Fighters who overcame serious disabilities or illneses to win at a world level

Craig Bodzianowski got a shot at the WBA cruiserweight title after recovering from a car crash wehere he lost part of his leg.

Harry Greb fought with sight in only one eye.

 

Willie Pep after that plane crash of couse.

 

Although he didn't win Frazier put up an amazing fight against Ali in Manila even though he was basically blind in one eye and was suffering from arthritis. Also Langford fought for a while including beating Tiger Flowers despite being almost totally blind.

 

Gans is other name that complete with Tubercolosis.

 

I think his steroid use caused that "heart irregularity", along with the rubber match with Bowe when he suffered from HGH-itis.

 

Nelson Tarleton won multiple Lonsdale Belts despite having only one functioning lung, after having contracted TB as a kid. Nel's final record was 116W (KO 41) 20L 8D. Despite having one functioning lung, Nella went 15 rounds fifty times in a professional career that lasted nearly twenty years.

 

****ing fair play.

 

Vinny Pazienza, was in a horrible car wreck in the early 90's. His doctors and surgeons told him that he was never going to fight again. One of them even told Vinny with tears in eyes. Paz, was going around for months with a cage like neck brace, which had screws going into his head. Sure enough though, he returned to the ring, and actually made a pretty good comeback run.

Paz was one tough S.O.B

 

Eugene Criqui was shot in the face during WW 1. He had his jaw reconstructed with wire and a metal plate. He went on to win the world featherweight title.

 

azumah nelson overcame malaria!!!

to beat the great jeff fenech and retain the title in the rematch and retake the title from gabriel ruelas.


an honorable mention is david reid who over came a very droopy eyelid injury that close his eye im guessing at least 30% to become a gold medalist and a world champion.

 

Well I rate him because of his victories despite his disabilites, you are too cynical.

 

Nice to see a mention for one of Liverpool's (and Britain's) great fighters. Nel was regarded as one of the sweetest boxers in our history, the heir to Jem Driscoll. He was never stopped either if memory serves me correctly. He was also scheduled to fight Pep before Willie's plane crash. :bbb :good

 

Jose Hernandez: Deaf and dumb mute, robbed in his title try vs Carmello Bossi. The infamous one where one judge scoed every round even. :huh

 

Was Eugene Hairston completely deaf???? or am i thinking of someone else from that era