Boxing fans want to see indomitable warriors, ready to go beyond pain, suffering, and bloodshed. Boxers who back down at the moment of truth are thus forced to endure not only the bitter taste of defeat but also the resentful screams and uncontrolled anger of the crowd. In a harsh and sometimes cruel sport, we believe that even surrender deserves respect and that health preservation should come before the needs of the show. Nevertheless, admiration remains intact for those athletes capable of offering unprecedented displays of stoicism: today’s list is dedicated to them, a random collection of the most extraordinary boxers in terms of heart, courage, and dedication.
Arturo Gatti
He was the king of stoics, the personification of courage, the warrior incapable of taking a step back. Compared to his fights, those of Rocky Balboa are boring challenges.
Ruslan Provodnikov
The Siberian Rocky could be outsmarted by using the ring widely, but fighting him was like playing Russian roulette. Powerful, solid, intrepid: he had all the characteristics of a Fight of the Year boxer, and indeed, his fights with Bradley, Alvarado, and Matthysse were unforgettable.
Micky Ward
Immortalized in the eyes of the public by the historic trilogy with Arturo Gatti, the “Irish” boxer fought many other battles for strong hearts that are less known, like the incredible one against Emanuel Augustus. A superb body puncher, he managed to overturn several seemingly compromised fights.
Carmen Basilio
A wonderful exponent of 1950s boxing, he demonstrated a rare resistance to pain in the ring. He starred in five consecutive Fights of the Year, only stopped inside the distance twice when he was already declining, and the second time he tried to punch the referee in protest.
Bobby Chacon
Nicknamed “Schoolboy” because he turned pro while studying at university, he had an incredibly turbulent life and career. Prone to cuts but determined to fight even when exhausted and bleeding, he gave the audience dramatic fights, ultimately paying the price with pugilistic dementia syndrome.
Jake LaMotta
Only those who witnessed the “Valentine’s Day Massacre,” the historic sixth fight between LaMotta and Robinson, know how far the Bronx Bull’s courage could go. Knocked down only once in 106 fights despite his offensive style, he never listened to the referee’s ten count.
Vito Antuofermo
With the liters of blood lost in the ring by the intrepid Italian-American boxer, you could fill an entire pool. His skin was as perforable as his head was hard, and his advance was not discouraged even by the blows of the greatest punchers of his era, including the immense Marvin Hagler.
Chuck Wepner
He inspired Sylvester Stallone to create the character of Rocky. Chuck did not excel in technique, speed, or power, but he absorbed monstrous punishment without ever giving up. After the fight with Sonny Liston, he needed 72 stitches, and the one with Muhammad Ali was equally heroic.
Orlando Salido
The first boxer to have inflicted a defeat on Lomachenko, the Mexican was a master of close-range boxing. A professional since he was 17, he could recover from knockdowns like a Jack-in-the-box. He ended Juan Manuel Lopez’s career with two wild battles.
Diego Corrales
His victory over Castillo will forever remain one of the most incredible demonstrations of character in sports history. Five knockdowns against Mayweather weren’t enough to keep him down, so much so that the throwing of the towel enraged him. Over the top inside and outside the ring, he left us after a tragic accident.
Mahyar Monshipour
The French-born Iranian may not have earned a top spot in the all-time rankings, but that didn’t stop him from being idolized by his fans for his boundless heart and inexhaustible courage. Several of his performances were amazing, one of all being the Fight of the Year in 2006 against Sithchatchawal.
Rocky Marciano
It’s impossible not to include the Brockton bomber in such a list. Besides countless displays of lion-heartedness, the famous “one more round” episode leaves one breathless. Gravely cut and about to be stopped in his rematch with Charles, he asked for one last round and found the KO!
Gabriel Rosado
His bruised and bloody face shown while stubbornly advancing against the deadly punches of power hitters like Golovkin and Lemieux is the very image of courage. Despite the many grueling battles, even in the later years, each of his matches was full of thrills.
Jorge Castro
He was the first boxer to hear the final bell against Roy Jones Jr.: in the middleweight division, only Hopkins managed it besides him. His head was as hard as marble, his advance unstoppable, his pain tolerance inhuman. Only God knows how he managed to knock out Jackson after eight rounds of massacre.
Michael Katsidis
The Australian may have had basic technique, but he earned the nickname “The Great” with a series of all-out battles. Amazing, despite the unfortunate outcome for him, were those against Casamayor and Marquez. His defense was far from perfect, but his flurries of punches made the spectators jump to their feet!
Honorable Mentions: Sandro Mazzinghi, Jorge Arce, Harry Greb, Joe Frazier, Kevin Finnegan, Danny Williams, Randall “Tex” Cobb, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Troy Dorsey, Michael Gomez, Wilfredo Gomez, Rafael Limon, and many others: it is impossible to name them all!
If there’s magic in boxing, it’s the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys and detached retinas. It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you. (Quote from the movie “Million Dollar Baby”)