit really hard or face difficulty. They may struggle or bail out or go into their shell the first few times; some will learn how to cope and some will learn to thrive.

No such thing.
Its all relative. Fighters may lack motivation, desire or feel outclassed during a fight and even quit but being a professional fighter stops them from ever being "cowardly". No coward could ever go through the training, sparring and fight prep of even the most limited fighters. Walk a mile in their shoes.

[palooka]

No such thing.
Its all relative. Fighters may lack motivation, desire or feel outclassed during a fight and even quit but being a professional fighter stops them from ever being "cowardly". No coward could ever go through the training, sparring and fight prep of even the most limited fighters. Walk a mile in their shoes.[/quote]

Oh I did Clint, I was rubbish and a coward and still managed to hold my own a few times (not pro but in a pro gym).

[biglefthook]

think the more hard fights and hard spars they have they will gain heart.

i swere by good hard spars, not killing each other but hard spars none the less

[Clint Magnum]

No such thing.
Its all relative. Fighters may lack motivation, desire or feel outclassed during a fight and even quit but being a professional fighter stops them from ever being "cowardly". No coward could ever go through the training, sparring and fight prep of even the most limited fighters. Walk a mile in their shoes.[/quote]

Oh I did Clint, I was rubbish and a coward and still managed to hold my own a few times (not pro but in a pro gym).

Even in amateur gyms you need heart to kep going back and step inside the ring. You do yourself an injustice, even more heart getting in the ring if you know you're shite!
Remember the Cus D'Amato quote "The hero and the coward." DD

[palooka]

Thank you Clint never looked at it that way before.