By Shaun Brown
FREQUENT users of social media will be aware of Instagram Stories.
Users can add photos or videos that then play like a slide show featuring moments from your day, week, or a particular event.
Those who follow fighters on the platform will be aware that some use the Story function to also publish inspirational quotes or memes. You know the kind I mean. “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit. And keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take. And keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”
That example is taken from the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa and quotes, memes, and movie clips are all familiar tools plucked from the world wide web and added to daily Stories. The purpose? To inspire them, you, anyone who is looking, or it can be a reminder, a warning, a daily dose that what they do separates them from us.
If it’s inspiration that a boxer at any level is looking for then there is another option. You don’t have to search Google. You don’t have to use the picture of a terrifying animal with an intimidating message underneath or play the cool card and use a black and white image of the actor Tom Hardy followed by words that he may or may not have said.
Another choice may be as simple as going on Boxrec and printing out a fighter’s record. Three I would recommend are Maxi Hughes, Sam Eggington and John Ryder. The latter fights on Saturday night (January 27) in Phoenix, Arizona against Jaime Munguia, a Mexican super-middleweight who has been tipped for the very top but even after 42 fights is still some way off the type of respect and riches which his compatriot Canelo Alvarez commands and earns.
(Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Hughes, Eggington and Ryder have between them 20 losses; Hughes with six, Eggington eight, and Ryder six. Yet this unlikely trio are operating at a level higher than predicted. Hughes hopes to return to the ring against the unbeaten William Zepeda in a lightweight title eliminator with the winner facing the victor of Vasyl Lomachenko vs George Kambosos (slated for May 12 in Australia). Having lost to Scotty Cardle, Martin J Ward and Liam Walsh, there is now just one win separating Hughes, a former painter, from potentially either facing Lomachenko, one of boxing’s most celebrated talents, or getting another shot at Kambosos, who was fortunate to get the nod over Hughes in July last year.
Sam Eggington’s hopes of making a few quid by becoming a journeyman transformed into a highlight reel career which has taken ‘The Savage’ to a European super-welterweight title shot against Abass Baraou on March 1 live on Channel 5. The memory of Eggington being battered by unknown Tanzanian fighter Hassan Mwakinyo in 2018 is still vivid, such was the nature of the defeat, yet the 30-year-old could very well have the best year of his career in 2024.
John Ryder’s career, meanwhile, looked to be in jeopardy having lost to Rocky Fielding in April 2017. The split decision defeat was Ryder’s fourth loss in four years. Retirement did cross his mind, but he persevered, and five fights later was dreadfully unlucky not to have been given the decision against Callum Smith when the Liverpudlian defended his WBA super-middleweight belt. But last May Ryder received a significant payday when facing Canelo Alvarez in Mexico. His defiant display in Guadalajara was enough to take Canelo the distance and on Saturday the 35-year-old can climb the rankings once again by beating Munguia.
The odds of all three winning their next fights may look slim but that isn’t the point. Ryder, Eggington and Hughes are examples of what determination, hard work and living the right life can do for you. They are not the posters boys of British boxing, nor will they be inundated with endorsements or pop up on TV shows but if you’re looking for inspiration, you’ll be hard pushed to find three finer examples.
Never mind the memes and the quotes, instead remind yourself what can be achieved by looking at the careers of Maxi Hughes, Sam Eggington and John Ryder.
