How to lose and learn.

by Jim Thorpe
(Bloomington)

One thing most boxers must learn how to do is to learn how to lose successfully. It would be nice to never taste defeat. But for most of us that won't happen if we continue in the sport of boxing. This is not an article about being nice when we lose. It is an article about taking the loss as a learning lesson and benefiting from it. I've seen a loss destroy fighters. Make them leave a sport they love because they are devastated by being imperfect. Losing in boxing is so personal it is hard to separate the fight and the reason you lost from your pride. In this sport, you can't blame the tackle for missing a block or the 2nd basemen for failing to field a ground ball and then relate it to your loss. In boxing it's up to you once that bell rings to win or lose. You take the punches. You throw the punches. Win or lose it falls on you. AS a coach I have had my boxers thanks me for winning a fight. I always tell them it wasn't me that won that fight it was them. I very seldom take credit for a loss either. So boxers, if you are going to continue to box when you lose, just look at it as a learning lesson. Smile and take the loss and get back in the gym with a good learning attitude. Coaches don't harp on what could have been done better. Tell them once, and then get busy correcting mistakes and strengthening your fighter's good points. I tell my fighters if they fight hard and don't give up they will come out a winner. I can almost guarantee them a win if they give 100% during training and during the fight. No matter if they win or lose the fight. If they step into that squared circle and give their best, they are winners. And a winner can't be a loser. Train your fighters to give their best and don't look back at the ring once the fight is over. It they gave their best there is no need to look back. Sometimes you lose when you win. Think about it. It's a life lesson we all should learn. Coach Thorpe