No title loss is easy to take. Whether the loser is the former champion or the contender, it can be painful. The depth of the pain does vary, however. Some are more affected than others.
Some men lose the title after fighting hard and battling strong. Others contenders are instead caught off guard, picked apart or simply outmatched in every aspect.
Almost every fighter puts his entire heart into his title bout, as it may be his only opportunity.
This is a list of eight men who had to deal with soul-shattering losses in title bouts. Some recovered well. Others salvaged some form of career. None ever returned to the stature they once had held, thanks in part to the title loss that likely haunts them still.