---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trouble with boxing is that too often…"
description: "\"The trouble with boxing is that too often it ends in sadness.\" — Barry McGuigan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png"
---

#  The trouble with boxing is that too often it ends in…

![“The trouble with boxing is that too often it ends in sadness.” quote by Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png)

> “The trouble with boxing is that too often it ends in sadness.”

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Boxing often ends in sorrow due to its violent nature and personal cost.

**In simple terms:** Boxing frequently leads to sadness.

Key Takeaway

Consider the emotional toll of combat sports.

Themes

sadness violence sport psychology

Mood

somber reflective

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- training decisions
- career planning
- mental health support
- post‑career transition

Key Concepts

ethics human cost

Questions to Reflect On

- What aspects of boxing bring joy?
- How can athletes cope with emotional fallout?

A Different Perspective

Boxing can also bring triumph.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/)

## Related quotes

> [I know there is trouble in boxing. People say it is no longer good. But I cannot take responsibility. I am not a missionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/i-know-there-is-trouble-in-boxing-people-say-it-is-no-longer-good-but/)

[Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/)

> [My dad just wanted me to find something to do to keep me out of trouble. Boxing was the great escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-corrales/my-dad-just-wanted-me-to-find-something-to-do-to-keep-me-out-of/)

[Diego Corrales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-corrales/)

> [Every life, even the best ones, ends in sadness. Books hold out hope that things may end otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-queenan/every-life-even-the-best-ones-ends-in-sadness-books-hold-out-hope/)

[Joe Queenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-queenan/)

> [“The end of my journey is happiness what is the point of having the journey if it ends in sadness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amina-warsuma/the-end-of-my-journey-is-happiness-what-is-the-point-of-having-the/)

Amina Warsuma

> [Boxing is changing and training methods are slowly being dragged into the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/boxing-is-changing-and-training-methods-are-slowly-being-dragged-into/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [The trouble is that people seem to expect happiness in life. I can't imagine why; but they do. They are unhappy before they marry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mitford/the-trouble-is-that-people-seem-to-expect-happiness-in-life-i-can-t/)

[Nancy Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mitford/)

> [You know you're in trouble, when the bartender cries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-peterson/you-know-you-re-in-trouble-when-the-bartender-cries/)

Michael Peterson

> [Have I told you lately that I love you, have I told you lately there's no one above you. Fill my heart with gladness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/have-i-told-you-lately-that-i-love-you-have-i-told-you-lately-there-s/)

[Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/)

> [You have trouble feeling alive, so you stab your own heart just to feel something. It was the emptiness that was killing you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/you-have-trouble-feeling-alive-so-you-stab-your-own-heart-just-to/)

[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

> [Whether it's Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Amir Khan or Kell Brook, there are a lot of fights out there that I think would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/whether-it-s-marcos-maidana-shawn-porter-amir-khan-or-kell-brook/)

[Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/)

> [I actually like boxing away from home. It takes the pressure off you a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-actually-like-boxing-away-from-home-it-takes-the-pressure-off-you-a/)

[James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/)

> [You don't think. It's all instinct. If you stop to think, you're gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-robinson/you-don-t-think-it-s-all-instinct-if-you-stop-to-think-you-re-gone/)

[Sugar Ray Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-robinson/)

> [Apart from my grandad, none of my family had really been into boxing so the sport was never discussed much at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-taylor/apart-from-my-grandad-none-of-my-family-had-really-been-into-boxing/)

[Josh Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-taylor/)

> [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/)

[Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/)

> [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/)

[Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/)

## More by Barry McGuigan

> [What do you want me to do, rob a bank?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/what-do-you-want-me-to-do-rob-a-bank/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [I'd had 35 professional fights and mentally I was tired of it. I'd sort ot fallen out of love with the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/i-d-had-35-professional-fights-and-mentally-i-was-tired-of-it-i-d/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [It is not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, but the size of the fight in the dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/it-is-not-the-size-of-the-dog-in-the-fight-that-counts-but-the-size/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [Boxing is changing and training methods are slowly being dragged into the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/boxing-is-changing-and-training-methods-are-slowly-being-dragged-into/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [Every fighter has a story that could break your heart. We lose, we get hurt and everything comes apart. That's when it's so difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/every-fighter-has-a-story-that-could-break-your-heart-we-lose-we-get/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [Boxing traditionally was received very well and accepted on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/boxing-traditionally-was-received-very-well-and-accepted-on-both-sides/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [A pit bull is like a fighter. Every so often it needs to taste blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/a-pit-bull-is-like-a-fighter-every-so-often-it-needs-to-taste-blood/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [There is nothing like wealth for dulling desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/there-is-nothing-like-wealth-for-dulling-desire/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [I don't want to sound obnoxious, but I like to think I brought it another step. I was able to bring people who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/i-don-t-want-to-sound-obnoxious-but-i-like-to-think-i-brought-it/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [I train very hard, either rowing on the cross trainer or running. Not only do you feel tired afterwards but it relaxes you, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/i-train-very-hard-either-rowing-on-the-cross-trainer-or-running-not/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [If somebody had told me in the 1980s that Gerry Adams would shake hands with Ian Paisley or Peter Robinson I would have said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/if-somebody-had-told-me-in-the-1980s-that-gerry-adams-would-shake/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [I wanted to bring people together, and most importantly not feel threatened when they came to watch me box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/i-wanted-to-bring-people-together-and-most-importantly-not-feel/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [Barney was interested in bringing professional boxing back to Northern Ireland in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/barney-was-interested-in-bringing-professional-boxing-back-to/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [I get people to this day - I won my title 25 years ago - saying how wonderful a time they had during that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/i-get-people-to-this-day-i-won-my-title-25-years-ago-saying-how/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [Work hard, think fast and you'll last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/work-hard-think-fast-and-you-ll-last/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

[Explore all 20 Barry McGuigan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

## More Boxing quotes

> [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/)

[Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/)

> [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/)

[Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/)

> [Apart from my grandad, none of my family had really been into boxing so the sport was never discussed much at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-taylor/apart-from-my-grandad-none-of-my-family-had-really-been-into-boxing/)

[Josh Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-taylor/)

> [You don't think. It's all instinct. If you stop to think, you're gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-robinson/you-don-t-think-it-s-all-instinct-if-you-stop-to-think-you-re-gone/)

[Sugar Ray Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-robinson/)

> [I actually like boxing away from home. It takes the pressure off you a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-actually-like-boxing-away-from-home-it-takes-the-pressure-off-you-a/)

[James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/)

> [Whether it's Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Amir Khan or Kell Brook, there are a lot of fights out there that I think would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/whether-it-s-marcos-maidana-shawn-porter-amir-khan-or-kell-brook/)

[Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/)

> [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/)

[Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/)

> [I first got into boxing when I was quite young. I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/)

[Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/)

> [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/)

[Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/)

> [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [I somewhere along the way became fascinated with exploring characters who are willing to put themselves into violent situations, whether it's football, hockey, boxing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-somewhere-along-the-way-became-fascinated-with-exploring-characters/)

[Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/)

> [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/)

[Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/)

> [I always tried to be different from everyone else. Then I found out about boxing. That was the way I could be different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-always-tried-to-be-different-from-everyone-else-then-i-found-out/)

[Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/)

> [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/)

[Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/)

> [I've grown up with Bollywood, and I continue to enjoy it. But boxing remains my passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijender-singh/i-ve-grown-up-with-bollywood-and-i-continue-to-enjoy-it-but-boxing/)

[Vijender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijender-singh/)

[Browse all 2,214 Boxing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The trouble with boxing is that too often it ends in sadness.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barry McGuigan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-often-it-ends-in-sadness/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Boxing"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-often-it-ends-in-sadness/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/barry-mcguigan-27641_boxing_the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-ofte_1470677.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The trouble with boxing is that too often it ends in sadness.” — Barry McGuigan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Barry McGuigan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The trouble with boxing is that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-often-it-ends-in-sadness/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/the-trouble-with-boxing-is-that-too-often-it-ends-in-sadness/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
