When should they have retired?

[jezzamundo]

After seeing Manny Pacquiao faced down and out cold after his fourth fight against Marquez, I started thinking about how his legacy would probably have been better had he retired earlier, stating that if he couldn't fight Mayweather, then there was nothing more worth fighting for. I think Pacquio's ideal retirement would have been after the Margarito fight.

What other fighters can you think of - past or present - who fought on past their best (I know there's a lot) and when do you think they should have retired?

[Ezzard]

I'm not sure I agree. Pac could win a rematch... Comign back for a top level win after such a setback is a remarkable achievement. And he deserved the nod against Bradley who will be a force for a long time yet.

[giacomino]

I would like to see PAC fight Bradley again. Thought he clearly won the first one and bet he'd win the rematch. In terms of skills, IMO he could still beat anyone at 147 outside of maybe Super Floyd and, maybe, Marquez in a rematch. So I don't think he's retirement ready.
In terms of who should have retired earlier: pretty much everybody who is a champion but gets beaten badly, I guess, but you don't know it's coming until it happens. The classic example being Wonjongkam, who had beaten the best competition of his career right before he got pounded by the journeyman Jaro and career opponent Megrino. In his case, the obvious answer would have been right before the Jaro fight.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Pac has no reason to retire. He certainly could, but he'll be broke and back in the ring within two years anyway. He and Marquez have had an epic series of fights, that hurts no legacy. Anybody who rates him lower than he did before losing those two fights to JMM has no business rating fighters. A win over Bradley does much more for his resume than beating Margarito did.

[scallum]

It will.be extremely hard to be the same fighter after getting put out cold like that. If he bounces back to be a top.fighter after the last Marquez fight, it will be miraculous. I would rather just see him take a easy fight get like 8-10 million n just go.live off of That. Of course we know that hardly never happens

[yancey]

Joe Frazier should have retired after the FOTC, as Yancey Durham advised.

He was never the same physically + lost that great eye of the tiger edge that he had to have to compete with more physically gifted fighters.

[gilgamesh]

Roy Jones Jr. should've retired after losing to Glen Johnson
James Toney should've retired after the 2nd Sam Peter bout
Evander Holyfield should've retired after either losing to John Ruiz or Chris Byrd the way he did. His last real solid win was Rahman.

[Jpreisser]

Roy Jones Jr. should've retired after losing to Glen Johnson
James Toney should've retired after the 2nd Sam Peter bout
Evander Holyfield should've retired after either losing to John Ruiz or Chris Byrd the way he did. His last real solid win was Rahman.

Speaking of Ruiz, he should have retired after that 20 second knockout loss at the hands of Tua: http://youtu.be/IKDvkcLe0K0 He could of spared us a lot of dull moments.

[dempseyfire]

Pac before the Marquez rubber match had impressively outpointed the top 140 lber in Tim Bradley, so I don't think there was indication he should retire although he has clearly been slipping since the Margarito fight.

One can always wonder if Ali would be in the condition he is today if he'd retired after the Thrilla (as he planned to right after the bout)

Charles should've bowed out after the Marciano rematch.

Junior should've been disgraced from the sport after the Tarver rubber match.

Holyfield should've hung up the gloves following the first Ruiz fight, but at the very least after the Toney beating.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I think Manny retired PED's after the Margarito fight.

[Nile4000]

Greg Page-right after Tony Tubbs.
Ray Leonard-after Hagler.
Larry Holmes-after Spinks 2.
Joe Louis-after Walcott 2.
B. Foster-After Michael Quarry fight.
Michael Dokes-after Ruddock.

[jezzamundo]

I think both Ali and Frazier should have retired after the Thrilla in Manilla. Whether it's then or a few fights later, I think Ali is the most prominent example of someone who fought for too long, although there are more extreme examples. It would have been nice if Jerry Quarry had retired after his second loss to Frazier. For Sugar Ray Robinson, I'd pick immediately after his 1961 loss to Gene Fullmer.

For the record, I also had Pacquiao beating Bradley and had him ahead against Marquez prior to the stoppage and I still have him in my P4P Top 10. He's certainly no Holyfield or RJJ. I don't strongly believe he should have retired after beating Margarito - if you'd told me at the time I would have certainly disagreed, it's just a hindsight thing.

[jaouad]

Muhammad Ali after Shavers
Mike Tyson after Danny Williams
Holyfield after James Toney
Hearns after Iran Barkley 2
Duran after Leonard 3
Sugar Ray Leonard after Duran 3
Iran Barkley after Henry Maske
Roy Jones Jr. after Joe Calzaghe