Top 10 greatest cherrypickers of all time

As cherrypickers, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran (or their management) are not close to being in the class of Pipino Cuevas and his management. Of course, Cuevas was far from being as good as Leonard and Duran, making cherrypicking far more necessary in his case.

- Chuck Johnston

 

But taking on the lesser fighter that gives more money is the very definition of cherry picking. So that's exactly what Zale did.

 

As I said above, Zale giving Graziano a shot instead of several more highly ranked contenders because Graziano was the better risk/reward is cherry picking. Because what is cherry picking if not picking the easier payday over the more deserving challenger?

And for the record, Hopkins at MW was as bad a mention as they come in this context. In fact, I wonder how many champions have struggled like that to get fights with the biggest rivals. That would be McCallum, perhaps.

 

Cherry picking is a sign of superior intelligence.

 

Graziano didn't turned out to be so easy.

A case of "when cherry picking goes wrong".
Larry Holmes had a few of them (Witherspoon, Williams, Spinks.)

 

Yeah, and related to that, there might be an even more valid definition of "cherry picking" than the one Bokaj offers (which I think is valid and useful too.)

Namely, not only to pick the easier fight for the more money, but to actually pick GREAT fighters for MEGA money at the most optimum time ... and maximize the apparent risk while minimizing the actual risk.

 

Having said that, I don't think Sugar Ray Leonard managed that very often.
Lalonde, Hagler to a degree, possibly the timing on the Duran rematch.

 

Margarito was shot when Cotto beat him, although I agree that Cotto would've won the first fight had it not been for...well you know.

What about Floyd fighting Judah coming off a loss before he fought Baldomir?

Nothing wrong with the Hatton fight IMO.

 

Calling someone out and actually physically signing the contract are two seperate things.

James Toney constantly called the Klitsckos out, did he ever sign to fight them? no.

So what if Foreman called out Tyson on TV, that doesnt mean Foreman actually wanted it.

Foremans own words, he said he didnt sign to fight Tyson because he was scared of Don King. He said he'd fight Tyson only if King wasnt invovled (which basically means NEVER).

Right, so its ok for him to call out Tyson, but make no mention of Bowe and Lewis....hmm i wonder why.

Sorry, how old are you? of course Lewis and Bowe were around.

Lewis Knocked out Ruddock in '92 and Bowe won the title the same year.

Foreman was active during that time and made no mention of them

What about Holmes? why did he duck Holmes? Theyre both the same age, whats his excuse there?

 

Didnt Foreman admit he ducked Quarry, didnt Foreman say Thank God i didnt fight Shavers?

Why did Foreman duck Lewis, Bowe, Holmes and others.

Why did Foreman say he would fight Tyson but only if King isnt involved, when he KNEW Tyson and King would never seperate?

Simple, he had no intention of facing Tyson, just pure bravado and chest beating from Foreman.

 

Bowe himself admitted why he and Tyson never fought.

The problem is Foreman DID miss alot of guys in that second career.

Qawi a former LHW
Moorer a former LHW with a suspect jaw
Holyfield a former CW (who up until that pointed hadnt really been tested at HW). I wuldnt be surprised if Foreman thought Holyfield was going to be a pushover.
Morrison another glass jawed joke.
Briggs, a guy whose stamina was worse than Foremans.
Crawford Grimsley (who?)
Schulz, who was robbed against Foreman.

Didnt Foreman drop a belt rather than rematch Schulz
Didnt Foreman drop a belt to avoid Tony Tucker?

No, of course, Foreman is innocent. He never ducked Bowe, Lewis, Holmes at all.

Holmes was willing to get on his hands and knees to fight Foreman, Foreman didnt even want to know.

 

yeah if only Bowe and Lewis were around in '92, then Foreman would have fought them atsch

 

Which is why i always say Lewis is one of the smartest fighters of them all.

 

Wladimir Klithscko is one of the most disgraceful cherry pickers of all time.

He cherry picks guys who fit his style and the guys who don't get fouled , back humped and bear hugged to death.

After his loses to Brewster and Sanders he cherry picked journeymen. Its not like those guys were world beaters that he had to embark on a comeback trail.
If he was a real champ and an authentic great , he would of went straight back in with those two average contenders.

Even as a long time champion he defended his belts against hand picked disgraceful opposition such as Mormeck, Brewster II, Wach, Thompson II, Pianeta and Leapai.