As iron sharpens iron,

So, one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17

Rivals bring out the best in you.

They make you train harder; they make you obsess over the details, the small things, the important things.

They require you to be at your best or pay the price.

The process of seeking out, training, and preparing for the best competition will push you, drive you, inspire you.

It will sharpen you.

****

When asked if he would rather fight against the best fighters or be undefeated, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard responded with these wise words,

“They think being 25-0 means something.

It doesn’t mean anything.

It’s okay to have two or three losses.

It’s what kind of fighter you are that the people respect.

I have a few losses on my record, but that doesn’t justify who I am.

Hearn’s had losses.

Duran had losses.

Hagler had losses.

That made us better fighters.”

Competition with losses against elite opponents is more valuable than competition without losses against inferior opponents.

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