Jon Jones is a polarising colossus of the combat world. Those who despise him do so with as much unwieldily conviction as those who adore him. You would be hard pressed to find a neutral fight fan on the topic of ‘Bones’ Jones.
Self belief and arrogance are part and parcel of achieving elite level status. We as a society are attracted to this brazenness, the boastful beasts which adorn the hip hop scene emphasise this phenomenon.
Spitting verses about their financial and sexual triumphs, daring enemies to attempt to reach their level. Yet off the mic rappers are asked to be humble, at least to some degree.
Humility is an arbitrary and ambiguous standard. It seems to include so many influencing factors yet when it boils down to it, there are none at all. As if each person is given a rating out of 100, but the benchmark for each individual is different. It is a line so fine you can barely teeter along it.
But why do we care about the humility of well known members of society that we personally don’t know at all? Who am I to condemn a man, such as Jones, for wrongly handling the talents and abilities that I could only dream of possessing?
Athletes spend the majority of their lives striving, sweating, bleeding and sacrificing so that they can reach the levels needed to entertain us. Yet we cut them down for not being humble.
Sure we outlay our hard-earned cash for this entertainment, but this sacrifice pales in comparison. In the end isn’t self-confidence the ultimate variable of success? If Jon Jones didn’t have so much conviction in his abilities, would he be the ultra entertaining and dominant champion he is? No.
Self confidence is not only the most important aspect of success. It is a prerequisite for a champion. Robinson. Ali. Tyson. Silva. Jones. Self-confidence? Yes. Arrogance? Maybe. Greatness? Definitely.
Let’s get ready to rumble! Pick a fighter and place your bets with PlayUp for great odds. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
A bloodied Tim Tszyu has been cruelly denied in his quest to emulate his legendary father Kostya and become a unified world boxing champion…
Liam Wilson has suffered further heartbreak in Arizona, the Australian boxer losing his super-featherweight world-title fight against Mexican Oscar Valdez. In front of a…
Tim Tszyu has the chance to emulate his legendary father as a unified world boxing champion after the stakes were dramatically raised for his…
Australia's Alexander Volkanovski has lost his UFC featherweight title to Ilia Topuria, with the Spaniard scoring a stunning second round knockout in the main…
Jason Moloney has survived an enthralling 12-round world title defence against Saul Sanchez in Canada, opening the door to a blockbuster unification fight in…
Conor McGregor says he's returning to the UFC for a fight against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas, calling it the "greatest…
