Fighters You Feel Are Unfairly Downgraded Because They Are Asshats

[salsanchezfan]

Per an earlier conversation..........are there any fighters whose persona, public or private, leads to their abilities being downgraded by the general public?

Present day or past tense.........go.

[Nonito Smoak]

To some degree, all of: Mayweather, Khan, Haye, JCC Jr, Morel, Broner, Hopkins, Dirrell, Paulie, Pavlik

[Hands of Iron]

Ray Leonard.

[orriray59]

Muhammad Ali, though I wouldn't consider him an asshat.

[Unforgiven]

Fighters generally tend to get upgraded for acting like muppets.

[Momus]

Maybe less so with the passage of time, but judging by reports of the day Sandy Saddler was underrated and underappreciated. Whether it was because of his rep as a dirty fighter, the fact that he beat up a popular champion in Pep, or a combination thereof, it seemed that he didn't get his due as a genuine ATG.

[Unforgiven]

Originally Posted by orriray59

Muhammad Ali

You feel his abilities have been downgraded by the general public ?

[orriray59]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

You feel his abilities have been downgraded by the general public ?

By some, yes.

[dyna]

Prince na....

I'm not mentioning anybody.

[dyna]

Originally Posted by orriray59

By some, yes.

for me it was his extreme fouling and not really his childish acts that makes me think he is overrated.
Unless you count fouling as an asshat.
Then Holyfield often gets downgraded by Tyson fans for his headbutts.

[PowerPuncher]

Definitely Hamed and Mayweather, Roy Jones too.

[dyna]

Originally Posted by PowerPuncher

Definitely Hamed and Mayweather, Roy Jones too.

The primary reason I see Jones getting downrated is because of his KO losses and not because he is/was an asshat.

[Unforgiven]

Originally Posted by orriray59

By some, yes.

I think on the whole he's benefitted from the perceptions surrounding his persona in the general public.

Since the 1970s many have sworn he's the "greatest of all times". He's often introduced as the greatest of all champions, it's almost a matter of fact.

[Unforgiven]

Originally Posted by PowerPuncher

Definitely Hamed and Mayweather, Roy Jones too.

Hamed was a known 'asshat' through his entire career, and was highly rated.
I think it was being spanked badly by underdog Barrera while in his prime - and then falling off the radar completely - that downgraded him.

[TBooze]

Originally Posted by Hands of Iron

Ray Leonard.

Rubbish, I loathe the man but even I can see he is a top 20 all time fighter.

An arse hole who does not get just kudos would be someone like Chris Eubank. Who some Benn fans just do not get the gimmick Chris rather cleverly played...

Naseem Hamed too, does not get his dues IMO.