By Michael Rosenthal

“Quitter” is one of the dirtiest words in boxing.

We admire fighters who “go out on their shield” rather than give up no matter the circumstances. In other words, we expect them to take a beating even if they have little to no chance of winning so no one will accuse them of cowardice. It’s an unwritten rule, regardless of how unfair it might be.

Amir Khan was the most recent fighter to be labeled by some as a quitter. He was in the process of having his behind handed to him last Saturday by Terence Crawford when Crawford punched him below the belt in the sixth round, apparently hurting him in the process.

One of two possible things then happened: Khan was too injured to continue, as he asserted, or he saw a way out of the fight and took it.

Many suspect the latter was the case. At the very least, some asserted, he should’ve taken the full five minutes to determine whether he could continue but didn’t. And while technically it was Virgil Hunter, his trainer, who stopped the fight, it was Khan who responded “no” when Hunter asked whether he could go on.

Khan could’ve – should’ve? – demanded from his trainer that he be allowed to fight through the pain because that’s what a warrior does. He could have said to Hunter, “I’ll be OK. Don’t even think about stopping it.” Maybe doomed fighters, some in worse shape than Khan, have said just that to their handlers.

Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. went so far as to tell TMZ that Khan should apologize.

Said Jones: “That's why you never quit in boxing. When I go in the ring. Carry me out. I don't wanna go out on my feet if I lost. Carry me out. I rather give it all, or get it all taken away from me. I'm not having it, losing a fight standing on my two feet, just not happy with that. A foul would never stop me from fighting, unless it's something that breaks my orbital bone or affects me for the rest of my life. A low blow will not affect me for the rest of my life."

He went on: "This time you were in a no-win situation, and you refused to continue. You stopped at a time we know you could've given more. You didn't give it to us, the fans, your all. You have to apologize. We respect that. Be a man. Be honest for what you did, and move forward."

I understand that line of thinking. I, just like everyone else, have been conditioned over three decades covering boxing to think what I said at the top of this column: You just don’t give up. I was never entirely comfortable with the concept, though. Common sense and a dose of compassion have always compelled me to question the gruesome philosophy.

Yes, Khan and Hunter knew that the 32-year-old veteran – who went down hard in the first round – was in over his head at the time of the low blow. They very likely believed the fight wasn’t going to end well for the challenger, who is known for his weak chin and has suffered three brutal knockouts in an up-and-down career.

Is it fair to expect him to accept a similar fate in light of Crawford’s dominance and the likelihood that he WAS in pain just to demonstrate that he’s courageous? I don’t think so.

Khan had already demonstrated his courage more than once. Breidis Prescott, Danny Garcia and Canelo Alvarez nearly removed his head from his body but he went on with his career, which says something about his determination. The decision to tangle with the bigger, stronger Alvarez alone was a statement.

I always think of Erik Morales when the “quitter” issue comes up. The badly beaten Mexican Hall of Famer was sitting on the canvas after the third of three knockdowns in his final meeting with Manny Pacquiao when he looked toward his corner and shook his head, his way of saying “enough is enough.”

I don’t remember anyone with any credibility calling Morales a quitter, let alone a coward. And I think I know why: Morales, who gave fans one great war after another, earned the right to say no to further punishment.

I’m not comparing Khan to Morales, who was younger than Khan (29 when he fought Pacquiao the last time) but has few peers in terms of the sacrifices he made in the ring. I am saying that Khan has also given a lot of himself, taking more tough fights than many elite boxers, fighting too aggressively for his own good at times, getting up from crazy knockdowns and continuing to fight. You get the idea. He fought his heart out many times.

If he found himself in a hopeless situation and decided to save his hide one time – as he appeared to do against Crawford – it might be appropriate to excuse him.

Michael Rosenthal was the 2018 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award for excellence in boxing journalism. He has covered boxing in Los Angeles and beyond for almost three decades.