He beat Duran which was far beyond what someone of his limited talent should have achieved so he overachieved not wasted his talent. Any other time he stepped up, he was badly beaten.
"Booze and Broads" Du Plooy didn't exactly have the mythical monk-like training discipline of other heavies we discuss. And he tended to lead with his chin.
Red, there was another. Much more obscure but he had legendary status in Mexico during the '50s, named Toluco Lopez. Apparently this bantam really never trained. He got by on his absolute natural ability. Really a party animal from south of the border who was hooked from an early age on an indigenous drink called pulque. He was notorious for showing up either wasted or untrained for a fight. He was actually a top contender during the '50s, but again, he did that on natural ability until it caught up with him. There was a story I once heard against a club-fighter named Willie Parker and Lopez shows up for the fight in dire straights. You've heard the story of getting the s**t beaten out of him? Well he did. After a number of well-placed body blows the pulque hit home and it came running down his leg. He beat Parker good in a rematch but you see where this is going. There is a youtube out there late in his career against Juan Ramirez. The audience cheers their beloved idol until it is apparent he again showed up out of shape and they begin booing and throwing cushions into the ring. The incompetent referee hysterically actually tells them to box on with a canvas filled with cushions (BTW, this is the same incompetent/corrupt referee who stole the title from Armando Muniz in his first title fight with Napoles). Anyways, the fight is stopped and it looks like it is a no-contest but Ramirez wins. Don't know how that comes about. Anyways, Lopez might really have been something if he got his head out of the pulque bottle. Apparently he was dead at 40. I don't know the circumstances.
Wrong, he had bags of talent, but virtually zero application. He only put it together properly in a few fights - Duran being one of them. Other than that, he preferred to party 24-7.
What I always remember about Laing was how he capitalized on his greatest win - by taking a year off. Nothing like striking when the iron is hot.
Cooney Ruddick Dwight Davidson Clint Jackson ( probebly burnt out) Johnny Bumpas ( never lived up to full potential) Alex Ramos ( was supposed to be the star of Duvas young champions stable) Oba Carr ( Seemed destined for a much bigger future) Ike Quartey ( thought he were ould have a much better career. I wouldn't call all of these guys wasted talents. I just felt some of them would have had much more productive careers.