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The Main Pitfalls That Can Potentially End A Boxer’s Career For The Worst

Understandably and expected, fighters are full of ambition when they begin their boxing careers. They dream and envision that one day they will hold up a world title in front of a huge adoring audience and have the world at their feet. But as is life, anybody that has a goal in mind will tell you that it is mostly never easy to accomplish. And sometimes something unexpected comes our way that completely throws a spanner in the works. Boxing is no exception. There are many dangers, a lot of them hidden and unforeseen.

Below, I am going to discuss several of the most common barriers that can end a fighter’s career for the worst.

Career ending defeats
Most boxers suffer a loss. Only very few retired to come away without a blemish. However, when a defeat is so crushing, either psychologically or physically, it can cause a fighter to rethink their stay in the sport. Perhaps this is why careful matchmaking is sometimes necessary. All it takes is one punch to completely change things on a profound level.                                                                                        

Unexpected defeats
Let’s be honest, a fight is a fight. Whether you call it “boxing” or something else. And when there is a fight, anything can happen. So, when a combatant faces an unexpected defeat then that will likely derail their progress. And at the worst, force them to retire although rare.

Unexpected medical discoveries
As we know very well, boxing is dangerous. Very dangerous. Some people like to refer to it as a “game” but I think it is potentially too deadly to be referred to as that. That is why boxers have to undergo a battery of regular medical tests to ensure they are in tip top shape. When something medically abnormal is discovered then that can end up forcing them to find another means to make money for a living.

Finances
This isn’t normally something that journeymen fighters have to worry about. The elite boxers, though, have to be sure that they do not let the amount of money they make go to their heads. Guys like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson let it. And when that happens it can demotivate them to a point where they believe that they don’t have to fight anymore.

Injuries
Suffering injuries is something that is pretty common that pugilists have to deal with. But some boxers have to deal with injuries a lot more than others. Take David Haye, for example. During the later part of his career he had numerous physical problems that stole a lot of potential success.

Personal problems
Challenges faced in childhood by prizefighters commonly include poverty and gaining an education. It also often makes them view the world as a place that often shows no mercy. So, they feel that they have to do whatever it takes to survive. This can also impact their relationships with others well into adulthood. At the very worst, they might end up in prison or even dead. Although boxing does instil a degree of discipline in them, they still face a lot of personal problems a lot of the time. This can end up impacting their careers. Jake LaMotta, Mike Tyson and more recently Edwin Valero are prime examples.

They underestimate the importance of family
As the film sequel Rocky III explored, boxers can become civilised after fighting for so long. When that happens they start to see what really becomes the most important to them. This includes family. It isn’t unheard of for fighters to permanently retire to spend time with their partners and children. Winning belts and making more money can become secondary.