An Eye on the Future
The Hoosier sports tradition is one of the proudest in the collegiate ranks, and what happens on the field has...

Never Give Up The Fight Within You

 

In 1974 Muhammad Ali fought the heavyweight champion George Forman. Forman had destroyed everyone he fought up until this fight. Even greats like Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, who each gave Ali all he could handle, crumbled in front of Foreman.

Ali came in the first round with a strategy of leading with the right hand. This is a dangerous punch for the puncher because it takes longer for the punch to travel to the target than a jab. Good fighters are almost insulted when you lead with the right because the message is they are too slow to do anything about it. You lead with the right against someone you're pretty sure you can get away with it with. It's also very a powerful punch.

Foreman was such a devastating puncher that no one led with the right hand against him. He hit so hard a fighter couldn't risk getting counter punched, so they would be more careful and predictable. Not Ali. He took the fight to Foreman and threw 16 lead rights in the first round and many of them scored. Some smashed so hard that sweat exploded off of Foreman's head. For the most part, Ali's strategy worked in the first round. His right hand scored and frustrated Foreman. There was a little problem though. Ali knew he had hit Foreman with his best punches and Foreman didn't go down.

Ali returned to his corner faced with a fighters' nightmare. He was facing an opponent who is bigger, stronger and meaner and he just took your best shots and stayed in the fight.

Ali knew this was the test for him. In the 60-seconds between round one and two he realized that this is why he trained so hard. All the training came down to this moment. He knew his initial strategy didn't work, but he had trained so hard that he was able to draw upon back up strategies. In this case, he reversed his game plan from being the aggressor to playing possum. He leaned back on the ropes and let Foreman blast away at him. In a sense, he decided, "Give me what you have because I am in great shape. I have trained my mind and my body to deal with this punishment and when you least expect it, I will conquer you."

For the next seven rounds Ali took ferocious punishment. Through it all he encouraged Foreman to hit harder. He told him, "George, you're letting me down. I thought you could hit hard. That's it?" Foremen went berserk punching as hard as he could until, in the eighth round, he was so tired he became vulnerable to Ali's right hand. Ali knocked him out in one of the greatest upsets in boxing history.

After the fight, Foreman went into a deep depression that lasted for over two-years. In time he pulled himself up and returned to the ring to recapture the world title and become a multi-millionaire entrepreneur.

Again, it's easy to have a positive attitude when things are going well. It's times like this, when your attitude, outlook and belief are put to the test that you get the payoff.

 

 

About the Author

John Graden is a fun, exciting, and inspirational speaker, author, and trainer.

John Graden is the author of The Impostor Syndrome. The Impostor Syndrome is the feeling you're not as smart, talented, or skilled as others think you are. It's the feeling you've been faking it and are about to be found out. Learn more about the book at:

http://www.TheImpostorSyndrome.com

A martial arts master teacher, he is the author of five books including The Impostor Syndrome: How to Replace Self-Doubt with Self-Confidence and Train Your Brain for Success, Mr. Graden has been profiled by hundreds of international publications including over 20 magazine cover stories and a comprehensive profile in the Wall Street Journal

Presentations include: The Impostor Syndrome, Black Belt Leadership, The Secret to Self Confidence, and How to Create a Life Instead of Making a Living, John has taught his proven and unique principles of success to thousands of people on three continents since 1987.

From keynote presentations for thousands to one-on-one coaching sessions, John Graden is a dynamic speaker, teacher, and media personality who brings passion and entertainment to his presentations.

http://www.JohnGraden.com

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