Circumstances just as important as the Result.

To often in boxing we try to answer questions by looking at the results the winner and a loser of a match. The Results ingredient is very crucial no doubt, but every bit as important is what often gets covered up.

The circumstance? For example the great Jim Jeffries retired after dominating the heavyweight division for an entire generation. Then years later he came out of retirement and lost more weight than most human beings weight to fight in the fight of the century. That’s Circumstance.

When there’s the will to win, Pernell Whitaker had a will that simply couldn’t be broken. Whitaker had godly skills, smarts, defense and counterpunching ability, but his circumstance was his Will to Win. He went into the ring whether ready or not, in peak shape or not and always had The Will to Win Card in his back pocket.

Evander Holyfield one of the most respected champions of all time, was underestimated his entire career. They thought he was to small, they said he wasn’t strong enough, they said he was to old, “a shell of himself”. Holyfield’s will was so great, he is simply known in the boxing universe as “The Warrior.”

Andre Ward and Tyson Fury now have there stories to tell.

Ward an unknown, dominated the Super Middleweight Super Six Tournament and put himself on the P4P list. Ward’s skills are second to none-his speed, power, counterpunching are legendary. Ward’s biggest asset besides training and preparing was/is his ability to make in ring adjustments. Many can argue that Andre Ward in the Smartest Boxer of all time. When he moved up to 175 and fought the undefeated mighty Kovalev most thought he took on more then he could chew. But he already proved something to many, “never bet against an Andre Ward in his Prime”. A prime Andre Ward can’t lose.

Tyson Fury who’s in ring boxing career is in the middle stage has accomplished so much it staggers the mind. This brash funny looking English boy padded his undefeated record and talked more trash when a dump can hold. Win after win, we didn’t take him seriously. Klitschko was out there every six months knocking out the top rated heavyweights on the planet and we all new Klitschko fighting Tyson Fury would be a no contest – a mismatch.

Fury somehow, someway ended up talking himself into a world championship fight with Klitschko. Fury was the heel and we watched with anticipation so his 0 can finally go. Less then an hour later, he showed the world his world class boxing skills by completely paralyzing the champion who reigned for over a decade. Wow.

Then Fury’s circumstances plunged, depression, drinking -weight gain, you name it.

Something happened thou, he came back to boxing a very different man. A very humble and respectful man. Now instead of everybody hoping he would lose, he is the universal champion with most of the planet in his corner.

Many people look at the Wilder/ Fury fight and see that Fury schooled him and gave Wilder a boxing lesson. History will forget the most amazing part. Tyson Fury’s Circumstance – he only had a couple of fights in his return and honestly didn’t look to good. Wilder thought he was ripe for the taking.

Fury put on a show – he has inspired like Jim Jeffries did in fighting Johnson, like George Foreman did when he became Heavyweight Champion at age 45 and like Bernard Hopkins fighting top level guys at over 50 years of age.

Andre Ward and Tyson Fury are forever etched as legendary boxers that you don’t doubt.