Heart

For me its the greatest aspect to any sportsman or even any man on every day life.

Its true that skills and physical tools are seen as the main attributes but I admire any guy with heart. Some see it as foolish but for me there is nothing more admirable when someone is up against it but will never give up and push themselves to there limits each and every time. Boxing are full of these fighters and they are the unsung heros. They may not be multiple division champions but guys like Mickey Ward, Auturro Gatti,Michael Katsidis to name a few are what makes the sport so great.

These type of guys always leave everything in the ring and win or lose I admire that. Though I love to watch the more skilled fighters for their talents and finesse, for me it is still hard to beat watching a fighter with an immense spirit and courage lay everything down. This is what boxing is about at least for me,character!Apologies for the long thread

Or as Chris would call it, "a footnote."

It's definitely the quality in fighters that create the Rocky turn arounds that make great fights. I'll shamelessly take a low quality, high desire war over a Mayweather master class, not gonna lie.

More fun to watch. Sometimes to less skilled warriors going at it with no quit in them is what makes the sport exciting.

Watched a fight the other night, can't mind who it was, no body particularly famous but both guys went toe to toe. It really was back and forth and exciting as hell.

Great article

My fav example of heart might surprise people

Chavez v Randell.

It was not a blood and guts behind the scores win but the fact that Frankie Randell went into a pro Chavez pro Mexican arena and skilfully beat, at the time, a living legend and icon to a whole nation in Chavez who had a fearsome reputation

Chavez was 18 - 1 favorite with a 89 0 1 record and the main attraction at the MGM grand opening night. Countless damaged opponents lay in his wake yet Randell was not intimidated and went into the lions den an underdog but left the winner after putting in 1 of the greatest title challenges ever imo. He even put Chavez on his backside for the first time.

Randell had a game plan and stuck to it and that takes a lot of heart to not just beat THEE champion but beat him well.

Just seen that fight recently and agree fully.

Boxing has great history of people showing grit and coming through against the odds.I fully respect anybody who puts themselves through the torture of training and gives their all in the ring.

Interesting that the theme seems to be associating heart with less skilled fighters. You'd struggle to find guys with more heart than Ali, Robinson and Leonard. Infact, it's what separated them from the pack.

On the flip side, the face first fighters like ward and gatti still had very good careers... it takes real courage to take beatings and keep on coming, lose, get back in the ring next time knowing what's coming your way. There are plenty of journeymen with real heart.

Just love to see a guy who never knew he was beat and had no quit. Ali vs Frazier was for me the greatest trilogy. 2 heavyweight warriors who believed they were better than the other, going at it and leaving everything in the ring.

The 3rd fight demonstrated both guys refusal to lose and their courage and ultimately both guys were never the same again after that fight. They both were already on the decline and that mixed with their deep competitive natures gave us one of, if not the most brutal and greatest fights in Heavyweight history.

Will always remember a great example; when Danny Williams fought the last round with a dislocated right shoulder, behind on the cards and somehow managed to know his opponent (can't remember who) out!

Think his name was danny potter could be wrong

Wheelchair - close! It was Mark Potter. And that was one of the most amazing bits of courage and luck that I have ever seen in a boxing ring. How gutted must Mark Potter have felt afterwards though - getting poleaxed by someone with one working arm. Take note Vitali...

Yip, great heart, but unless you feel like your career is at last chance saloon, not particularly smart.

Agreed Raf sometimes heart rules head. On the flip side I remember the abuse Ortiz got for the Maidana fight and Also Vitali vs Byrd.

Vitali proved his bravery in the Lewis fight and redeemed himself to the critics.

Ortiz doesnt seem to have the guts to be a boxer having said that i respect anyone who gets in the ring

Bernard Hopkins v Sergey Kovalev. Knew he was gonna lose but refused to do it on the floor and stuck around in the last round under a barrage of heavy artillery. His home planet will be proud

Mr Bounce wrote:Wheelchair - close! It was Mark Potter. And that was one of the most amazing bits of courage and luck that I have ever seen in a boxing ring. How gutted must Mark Potter have felt afterwards though - getting poleaxed by someone with one working arm. Take note Vitali...

Remember seeing it..............What kind of useless meat head manages to lose that fight...........What a wally.......Get back on that nightclub door..

Mr Bounce wrote:Wheelchair - close! It was Mark Potter. And that was one of the most amazing bits of courage and luck that I have ever seen in a boxing ring. How gutted must Mark Potter have felt afterwards though - getting poleaxed by someone with one working arm. Take note Vitali...

Audley did the same against Sprott with one hand, he has the heart of a lion bar, sweet with caramel in the middle.

Mitch Prince showed tremendous heart against bradley saunders, catch the fight on youtube if you haven't watched it.

Bradley is one best prospects in the country.