They Say “When It's Time,” Is It Time Yet?

For decades, the term “retirement” has been changing rapidly. In the 80's, retirement age was 65, and most of the population was able to conform. People knew exactly what is waiting for them, and were able to make future retirement plans without much hesitation.

Nowadays on the other hand, the term “retirement” has a completely different meaning. People retire when the time is right—that the magic date will shift with circumstances, such as monetary problems, medical issues, personal choice, and family. In any case, that date has been pushed further and further over time. People are retiring much later, primarily due to the global financial situation.

Boxing, like any other sport, gets hit by the economy too. Money starts shifting faster, and it becomes harder to save. Of course, there is also the lavish lifestyle that contributes to that, but that used to be less of a problem.

My question is: What makes the boxers lag in their retirement? I wrote a piece on this before, but am now coming from a different angle. I am not trying to discuss why the boxers stay in the game after a number of years past their prime, but instead am trying to brainstorm the ideal time for a boxer to hang up the gloves.

There are a few names, such as Roy Jones Jr. and Oscar DeLa Hoya that pop into my mind when thinking about past prime boxers who are still in the mix. I think that financial situation and the crowd effect will always make a difference, but there must be a time when retirement is perfect.

After how many loses should a boxing superstar hang up the gloves? Should they ever come back? Should they redeem themselves?

Personally I think that a superstar boxer should retire immediately after losing their second or third fight. The reasoning behind that is the fact that a superstar, is supposed to be an image of an indestructible person. Losing is not an option, and winning must only be done in the most entertaining fashion. Once a superstar loses, their name is instantly tarnished. The more they fight, the more damage their image takes. After a couple of losses, a fighter may lose all his historical significance and become a laughingstock of the fan base.

Looking at Roy Jones Jr. and his recent fight, I think most of you would agree that his win is of no significance. The superman in him can no longer be recovered after the Tarver and Calzaghe losses, and nothing can bring him back.

In conclusion, a fighter needs to retire as soon as one or two fights are lost—Kostya Tszyu is a great example—no matter what their self image is.   

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