Boxing’s Intangibles: Belief

By Boxing News - 07/04/2013 - Comments

By Mohummad Humza Elahi: (Twitter: @MHE_1985) When discussing the nature of a fighter, the casual approach, which is often the easiest, is to focus on the attributes we see; speed, strength, technique, footwork and so on. But when two competitors are matched equally in these departments, we draw from these men and women the qualities that could provide the edge in their bout, those elusive intangibles.

Ring IQ, courage, focus and many more cold be discussed but I wanted to start with what is the most fundamental of them all, the one quality above all others that not only gives a fighter the edge but also lays the foundation of their entire lives; belief. Belief is the reason boxers run those miles, do those extra situps and spar those extra rounds.

Belief is what gets a fighter off his stool when dragged into the trenches and to hold on and stay on his feet when pummeled with shots to the body and head. To the casual fan, one thing should be clear: no boxer in the business should ever have an entirely objective view of his ability. A critical one, yes, as that’s where one can work on improvements but never objectivity. Objectivity kills the “I can win” notion in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and what fan wants that? Why would a boxer declare anything other than the fact he will beat anyone who faces him in the ring? This quality is reflected in the personality of its holder; those prone to egotism come across as arrogant and self-important, their belief amplified several degrees more.

Those of a quieter disposition let their hands to the talking; it’s not going to stop them turning your lights off. How this translates into fights themselves is interesting. As a war might wear on, a fighter’s belief may deteriorate to the point of quitting, or gather pace as he asserts his dominance on his opponent. My favourite example of what this means (and I’m sure a lot of others as well), is one of the greatest rounds in boxing history, number 10 in Corrales vs. Castillo I.

The 2005 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year was an incredible seesawing back and forth contest, where both men were tested to their limit and in the case of ‘Chico’ Corrales, tested the rules of the sport itself. And as Goosen warned Corrales in the corner whilst putting his mouth guard back in, he seemed invigorated and immediately went to work on Castillo, his belief reignited through either will or desperation. It has that effect, jump starting tired arms and legs into action and as Corrales saw the possibility become real, his belief became real and Castillo was reeling, hands by his side and staring at the lights.

Just as beliefs can be sources of strength, they can be shattered in equal measure. Over 100 years ago, there was the prevalent belief of white superiority, a myth that was shattered by Jack Johnson and as the aftermath of his fight with James Jefferies proved; having such a view trounced over 15 rounds isn’t a pleasant sight.

Johnson would end up being a target after The Fight of the Century and has yet to be pardoned for having a relationship with a white woman, fleeing the country after being found guilty only to return from exile and accept his fate. But as that belief of superiority broke, a new one was forged and in the intervening years, Johnson is rightly held in high esteem amongst the boxing fraternity.

Belief is the challenge, the goal, the high water mark of both individual and social aspects of boxing. But at its most intangible, it’s the core inside every person who laces up some gloves and goes out to prove that their belief holds true under the sternest of tests.



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