Among the many character traits that fighters across all combat sports share is an unwillingness to walk away. The competitive mindset of the pro athlete is so often honed to reject the idea of defeat; that any obstacle, no matter how big, can be overcome by persistence and hard work. And while in major team sports the decision as to when an athlete’s big league career will end is often made for them, in fight sports every time one door closes there’s almost always another one standing open.
This past weekend provided a sterling example of that kind of free-ranging infrastructure, when 54-year-old Mike Tyson took on 51-year-old Roy Jones Jr.