Loss Early help a young fighter?

[Master]

The posters ask about young fighters losing early, so that means by its very definition not include older fighters losing in the middle of their career like Lennox Lewis who benefited from his loss to McCall and teaming up with Manny Stewart. It depends on how they have taken the loss and how well they have improved, Khan being a good example. Changed trainers and gone on to bigger and better things as did Nigel Benn. Will the same apply to Degale, we will see but a large part of it is how well they are managed and moved along too.

[IamInuit]

In past eras losing was a badge of honour and not the mark of a witch like it is today.
Prospects and wanna be prospects are coddled and breast fed to these double digit and 0 resumes that simply do not represent quality but quantity. It’s not the fighters fault though but the importance of this hallowed 0. Facing adversity early rather then later with a padded record imo is a much better course. That way you do not get fighters quitting on the stool the minute times get a little ruff.

Benny Leonard was ko’d in his first fight. He did ok.
Armstrong also and he had a pretty good career.
Arguello was ko’d in his fourth fight.
Ted Lewis lost his first
Billy Conn lost his first
Manuel Ortiz ditto
Manny got ko’d in his 12th and then again in his 28th fight.

Total different mind set in boxing culture today. It’s a risk and reward culture but its ass backwards. Instead of taking the risk in order to reap the rewards, they go for the rewards rather then take the risk. Its not legacy driven at all save a couple of fighters. That’s why we do not see unifications let alone undisputed champions. Contenders that appear dangerous are side stepped. Jo Jo dan is an example of this. After getting robbed in Turkey, he is now to be avoided at all costs. Its not him settling for mediocrity but rather mediocrity being thrust upon him.

[marbleheadmaui]

In past eras losing was a badge of honour and not the mark of a witch like it is today.
Prospects and wanna be prospects are coddled and breast fed to these double digit and 0 resumes that simply do not represent quality but quantity. It’s not the fighters fault though but the importance of this hallowed 0. Facing adversity early rather then later with a padded record imo is a much better course. That way you do not get fighters quitting on the stool the minute times get a little ruff.

Benny Leonard was ko’d in his first fight. He did ok.
Armstrong also and he had a pretty good career.
Arguello was ko’d in his fourth fight.
Ted Lewis lost his first
Billy Conn lost his first
Manuel Ortiz ditto
Manny got ko’d in his 12th and then again in his 28th fight.

Total different mind set in boxing culture today. It’s a risk and reward culture but its ass backwards. Instead of taking the risk in order to reap the rewards, they go for the rewards rather then take the risk. Its not legacy driven at all save a couple of fighters. That’s why we do not see unifications let alone undisputed champions. Contenders that appear dangerous are side stepped. Jo Jo dan is an example of this. After getting robbed in Turkey, he is now to be avoided at all costs. Its not him settling for mediocrity but rather mediocrity being thrust upon him.

Completely agree. We as fans are damaging the sport by buying into promoters and trainers building records. What we SHOULD want is them building topnotch fighters.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Hopkins lost his first fight, Monzon and Hagler lost early and Hopkins getting a draw with Mercado after two early knockdowns might have been the catalyst to his determination to win the title and defend it 20 times. It's how you come back from defeat that makes you a real champion IMO, Louis did it after Schmeling, Robinson must have been in shock after winning his first 40 fights relatively easily then losing to La Motta, he wouldn't lose again for 8 years and another 90 fights. If you can suck up the defeat and work out what went wrong and make those improvements both physically and mentally then you can come back better than ever. Many great champions have shock losses early or just were not at their best on the night, Jose Napoles lost his 13th and 16th pro fight 6 years before becoming champion, Bob Foster lost to Doug Jones in 8 rounds 6 years before becoming champion (he only really lost to Heavyweights)! Then you have, Alexis Arguello (Fernandez) and Salvador Sanchez (Becerra) who both lost fights unexpectedly. Roberto Duran famously was well beaten by Esteban De Jesus shortly after winning the title at MSG in 1972, it hurt Duran so much he never lost at Lightweight again and wouldn't lose another fight for 8 years. In recent years many champions appear to make a habit of losing after suffering their first loss, Mosley, DLH, Jones Jr (i won't count the DQ), some like Prince Naseem Hamed just turn back into a toad after losing.