When the ‘0’ Matters More Than the Fight
Let’s get this out of the way: I’m not against boxers staying undefeated. What I am against is the hollow obsession with protecting that record above all else. This ‘boxing undefeated obsession’ that promoters, broadcasters, and even fighters have leaned into is stalling the sport — and in some cases, flat-out robbing fans of great matchups.
You only have to look at Joe Calzaghe or Floyd Mayweather to see the problem. On paper, both are all-time greats — 46-0 and 50-0 respectively. Impressive, right? Sure… until you dig a little deeper and realise how many of those fights were carefully chosen. Yes, they had some defining wins (Calzaghe vs. Eubank; Mayweather vs. Canelo, albeit a green Canelo), but how many of those opponents were genuinely at their peak?
For every risky bout, there were padded defences, hand-picked opponents, and late-career legends being wheeled out for one last payday. That’s not greatness. That’s risk management.
Real Fighters Take Real Risks
Now contrast that with someone like Terence Crawford. Still undefeated. Still dominant. But here’s the difference — he’s not afraid to take the tough fights. Whether it was moving through weight classes or facing big names without endless negotiation drama, Crawford has made his name by actually fighting. Not just appearing to fight.
It’s the same story with fighters like Oleksandr Usyk. He cleaned out cruiserweight, moved up to heavyweight, and took on Anthony Joshua back-to-back. No cherry-picking. No ducking. Just good, honest competition — the way boxing should be.
Too many others are content to fight safe, stay unbeaten, and sell the myth. But eventually, fans catch on. And when they do, they stop tuning in.
The Business Model That’s Killing the Buzz
Let’s be honest — part of the reason this culture exists is because of the way boxing is marketed. Broadcasters and promoters have turned “undefeated” into a brand. You’ll hear it on every press tour, plastered across every graphic: “Two undefeated fighters, someone’s 0 has got to go!”
Except most of the time, the 0’s only going because someone’s had 15 fights against Uber drivers and part-time decorators.
Look at how carefully someone like Vergil Ortiz was being moved until very recently. Or how Jaron Ennis has been stuck fighting opponents no one’s heard of because big names won’t risk their record. We could’ve had Ennis vs. Spence, or Ortiz vs. Crawford by now — but the fear of losing that 0 keeps careers on ice and fans out in the cold.
Even BoxRec will tell you: records mean nothing without context. A padded 25-0 isn’t better than a war-hardened 20-3. Real boxing fans know this. Casuals are starting to realise it too.
Losing Isn’t the End — It’s Often the Beginning
Some of the best fighters in history had losses. Muhammad Ali. Roberto Durán. Manny Pacquiao. Hell, even Sugar Ray Leonard. What do they all have in common? They took risks. They came back. They grew through defeat.
Compare that to today’s landscape, where one loss — even a close one — is treated like career death. Look at how some fans and pundits turned on Teofimo Lopez after the Kambosos fight. Or how Ryan Garcia’s recent setbacks have seen more focus on his record than on his growth as a fighter.
That’s not how sport should work. It’s not how boxing should work. A loss doesn’t define a fighter. How they respond to it does.
Time to Kill the ‘Boxing Undefeated Obsession’
If boxing wants to win back fans — especially the next generation — it needs to stop selling undefeated records as the be-all and end-all. Stop ducking. Stop padding. Stop pretending.
Give us fighters like Crawford and Usyk, who let their fists do the talking. Give us rivalries, not resumes. Because the longer this undefeated obsession continues, the more we’ll see careers that look impressive on paper — but forgettable in reality.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Had enough of padded records and ducked fights? Got your own take on the boxing undefeated obsession? Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this post with fellow fans, and head over to CMBoxing.co.uk for more no-BS boxing talk. Let’s bring the sport back to what it should be: the best fighting the best — wins, losses, and all.