Damaging a Legacy

[marbleheadmaui]

I don't think it happens.

Allow me to explain. I often read that, for example, Roy Jones or Evander Holyfield or James Toney are "damaging their legacies" by continuing when they are only a shadow of their championship selves or by participating in MMA.

While I agree those situations are sad and I wish weren't ongoing, are they really going to affect how we think about a fighter over time? I think time tends to give perspective on things like this.

Joe Louis got drilled by Rocky Marciano and ended his days in the ring by wrestling.
Jack Johnson fought on into his mid forties and lost five of his last seven fights, three by knockout.
Muhammad Ali lost his last two fights by KO and three of his last four, the third to a man with seven (?) pro fights.
Sam Langford fought five years with eyes almost gone and sufferred 90% of his losses in those years.
After fighting Marciano, Ezzard Charles had 15 of his 25 career losses and was a .500 guy.


There are of course many more examples of extraordinary fighters with terrible endings. Yet we look back at these men as giants in the sport. Properly so I think.

I suspect we will look back in five years and agree Roy Jones stopped being Roy Jones in the second Tarver fight, that James Toney stopped being James Toney after Evander Holyfield and Evander stopped being Evander maybe that same night. Or maybe a little earlier and that little that happened after that matters in term's of history's judgement.

My own view is these three men could get KO'd ten straight times by a Girl Scout Troop and it wouldn't change who these men were or the way we regard them as fighters.

Am I nuts?