Is this the worst run of opponents ever for a reigning world champion?

Decent thread and discussion EG

It's a shame that the likes of Slothrop have gotten upset because you've mentioned his favourite fighter, but that run of opponents is pretty poor for a champion in his prime. Do you think it's possible Toney was also using steroids during this period?

 

I dont know. Ask DrMo. Funniest **** ive ever heard if its true.

 

Hembrick was a very talented boxer, but emotionally and physically fragile. For a non-title fight, it was hardly a gimme.

Toney was a strange case in many ways, as there were a lot of concerns about him being burnt out as a middleweight champion. He fought Nunn, Johnson and McCallum within 7 months, with only 6 weeks between Nunn and Johnson - two p4p guys and a top contender in long hard fights. The results of this were plain to see in his dire performance against Tiberi. At the time Manny Steward said something to the effect that he would be shot within a few years, which is actually how it looked by the mid 90s.

It was a real fine balance with Toney, as he would balloon in weight and get involved in extra-curricular **** if you left him to his own devices. The solution was to keep him fighting and in the gym, but after the Tiberi fight they realised that he couldn't keep on fighting live bodies every 6-8 weeks. Hence the weekday tune-ups against local club fighters.

For the era, having a top p4p guy going the distance with cab drivers and roadsweepers seems frankly a bit odd. However, it was common old-school practice for champions to keep in shape with non-title fights. SRR's record for example is littered with 10 round decisions over mediocre journeymen.

Toney fought some absolute dross in this period, but there was method behind the madness. He'd probably have done better against Jones had he dragged Prather back for an 8 round tune-up after the Williams fight.

 

Sugar Ray Robinson fought the following 10 men from 49-50

Benny Evans 34-36-5

Charley Dodson 38-39-4

Don Lee 46-17-9

Vern Lester 25-25-12

George LaRover 66-26-6

George Costner 69-10-4

Cliff Beckett 17-15-3

Al Mobley 50-26-5

Aaron Wade 57-14-6

Jean Walzack 44-13-2

 

Not half as desperately daft as you are.

He's already done this exact same thread...

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=285051

Silencer/Gained talking to himself all the way through it atsch

 

Somewhere between possible and probable I would guess. Toney claimed to be over 200lbs in his football days, which is a lot of weight for a 5'9'' teenage athlete to carry. I doubt he was a pharmaceutical neophyte by the time he got into boxing.

 

Appreciate that - just sharing some thoughts off the top of my head.

Leaving any mitigating context aside, I probably can't think of a worse run of opponents.

 

From Gained- "well done silencer keep it up" . This **** is comedy gold!

 

try sven "the german dodger" ottke...

 

Sugar Ray Robinson fought the following 10 men from 49-50

Benny Evans 34-36-5

Charley Dodson 38-39-4

Don Lee 46-17-9

Vern Lester 25-25-12

George LaRover 66-26-6

George Costner 69-10-4

Cliff Beckett 17-15-3

Al Mobley 50-26-5

Aaron Wade 57-14-6

Jean Walzack 44-13-2


I consider this to be worse than Toney's run. You promised to debate and discuss if someone took the time to post another 10 guys to compare to the ones you presented. Well, what do you think? Better or worse?