Creating a psychological edge over your opponent. How important?

Question

is it? Relate your answer to the first two Duran/Leonard fights.

Answer 1

Brent ~
In my opinion, it depends on the type of fighter you are. The intimidation factor worked well for Duran against Leonard in their first fight, it worked well for Mike Tyson until he ran up against Douglas. Sonny tried against Ali, but that didn't work out to well for him. Once the fear of the other fighter is gone or never present to begin with then the real fight begins.
Max Baer would often be heard telling his opponents before his fights with them "Ya know, I liked that Frankie Campbell a lot, so much so, I really didn't hit him as hard as I could, now Ernie Schaff him, him I hit really hard." Max killed Frankie with just two punches and Ernie died a short time later.
Ali would recite poetry about what round the fight would end in. He would show up where his opponent was training and cause a scene.
Joey Giardello once sent flowers to a fighters house and on the card he wrote "My deepest sympathy to you and your family I'm going to give your husband an awful beating"
There's all kinds of things that fighters do to get into each others heads, I like it best when they just fight.
Thanks Brent.

Answer 2

As a matter of fact, if you read the section about Liston in Muhammad Ali, His Life and Times, he (or someone close to him, possibly his corner) says that Liston thought Ali was crazy and wouldn't get up because Ali would have a great shot at him.

Answer 3

Mind over matter!! That got to tell you something.
My trainer used to tell me "u can loose a fight on your walk to the ring" A lot of fighters wont even look at u straight into your eyes.