The worst thing is for a fighter to be in the ring with no hope - where he's missing and getting caught. You need to have hope.
Interpretation
Hope is essential for a fighter to keep going despite challenges.
In this quote, Teddy Atlas emphasizes the importance of hope in the face of adversity, particularly for fighters. When a fighter finds themselves in a situation where they feel defeated, lacking hope can lead to surrender; therefore, maintaining hope is crucial for resilience and perseverance, allowing one to continue pushing through difficulties.
In practice
During a motivational speech to athletes, reminding them to always retain hope in their training.
I often say to the athletes, that I know about their 'neon skills' - the ones that light up and make them easily recognizable. The power of a fighter, the finesse, the agility, the legs, the quickness. But what about being steady, or being dependable? These are more important traits.
Every day in camp is a difficult day because you worry whether or not you're going to get it right. You worry - or I do, at least - whether or not you're going to live up to the trust as the trainer that the fighter gave you when he asked you to train him.
If we have anything in common as humans it's the instinct to survive. When you go in the ring you are going against that instinct. You're running into conflict instead of away from That's when the complexity really begins.
You're not in a fight until there's pressure. Resistance. Overcoming something. Otherwise, it's just an exhibition.
I was 14 when I placed a bet on Muhammad Ali to beat Joe Frazier in their first fight. There was something magical about Ali, like the first time I heard Ray Charles sing 'America The Beautiful' or Louie Armstrong blow the trumpet - feeling as if they could influence the cosmos, make anything right when they performed.
It does not matter who is stronger or more aggressive or even throws harder punches. All that matters is what lands.
I never set out to convert anyone in the Klan. I just set out to get an answer to my question: 'How can you hate me when you don't even know me.'
No soldier outlives a thousand chances. But every soldier believes in Chance and trusts his luck.
I used to be told if I talked about my sexuality in any way that we wouldn't have a tennis tour.
[John Brown's] zeal in the cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. Mine was as the taper light, his was as the burning sun... I could speak for the slave. John Brown could fight for the slave.
She asked if we were calm enough for her to take off the cuffs, and McMurphy nodded. He had slumped over with his head hung and his elbows between his knees and looked completely exhausted--it hadn't occurred to me that it was just as hard for him to stand straight as it was for me.
Whoever starts out toward the unknown must consent to venture alone.
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