There is no more brutal sport in the world than the 'sweet science'. Most of the guys who succeed in this sport come from the gutter with nothing. It's just them, their fists, their heart and their wits against an opponent hell-bent on their physical and spiritual destruction.

You may find parts of what he has to say distasteful. It's certainly not for the squeamish. But in listening to Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins reflect on his phenomenal 53-6 career, you will get an insight into the mind of a person who knows what it takes to win at the pinnacle of professional sport.

And then ask yourself ... how far away is the MFC as an organization from reflecting any of the qualities and values that this man espouses?

From top to bottom ...How far?

Enjoy ...

One of the all time greats, i have paid for many of Bernards fights in his earlier days,the guy never got out of prison until he was 27,the guys still wiping the floor with them and hes 46yrs old, the guy never gave in and know hes worth millions, its amazing that a man could spend that many years in prison and go on to achieve what he has, watch his first fight in the 90s against Roy Jones, its a classic.

  On 05/04/2013 at 02:48, Range Rover said:

There is no more brutal sport in the world than the 'sweet science'. Most of the guys who succeed in this sport come from the gutter with nothing. It's just them, their fists, their heart and their wits against an opponent hell-bent on their physical and spiritual destruction.

You may find parts of what he has to say distasteful. It's certainly not for the squeamish. But in listening to Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins reflect on his phenomenal 53-6 career, you will get an insight into the mind of a person who knows what it takes to win at the pinnacle of professional sport.

And then ask yourself ... how far away is the MFC as an organization from reflecting any of the qualities and values that this man espouses?

From top to bottom ...How far?

Enjoy ...

If you think boxing is the peerless in brutality, try watching mixed martial arts RR.

A few of our fellas should be thrown in the ring with Hopkins, could teach them a thing or two about attitude and heart.

Due to difference in background, ethnicity, social setting etc, I'm not sure I can relate this guy to any AFL football or Australia. Nonetheless, it was a compelling interview. His experiences, his struggle, his mental and physical resilience - fascinating and powerful.

  On 05/04/2013 at 03:03, Bitter but optimistic said:

Due to difference in background, ethnicity, social setting etc, I'm not sure I can relate this guy to any AFL football or Australia. Nonetheless, it was a compelling interview. His experiences, his struggle, his mental and physical resilience - fascinating and powerful.

The differences are immense, no doubt. But there are also fundamentals which transcend them. Fearlessness. Relentlessness. Intimidation ... Guts. These types of things.

"You gotta be willing to look in a guy's face and say I will kill you if I have to. You gotta be ready to look in their face and I say I will stab you, I will hurt you ... and you can't talk the game, you gotta really act and do the game. In prison talking is a thing that gets you killed. What gets you respect is you ..do."

Now that is very extreme. But that's the attitude it took to reach the top in his brutal world. Take away the wanton acts of violence and is the pathway to success in a sport like AFL football any different?

You gotta be willing to look into an opponent's face on game day and say I wil hurt you if I have to. You gotta be ready to look in their face and I say I will make the next two hours of your life a waking misery. And you can't just talk the game, you gotta really act and do the game. In AFL football talking is a thing that gets you ridiculed. What gets you respect is you ...do".

On SEN just now they played a recording of an interview with Matthew Scarlett where he reveals a physical altercation he got into with Steve Johnson sometime in 2006 after they both questioned each others' intensity and application to their AFL careers. They came to blows and didn't speak to each other for a goodly while. They would later rekindle their friendship but the law laid down during that fight would never be transgressed again. Three premierships later ...

Stevie J sounds like a tough character, he would've only of been a young bloke and to stand up to Scarlett, massive props.

Stevie Baker said in an open mike interview, that Stevie Johnson made Baker respect him.

I don't know what happened in the Johnson/Scarlett fight, but I'd back Stevie J, even as a kid, Scarlett is nothing but a king hit merchant.

As for Bernard Hopkins, mentally he's just on another planet to most boxers.

Mayweather has a good mindset and work ethic as well, he believes in hard work and dedication and trains 3 times a day leading up to fights.

Floyd will work any hour of the day, go for runs at 3am, because while his opponent is sleeping - he is training, it gives him that edge physically and mentally.

Boxers have a brilliant mindset, I agree that a lot can be learned from them for AFL footballers.

  On 05/04/2013 at 03:00, Django said:

If you think boxing is the peerless in brutality, try watching mixed martial arts RR.

A few of our fellas should be thrown in the ring with Hopkins, could teach them a thing or two about attitude and heart.

No they should all be doing full contact boxing every week, one day a week.

This club needs to find some MOJO, & we need to sort out the most mojo-est to be first called upon to play, then the skills & smarts can follow, after we've got the commitment sorted..

Blood & guts Demons is whats needed out on the field.

Not a chance in hell will any Melbourne player find the mentality of any fighter. Most start from nothing and all of them have self motivation to improve and master their trade. Footy players are told from a young age they will be drafted and are treated like professionals before achieving anything. Hell, watts is waiting for a Joel like figure to rock up to the club and save the players from embarrassment!