Larry Donald - How good was he?

How good was Larry Donald?
Wins against Evander Holyfield, but loses against Bowe, Johnson, Klitschko, Valuev, Povetkin.
Any thoughts?

[FlatNose]

In my opinion, Larry was a guy who never really peaked.I don't know if it was a lack of effort, bad management, indifferent promotion or any comination of the three, but I expected more from "The Legend".By all accounts he got robbed against Valuev, and caught Holyfield on a bad night for Evander.Other than that he failed when he stepped up .He seems to have fallen into the role of gatekeeper now, so maybe Larry can be considered a has been that never was.

[MrSmall]

Good chin, decent skills.

[ChrisPontius]

Extremely durable but was fighting mediocre opposition during the better part of his career (after Bowe untill 2000) which is when he should've peaked.

I was impressed by his effort against Valuev in which i think he did enough to win, and the Holyfield fight was another good win, both when he was near the age of 40. But that doesn't mean he was any better when he was 30.
He was game against Povetkin but was simply overwhelmed by such a talented, younger fighter. Maybe in his prime it would've been closer.

He was a good contender but no more.

[DamonD]

Really good skills, quick hands, fast movement, solid chin and good stamina.

So why didn't he achieve more? Maybe because while he mastered floating like a butterfly, most of the time he forgot to sting like a bee. Donald was usually frustratingly gunshy...I'd argue it wasn't until around these last few years of his career than he seems to have committed to an attack more than before.

He also seems to have suffered from a real lack of ambition in his career, happy to string along fighting also-rans rather than trying to get repeatedly into the title mix.

Definitely an under-achiever. With his skills he should've done better.

[Muchmoore]

He was a ok fighter but nothing special.

[Mendoza]

Originally Posted by DamonD

Really good skills, quick hands, fast movement, solid chin and good stamina.

So why didn't he achieve more? Maybe because while he mastered floating like a butterfly, most of the time he forgot to sting like a bee. Donald was usually frustratingly gunshy...I'd argue it wasn't until around these last few years of his career than he seems to have committed to an attack more than before.

He also seems to have suffered from a real lack of ambition in his career, happy to string along fighting also-rans rather than trying to get repeatedly into the title mix.

Definitely an under-achiever. With his skills he should've done better.

This is how I see it as well. Donald was good enough to beat the likes of Holyfield, Witherpsoon, and J Williams, but opted to run vs Bowe. If Donald wanted to fight, he might have out poitned Bowe. Bowe looked bad in that fight. There is no doubt that Donald was robbed of victory vs Valuev.

I think Donald lacked fire. He was also unlucky by two bad calls from the judges in Valuev and Austin. The skills, size, speed, chin and style to be much better were there.

[Vantage_West]

Originally Posted by Muchmoore

He was a ok fighter but nothing special.

exactly
6'3
decent power
decent speed
decent skill/jab/abilty

[TBooze]

Took over the mantle of the 'Next Big Thing' from Jeremy Williams when he impressively outpointed him... but that was it, the highlight of Donald's career


Using hindsight, he should of done much better against Bowe, but the slap in press conference seemed to do its job for Bowe, Donald was not intrested after that.

Larry Donald should of, could of, but didn't

[Hitman]

I remember when Bowe bitchslapped Donald in a pre-fight press conference , it really seemed to have robbed Donald of his mojo right then and there ,because he looked scared shitless and fought Bowe that way the whole fight.

[la-califa]

He Had good skills, but maybe not the fire in his belly to be a great one. He could outbox most, but didn't want to trade when it counted. & he didn't set his feet to deliver the hard shots, he was almost already pulling out, while delivering his punch. to avoid the counter punch. Which made his punches less effective. Very hard to win like that in the Heavyweight Division.

[El Bombasto]

good boxer with losses to respectable (at the time) competition

[Bigcat]

Originally Posted by MrSmall

Good chin, decent skills.

Yes he was a very classy heavyweight even recently, he faced and was capable of beating some very good quality fighters.

[Asterion]

I don't count the loss against Bowe. Donald was very green in that fight.

And in my opinion he defeated Valuev.

[TBooze]

.