Which excuses did you really buy into?

[OumaFan]

Whether its weight drain, personal problems, guys who broke their hands seemingly whenever they weren't dominant, what excuses do you think were totally legit or at least more so than other ones?

I'm not really sure I bought into MAB's problems making a huge difference in the first Pac fight. Some do obviously. I do think Roy screwed his body up a bit going up to heavyweight and then coming back down for his fights with Tarver. Weight drain didn't help Toney versus Jones but I don't think it was a deciding factor. I'm not even a big Margarito fan at all but I have always been annoyed by the claim that Clottey would have dominated him if he hadn't "broken" his hand.

There are a lot of other ones obviously. Which seem to be the most believable to you and which seem like BS?

[LEGION]

I forgot who it was, but didn't someone{Duran} blame his socks?

I really don't necessarily believe or disbelieve fighters excuses; as it's hard to know the truth. But blaming your socks is utterly ridiculous.

[ICB]

I forgot who it was, but didn't someone{Duran} blame his socks?

I really don't necessarily believe or disbelieve fighters excuses; as it's hard to know the truth. But blaming your socks is utterly ridiculous.

It was Manny Pacquiao after the Juan Manuel Marquez fight i believe, i'll buy Roy Jones Jr excuse after the 1st Antonio Tarver fight being badly weight drained after moving down from Heavyweight thats a legit excuse IMO.

[amat]

I'm a sucker I usually buy into most excuses except for the stuff that happens in the ring basically. And all the poisoning I hate all that.

I hate when fighters talk about their hands I hate it. Especially when you can sit there and watch the fight and see that their were clearly other factors at work. Like Malignaggi against Ndou the second time. Breaking your hand has nothing to do with you getting hit at will or at least I wouldn't think it does. I think the Clottey thing is garbage too especially considering that Clottey fades after the 5th round of every fight broken hand or not. Also, socks and gloves have really fueled my wish for Pacquiao to lose one of these days. Pac fans too. That is just ridiculous.

But when a fighter says that they had some personal problems or problems with weight I'm inclined to believe that. Or even when they say that they just didn't show up. I believe that too especially the last one because you can see it in the ring. Other stuff, I'm no one to second guess that.

So I buy into them but at the same time I never blame an excuse as the sole reason someone lost the fight. Big MAB fan and I'm sure the fires had an effect on the fight but ultimately it's the fighters responsibility to work around whatever problems they have to win the fight. Unless it's a fucked up promoter. A fucked up promoter just can't be worked around.

[OumaFan]

Good post Amat. I agree about the hand thing, why did breaking you're right hand prevent Paulie from jabbing? And the Clottey thing is preaching to the choir, I've been saying that all along. Clottey fades regularly, Margarito comes on late regularly, and yet people "know" what would have happened if he hadn't broken it. Oh yeah, he didn't break it.

How the hell did I forget Pac's socks And Wlad being drugged Classics.

Here's another one, what about Manny Steward talking about Hearns getting a leg massage. How upset he was because that would hurt his stamina and therefore they made the decision to fight, not box, and try to get it over with.

[Spicoli]

Long lasting current one would have to be the Clottey "Ouch my wittle hand" Vs.Margarito..........tired.Ist he said he hurt hand in the 4th round,then he said he injured BOTH hands 2 weeks prior to fight....yawn.

I vaguely recall Anthony Hembrick blaming a Bad haircut for throwing off his equilibrium in a fight he lost

[Fenster]

Most excuses are clearly just bullshit because the fighter has badly underperformed.

BUT

I believe ALL boxers deserve a little leeway. One loss in boxing is very harmful, it can ruin/end a career.. whereas in other sports, GREATS can lose multilpe times on the bounce without harming their status

[Lance Uppercut]

Evander Holyfield was a fighter that rarely ever made excuses and he never became a flopper after getting hit low(I.E. Hopkins, Ruiz or Juhda)

[rene69]

Evander Holyfield was a fighter that rarely ever made excuses and he never became a flopper after getting hit low(I.E. Hopkins, Ruiz or Juhda)

You're right about that. I remember those guys looking like they got shot in the balls to get the fight stopped.

[Thread Stealer]

Evander Holyfield was a fighter that rarely ever made excuses and he never became a flopper after getting hit low(I.E. Hopkins, Ruiz or Juhda)

Holyfield? The guy always had some kind of ailment that hindered his performance.

The Czyz fight there were ailments, the Moorer "heart attack" (Holyfield later said it was when the hospital gave him too much morphine), the hepatitis against Bowe (Holyfield said nothing about feeling sick until a couple months later), the busted eardrum against Ruiz, the leg cramps against Lewis, "Everyone knows I won the fight" after the Lewis rematch, etc...

I think Holyfield even claimed he won the first fight against Lewis.

[C.J.Rock]

Most excuses are clearly just bullshit because the fighter has badly underperformed.

BUT

I believe ALL boxers deserve a little leeway. One loss in boxing is very harmful, it can ruin/end a career.. whereas in other sports, GREATS can lose multilpe times on the bounce without harming their status

LOL Randall Tex Cobb summed it up perfectly when he asked
" Whats the difference in tennis and boxing

In tennis yoiu screw up its 15 love screw up in boxing and your ass is on the canvas darlin LOL

[CutMeMick]

Didn't Tarver also say he was drugged?

[Bx730NY]

Taking nothing away from Pavlik (he's an absolute beast), Miranda didn't look right that night.

[HattonTheHammer]

Enzo mac claiming he was unlucky to get caught by haye.

Love big enzo to death but it was hardly like david wasnt hitting him hard before the knockdown.

Had enzo of used his ring savvy he would of taken a knee straight after that overhand right and given himself time to recover, instead he foolhardedly tried to show haye he wasnt hurt and that resulted in david getting the 7-8 punch combo that meant enzo would have no chance to recover within 10 seconds!!

[GAME]

Whether its weight drain, personal problems, guys who broke their hands seemingly whenever they weren't dominant, what excuses do you think were totally legit or at least more so than other ones?

I'm not really sure I bought into MAB's problems making a huge difference in the first Pac fight. Some do obviously. I do think Roy screwed his body up a bit going up to heavyweight and then coming back down for his fights with Tarver. Weight drain didn't help Toney versus Jones but I don't think it was a deciding factor. I'm not even a big Margarito fan at all but I have always been annoyed by the claim that Clottey would have dominated him if he hadn't "broken" his hand.

There are a lot of other ones obviously. Which seem to be the most believable to you and which seem like BS?

I belieeve Mabs excuse cuz the proof was in the ring . He did far better vs Pac when he was washed up so that night in Nov 03 it obvious he hadnt trained.

Roys excuse moving down I think was genuine too . It took some time to readjust to lightheavy but hes getting his bounce back now

I dont belive Pacs excuse of wearing the wrong socks for his 1st loss to Morales

I dont belive Hattons excuse vs Urango that he had a cold. It just looked liek he sensibly chose to box vs the stronger man .