how much do you trust a fighters own word vs what you actually see?

[margaret thatcher]

1.

fighter x gets totally schooled in his prime by fighter y
fighter x easily wins every round vs fighter z

fighter x says that fighter z was the best/toughest opponent he fought, not fighter y

do we take their word?

2.

fighter a is 50 -0 (0). never scored a single knockdown or stoppage in his career


fighter b is 50-0 (50), scored brutal first round ko's over all his opponents

their opponents were all the same, and a common opponent taken in for interviewing says fighter a hit them harder and had more power. should we conclude that fighter a was the bigger puncher than fghter b, because an opponent says so, even though it doesnt fit with what actually happened?

[gilgamesh]

The way you laid it out I definitely trust what I actually see. Fighters are almost always full of sh*t when asked "Who was the toughest", "Who gave you the most trouble" sh*t like that because they try to big themselves up by acting as if an easier fight was their toughest even when it's plain as day obvious that this wasn't the case.

For instance. Mayweather has never even mentioned the name Castillo at all in the years since his fight with him. He'd prefer we all forget that ever happened.

[DrDuke]

The way you laid it out I definitely trust what I actually see. Fighters are almost always full of sh*t when asked "Who was the toughest", "Who gave you the most trouble" sh*t like that because they try to big themselves up by acting as if an easier fight was their toughest even when it's plain as day obvious that this wasn't the case.

For instance. Mayweather has never even mentioned the name Castillo at all in the years since his fight with him. He'd prefer we all forget that ever happened.

Right.

Also, fighters can show more respect to some of the opponents, with whom their relationship out of the ring is better. In other words, fighters are often biased.

And those "hardest punch" stories are absolutely ridiculous. Punches, which you feel and able to take without being out, aren't the hardest ones. The ones, which you don't remember after you wake up, are the hardest.

[margaret thatcher]

But i mean, if floyd says emmanuel augustus gave him his toughest fight, not jose luis castillo, shouldnt we take floyd's word for it ......even if he did cruise to a shutout stoppage of augustus but got hit and roughed up lots and arguably lost to castillo?

and if a fighter is brutally ko'd by a couple shots in round 1, but says an opponent who couldnt drop him with 1000 shots hits harder, shouldnt we believe him?

cuz they were the ones actually in the ring? dont they know best?

[DrDuke]

But i mean, if floyd says emmanuel augustus gave him his toughest fight, not jose luis castillo, shouldnt we take floyd's word for it ......even if he did cruise to a shutout stoppage of augustus but got hit and roughed up lots and arguably lost to castillo?

cuz he was the one actually in the ring?

Based on different Floyd's statements and the manner those were made, I won't believe him in this case.

Castillo I looked as the hardest fight for him. He was badly prepared and/or injured, he looked uncomfortable in the second half of the fight, he blew the ending, he looked bothered during the announcement of the decision, the fight was close. Just everything is against that Augustus nonsense.

[margaret thatcher]

true true

i mean, it makes sense that we go with what we see and seems plainly obvious, but the fighter is actually the one in the ring.

[mickey1975]

Depends on the honesty of the fighter. Wharton will tell you Benn, Eubank and Reid hit a lot harder than Nardiello, the only man to ever floor him. Benn and the others hit him with the kitchen sink.
A very experienced journeyman said Kody Davies is the best he’s been in with. Bearing in mind he’s telling me this in an empty gym, why would he lie? He’s been stopped a few times, too, but I know he’s sat them out or gone down for a payday. Another experienced journeyman and personal friend told me Maxi Hughes was very, very good, yet went the distance with him but was stopped by a good few who’ve achieved nothing like Maxi.

[Wee Tommy]

I think the trouble with these fighters opinions is that non fighters try and second guess them, based on what they see from the couch. A fight might look easier from the side of the TV than it is being in there.

Fighters know the score. Boxrec posters, not so much.

[coghaugen11]

I think the trouble with these fighters opinions is that non fighters try and second guess them, based on what they see from the couch. A fight might look easier from the side of the TV than it is being in there.

Fighters know the score. Boxrec posters, not so much.

This.

[coghaugen11]

Are you telling me Ali-Liston II ending was a particularly hard punch?

Larry Holmes says Earnie Shavers hit him too hard to knock him out! It buzzed him so badly it kept him awake.

[GreenLightning]

Are you telling me Ali-Liston II ending was a particularly hard punch?

Larry Holmes says Earnie Shavers hit him too hard to knock him out! It buzzed him so badly it kept him awake.

Looked like a pull counter on the chin but liston looked awful physically

[Oiky]

Emotion & bitterness and all sorts of other emotions can be in play when a fighter,or any sportsman for that matter speaks, I goes with I see

[Jimmy2020]

Fighters have to lie to themselves all the time. When you lie to yourself you lie to other people too.

[DrDuke]

Fighters have to lie to themselves all the time. When you lie to yourself you lie to other people too.

A good point. We actually can objectively see a one fighter being better than the other one, but each of them must believe, that he's best, because only with such mentality it's possible to compete and win. It's a sorta self-conviction, but it's an obligatory thing for an athlete.

[coneye]

Power and skills are different , soemtimes you can feel a fellas punhes wether i a fight , a spar , or even taking them on pads and think Stuuff me he hits hard ,ou can think harder than anyone else , but that fella just can't put it together when it counts

[margaret thatcher]

I think the trouble with these fighters opinions is that non fighters try and second guess them, based on what they see from the couch. A fight might look easier from the side of the TV than it is being in there.

Fighters know the score. Boxrec posters, not so much.

would you take floyd's word for it then that emmanual augustus---whom he won every round against, stopped, and to the naked eye breezed to victory--- was a tougher fight than castillo?

[littlepug]

Fighters are just like everyone else in that they open their mouths and words come tumbling out, I wouldn’t take anything a fighter says as gospel.

[margaret thatcher]

Fighters are just like everyone else in that they open their mouths and words come tumbling out, I wouldn’t take anything a fighter says as gospel.

this is pretty much my take as well,, people shouldnt just take it as truth because a fighter said it

[Wee Tommy]

I think the trouble with these fighters opinions is that non fighters try and second guess them, based on what they see from the couch. A fight might look easier from the side of the TV than it is being in there.

Fighters know the score. Boxrec posters, not so much.

would you take floyd's word for it then that emmanual augustus---whom he won every round against, stopped, and to the naked eye breezed to victory--- was a tougher fight than castillo?

No because I think Castilo beat him. I think up till that point in time that was floyds toughest fight.

[Boxerbeetle]

The way you laid it out I definitely trust what I actually see. Fighters are almost always full of sh*t when asked "Who was the toughest", "Who gave you the most trouble" sh*t like that because they try to big themselves up by acting as if an easier fight was their toughest even when it's plain as day obvious that this wasn't the case.

For instance. Mayweather has never even mentioned the name Castillo at all in the years since his fight with him. He'd prefer we all forget that ever happened.

Yeah I don’t think I’ve ever believed the answers given in those sorts of questions. Can nearly always guarantee the answers will be along the lines of:

Trickiest opponent - insert name of a random early career fight which wasn’t particularly competitive but went to points

Hardest hitting opponent - insert name of a random mid-career fight against someone who apparently hits unbelievably hard, but also miraculously never sent you to the canvas

Best opponent faced - insert name of literally anyone except the guy(s) that beat you

[mickey1975]

But talking directly to a person you know is completely different to standard answers given in an interview.

[THEBUTCH]

It does seem that some boxers have their own personal agenda and are reluctant to give certain opponents their full credit.

[THEBUTCH]

What was it Spencer Fearon said after being knocked down and stopped by David Walker....something like "I was more embarrassed than hurt from the knockdown"

F*cking liar !

[margaret thatcher]

But he said it!!

[THEBUTCH]

Thinking about it, Fearon might not be the best example