Top 5 Pre Fight "Hope" Takers

All boxers have heart. To walk into the ring you have to have that. And yes, I agree it can be broken in the ring, but fighters have it every single time they step through the ropes.

Now, what about "hope?" I believe fighters can have this snatched from them before the fight. What i mean is in the build up to the fight who do you think does the best work when it comes to breaking the hope of a fighter. RJJ in his prime used to mock his opponents, Tyson pretty much ripped hope from them with a look.

Who active today, has the ability to take a huge portion of hope from an opponent in the run up to a fight.

1. Money Mayweather.

He irritates the hell out of his opponents. Even Cotto, who he showed respect, got some mocking. He doesn't care what his foe looks like, acts like and fights like, they are on the Mayweather tour the minute they sign up to fight him, and that grinds away their hope.

2. Pac Man.

He just looks like someone whose going to f you up, doesn't he? It's his eyes, his evil, Damian like eyes, mixed with pretty God loving words and well wishes, it spins peeps out! It really spins his opponents out i think, they kind of get spell-binded by his simple nature and sinister stare. I'm not even sure Pac does it on purpose, but it takes the hope from the opponent.

3. Andre Ward.

This guy has an air of the "never gonna happen" about him. He just doesn't seem to answer to opponents, and the whole SOG thing, it kind of makes it seem like destiny, and i think he projects that, and i think opponents lose heart as they know they can't really get to him. This in itself kind of takes their hope. A strange one, but rather fascinating to think about I think.

4. Carl Froch.

Froch is honest and controlled, and always let's opponents know that he is ready for a fight. The only fighter i saw him face who wasn't affected was the mighty hope taker Ward. Oh, and possible Kessler, due to an ash cloud that killed off the final run up to the fight. But when not up against such a hope-snatching giant, he does it himself so well. He's calm and respectful, but also kind of macho and out-spoken, plus, he knows his own reputation as a fighter so well, and subtly let's whoever is going to face him know, they gonna have to ruck.

5. The Drones

So clinical in there hope snatching. They play nice, play respectful... don't allow you security... give you a dodgy changing room... bring their other half to all the media days so you feel like you are fighting two poles instead of one. Brilliant hope takers. Sadistically kind, and ultimately brutal in the ring.

Thoughts?

I don't agree with Froch. He never shut up about how he was going to spark Ward out and if Ward stood in front of him he doesn't stand a chance. Ward on the other hand was calm and cool. That comes with confidence and self belief.

Like the K Bros, Floyd and Manny they are so better than the rest they can remain calm. I don't think either fazed Cotto because he's a pretty laid back dude himself.

The Klitschkos should be 1st on the list. Only Chisora has actually come to win a fight against them any time recently and I honestly think that it is because he is too stupid to fight any other way. I was thinking about this the other day and how having a weak chin is a real disadvantage mentally because every fighter will come with belief that they can land that one punch they need and will come to win. This is something Khan will have to deal with his whole career unless he can start dominating fighters and really tighten up his defence like Wlad has.

@bellchees... Chisora is too "stupid" haha! funny mate, and true i think.

1.) Mayweather, not just during the build up but during the fight he is #1. He makes you miss so much that it would be only natural to lose your cool and become disillusioned. He also talks to his opponents during the fight which will put off many.

2.) Wlad, so controlled, so big and his nice nature makes him seem intimidating. When he says that he wants to make an impression, it sounds like its a fact. I can't imagine how it would feel for an opponent getting ready to fight him.

3.) Gamboa, he hasn't yet done it on the big stage yet but he reminds me of a young pacquiao. He has great movement, buzzsaw combo's, heavy hands and phenomenal hand speed. Solis, who shared the ring with pacquiao in his prime, said he had never seen anyone like him. Salido who is a world class fighter got torn to peices and de Leon looked like a novice. He could be p4p top 3 on talent alone imo. He also has a mean streak, hitting an opponent behind the head etc when they do it to him

4.) pacquiao, might not be as good as he once was but the fact that when you have a good moment like cotto, margarito etc all have he will pick it up and can be very spiteful. The fact also that he is a small, god loving Filipino outside the ring who hasn't got a bad word to say about his opponent then gets into the ring and becomes an animal would make an opponent forget his game plan

5.) donaire, not exactly vicious or mocking but in the ring his defence and offensive skills would frighten anyone. Montiel got caught in the 1st round and looked lost and just before landing the KO punch Montiel actually landed a really good right hand. Darchiniyan also couldn't do anything because of nonito's superior speed and was afraid to open up, and when he did he got wiped out. Any fighter watching those back would be anxious to open up as narvaez and Vasquez did (untill donate broke his hand at least)

Thanks WHU_Champ, you have got some excellent knowledge there mate. I love it when someone posts on here and it enlightens me, makes me see boxers i thought i knew in a new way. Great post.

I disagree with Froch aswell. If i was a skilled durable fighter I'd be pretty confident of outboxing him. You know exactly what you're going to get from him and theres recent evidence that shows how to beat him. His pre fight trash talk is exactly that trashy rather than intimidating or charismatic I don't think he has that invincible or intimidating aura that some of the others have.

But he does seem to be able to extract hope, paperbag? were there any names in there you liked, or are you simply extracting hope from me? forum style.

I disagree with Froch too. I think to get this status as a 'hope taker', you have to be consistently ranked as a favourite, to gain some kind of aura. As we know, this isn't the case with our Carl as he's no stranger to being the underdog.

Nice article though, interesting exploration to the psychological side of things. On the flip side, are some fighters incapable of losing 'hope' Tim Bradley on 24/7 seems very strong upstairs. I'd probably fit Froch into this category rather than the former, although it seems Ward might have his number.

Money Mayweather takes the hope because he is the "big man" on the main stage. So he kind of resides over his opponents.

The Klits do becuase of their size

Not sure any of the others do

Not many hope takers out there these days, IMO

WHU_Champo_League_in_7Yrs wrote:1.) Mayweather, not just during the build up but during the fight he is #1. He makes you miss so much that it would be only natural to lose your cool and become disillusioned. He also talks to his opponents during the fight which will put off many.

2.) Wlad, so controlled, so big and his nice nature makes him seem intimidating. When he says that he wants to make an impression, it sounds like its a fact. I can't imagine how it would feel for an opponent getting ready to fight him.

3.) Gamboa, he hasn't yet done it on the big stage yet but he reminds me of a young pacquiao. He has great movement, buzzsaw combo's, heavy hands and phenomenal hand speed. Solis, who shared the ring with pacquiao in his prime, said he had never seen anyone like him. Salido who is a world class fighter got torn to peices and de Leon looked like a novice. He could be p4p top 3 on talent alone imo. He also has a mean streak, hitting an opponent behind the head etc when they do it to him

4.) pacquiao, might not be as good as he once was but the fact that when you have a good moment like cotto, margarito etc all have he will pick it up and can be very spiteful. The fact also that he is a small, god loving Filipino outside the ring who hasn't got a bad word to say about his opponent then gets into the ring and becomes an animal would make an opponent forget his game plan

5.) donaire, not exactly vicious or mocking but in the ring his defence and offensive skills would frighten anyone. Montiel got caught in the 1st round and looked lost and just before landing the KO punch Montiel actually landed a really good right hand. Darchiniyan also couldn't do anything because of nonito's superior speed and was afraid to open up, and when he did he got wiped out. Any fighter watching those back would be anxious to open up as narvaez and Vasquez did (untill donate broke his hand at least)

Donaire let Montiel land that right hand, he rolled with it and then countered off it. He did the same thing to Sidorenko, so it was a planned move. In an interview he said he thought it was the best way to open him up.

Kayode wanted to take Tarver's hope in the pre fight but kinda looked silly.

dont agree with ward, a great talent but not exactly fearsome.