Don’t get me wrong. I’m not writing on the biblical saying “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” which has practical application to quality punches landed in the ring. Let’s just borrow the first six words and add others to make it “It is more blessed to give one’s best in boxing.” By the way, “happy” is the more appropriate translation of the Greek word rendered in the saying as “blessed.”
Erik Morales gave his best and so did Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez in their 130-lb unification fight. Erik is happy with the win. The crowd is happy for the satisfying performance of an almost non-stop boxing match. And Carlos has nothing to be ashamed of (or unhappy of) to have lost to the better man.
A fight I won’t miss mentioning is the 1976 George Foreman-Ron Lyle slugfest. The fight was a “seesaw” affair where the advantage changed sides often. Ron won the 1st round while George the 2nd. The 3rd was a give and take. In the 4th round, Ron sent George to the canvas for the 1st knockdown. George got up, retaliated and put Ron on the mat to even the score. George seemed to have the upper hand in the exchanges, until he was knocked down again and was still on the mat at the bell. In the 5th, when George looked ripe for the picking, he summoned his vaunted power and produced a championship caliber comeback and dished out the more potent shots. Ron collapsed under the barrage of heavy bombs to end the fight. Fight fans savored every moment of it. George and Ron gave their best.
Contrast this to a fighter who could still go on but won’t. Roberto Duran declared “No Mas” in the 8th round of his second fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. Andrew Golota quit early in the fight when it appeared that he was giving a peak Mike Tyson a fight. Now Acelino Freitas similarly called it quits in the 10th round when Diego Corrales’ haymakers began to find their mark with maximum effect.
The quitter might have valid reasons for quitting but the fact remains that the boxing public feels shortchanged when a fighter refuses to fight on when it seems he still has gas in his tank and ammunitions in his arsenal. The quitter is and will be unhappy more on the lingering negative effects of the surrender than in the defeat. His reputation is tarnished and it would take some time and a couple of spectacular redeeming fights to restore boxing fans’ confidence.
Danny Williams refused to capitulate to the onslaught from an older Mike Tyson in the crucial first round. Danny held his own, gave his best and finally turned the tables on Mike in the 4th round. He becomes a happy, serious heavyweight contender.
Manny Pacquiao gave his all in his fight with Marco Antonio Barrera and won converts in many. Marco showed heart in refusing to quit despite the heavy battering he got. It was his handlers who decided in the 11th round that it was useless and unhealthy for their fighter to fight on. The defeat did not diminish Marco’s reputation as a fighter.
The fighter who maintains his fighting fitness, learns more of his prospective opponent prior to a fight, and determines to give his best in training and in the ring wins the approval of fight fans and, in most cases, the fight.
There is more happiness when one gives his best.
