Trash talk can bring down the best of us

In this battle called life, people go through many obstacles and confrontations. Whether it’s a conflict with another person or a mental one, sometimes people let their emotions get the best of them. They seek revenge and payback for a wrong and treat others with the same disrespect that they were given.

We’ve seen over and over again examples of athletes who were at the top of their games then lost their careers because of one mistake. We’ve seen other athletes manage to remain grounded. They permit their play to dictate a response for them.

One example of this type of response occurred in the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title fight in 2013 between former boxing champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner and challenger Marcos “El Chino” Maidana.

Broner, who grew up in Cincinnati, held multiple world championships in four weight classes, including the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight title, World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight title and WBA welterweight and light welterweight titles. Broner’s talent was undeniable and many considered him to be the heir-apparent to Floyd Mayweather.

Broner was known for his crazy antics both inside and outside of the ring. Before his fights, he showed a great deal of arrogance and disrespect towards each opponent. After the undefeated Broner moved up two weight classes and beat Paulie Malignaggie for the WBA welterweight title, his first title defense came against the heavy-handed Argentinian Maidana.

During the pre-fight build-ups, Broner mocked and disrespected Maidana. He made fun of Maidana’s trainers, heritage and inability to speak English.

“How is this clown going to beat me?” Broner said in the pre-fight weigh-in. “I am a world class fighter, and this is just another fight for me. This is the biggest fight of Maidana’s life.”

The 5-1 underdog Maidana did not trash talk, instead he fought.

From the opening bell at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Maidana pummeled Broner with punches to the body and the head.

In the second round, a left hook knocked Broner to the canvas for the first time in his career. Broner recovered and was on the verge of taking control when a tired Maidana landed a right to Broner’s body followed by a left hook to the head to put Broner down in round eight.

Maidana won the fightvia unanimous decision, giving Broner his first loss as a professional. The judges scored the fight 115–110, 116–109, and 117–109 in favor of Maidana.

Fans booed and threw drinks at Broner as he made his way back to his dressing room following the announcement.

Today, Broner is a shell of his former self. The once undefeated rising star has gone 0-2-1 in his last three fights, with his last win coming in 2017.

Broner’s life struggles extended beyond boxing. In 2016, he was charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly choking a waitress at a nightclub in Las Vegas. The next year, TMZ obtained video of Broner knocking out a heckler. Following that incident, he has been in and out of jail for a number of infractions. His latest dispute came in 2019, when he was ordered to pay a woman $830,000 for a sexual assault lawsuit.

Maidana retired in 2016and finished his career with a record of 35-5, with 31 coming by knockout.

What many people don’t realize is that anger and pride can be dangerous emotions. If they go uncontrolled, they can cause a person to make mistakes from which they can never recover. Sometimes the task of maintaining high moral standards to avoid retaliating in a negative manner can be difficult.

When I am faced with an issue, my parents always encouraged me to try to be the bigger person in the situation. To be honest, I don’t always want to hear that. In the end, I realize they are right.

When conflict comes my way, I have to remind myself that I am a man of faith and respect. While retaliating may feel good for the moment, I know I’ve come too far to let the ignorance of others ruin everything for which I have worked. I understand that I represent something bigger than just myself now. I represent my family, my culture and the entire Rockdale Reporter so I must act accordingly.

At the end of the day, don’t ever sacrifice your peace of mind for a person that will mean nothing to you in the long run.

I’m interested in connecting more with my readers, please feel free to email me at raynard@rockdalereporter.com or follow me on Twitter at @ObeyRay25_.