Why fear before fights normal?

Why is fear before fights seen as normal in boxing? There are a few clear answers to this frequently asked question in boxing.

First off, let us start with a quote from one Cus D’Amato who trained Mike Tyson in his prime to become youngest heavyweight champion in history:

“The hero and the coward both inside are the same, but it what the hero does, and the coward doesn’t do, is what separates them.”

Fear is a perfectly normal emotion for boxers before their fights as long as it does not consume them and they control it to their advantage.

Using that energy both in training to prepare for fight night on fight night to save it for the fight and expand it when warming up in the dressing room and ultimately use all energy of most importance in the fight.

Why fear before fights normal

There is a perception maybe from new fans to boxing that some fighters are scared of getting in the ring or even maybe scared of getting hit or actually scared of their opponents.

This is not true. 99 per cent of the time boxers would fight anyone, the real fighters of them are built like that, it is in their DNA.

Now, there have been exceptions where some people got in the ring with the likes of Jack Dempsey, Mike Tyson and Sonny Liston in their primes back in the day.

And you know, maybe with those three, they were right to be, in their primes you are dealing with maybe the most feared boxers of their times, maybe Edwin Valero of Venezuela and George Foreman in his hey day as well.

Those boxers new the art of mind games as well but even Mike Tyson said even back in those days he was scared to death before getting in the ring due to fear of losing but on the way to the ring this left him, the closer and closer he got to fighting his opponent.