For most fighters, the later years of their career are marked by two distinct statements, or some variation of them: ‘I feel like I’m better now than I ever have been’ & ‘I’ll know when it’s time to walk away.’ Even as losses pile up, fighters hang their hat on successful training sessions, injury recovery, and the general comfort that comes with having done something for the majority of their adult lives.
It’s rare, then, to ever hear a fighter say they aren’t as good as they used to be, and rarer still for them to say it before their career is over.