Sports are a very interesting aspect of human culture and history. They’ve been around since humans first began forming tribes. Some have endured since the ancient world, and some are relatively new. However, the one thing that remains true is that many people develop a passion for these games.
Usually, professional athletes dedicate themselves to one sport, for which they are deeply passionate. However, sometimes, an athlete will develop a love for a new game, and will want to try it out for themselves. In this article, we are looking at athletes who famously, or infamously switched sports.
Why Athletes Change Sports?
Before we delve into the nitty gritty, we would like to go over a few reasons why an athlete might want to change sports. The main reason would, undoubtedly be a lack of passion. Some folks simply lose their passion for a sport, and want to try something new.
Another reason may be a greater opportunity. For example, a lot of rugby fans switch to American football, and vice versa, because better opportunities open up for them in the different sport. Since rugby and football are quite similar, the change usually goes over quite well.
Finally, there is the case of popularity. Athletes may attempt to go from a sport like handball to a sport like soccer, simply because soccer is more popular. Online sportsbooks bear this fact out. The modern gambling industry has revolutionized fast-track withdrawal options for poker and sports betting. But some sports clearly rise to the top and outperform others.
But, how often are athletes successful in their career change? Well, that is what we are here to find out. In this article, we are looking at the athletes who’ve done their best to switch sports, and how well have they done.
Michael Jordan
Perhaps the most high-profile example of an athlete switching sports came in the 1990s, when NBA legend, Michael Jordan, decided he had had enough of basketball. Jordan may have felt that there is nowhere to go in basketball after winning three NBA championships. A change was certainly in order for the Chicago Bull.
The decision to go from basketball to baseball was reportedly inspired by Jordan’s father’s love of America’s favorite pastime. That year, the basketball legend signed with the White Sox’s minor league affiliate, the Birmingham Barons. Jordan played as an outfielder for two years.
In the early months, Jordan learned that switching from one sport to another isn’t as easy as one would expect. His skills in batting were not particularly great, but his determination was certainly admirable. By the end of his baseball career, he batted three home runs. Still, most people view Jordan’s stint in baseball as a pretty poor performance.
In 1995, Jordan returned to the NBA and to the Chicago Bulls. He won another three consecutive championships, proving that he still had what it takes to call himself an athlete legend. Just, perhaps, maybe not a baseball legend.
Greg Hardy
Greg Hardy spent six years playing football for the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys. He quickly attained some popularity and success, which earned him a Pro Bowl, as well as a second-team All-Pro. It seemed like Hardy had a pretty good career in football in front of him, which is why many were surprised when he switched from football to mixed martial arts.
MMA is the combat sport trend of the day. While it still has not taken over boxing in terms of popularity, for many it is getting there. Greg Hardy began fighting on the amateur level, and despite having little-to-no training, he proved pretty adept. Soon, he moved over to the professional ring, and won three consecutive fights, never losing once.
If that wasn’t enough Hardy decided to test his skill in boxing and pugilism as well. His boxing career went just as well as his mixed-martial arts career. Hardy won three consecutive fights. One of the fights was particularly successful as it ended by knockout in the second round.
Conor McGregor
Speaking of mixed martial arts, we would be remised if we did not bring up one of the MMA Kings of the 21st century, Conor McGregor. The Irish fighter dubbed “the King,” won the hearts and minds of many people circa 2015 and 2016, due to his off-stage antics, his boastful charisma, and his 1-punch KO’s. For a long time, Conor McGregor was the champion of the UFC, as well as of the people.
In 2017, however, McGregor announced that he is tired of MMA, and will be switching over to boxing instead. Rather than starting out small, McGregor decided to go all out and fight against the then middleweight champion. The McGregor vs Mayweather fight was a turning point for both combat sports.
The fight remains one of the most anticipated and popular fights in either boxing or MMA. At the time, sports betting websites were going crazy setting up odds, and while most favored Mayweather, a lot of people sided with Conor McGregor. The King seemed confident in his success.
However, McGregor soon faced reality, when he was defeated by a technical knockout in the 10th round. For many, this was the obvious conclusion. After all, Mayweather had a lot more experience with the sport, and was one of the greatest of his time. Even if McGregor was physically on the same level, the years of experience favored Mayweather.
Despite losing, McGregor left the fight happy, boasting about his courage, as well as expanding his personal brand. Though he did not win the fight, to call his switch a failure would be dishonest. Especially since he did manage to go 10 rounds with one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Some Last Thoughts
Switching sports is a dangerous move. However, there have been plenty of athletes who’ve managed to pull it off with an incredible degree of success. However, these athletes are the exception to the rule. For the most part, randomly and abruptly moving away from a sport that one has mastered would result in quite a bit of difficulty.
