What boxers had the "wasted potential" or "If only..." careers?

Well, obvious one for me is the Gman say what you want about what kind of man Gearld was but he was on route to greatness, he was an uncommon man in the sense he was so dedicated to violence, prolific anger and despair yet without abusing drugs or alcohol he was noted to pray constantly and actually never was known to slack off in the gym, the man was dedicated to violence... in and out of the ring...

 

Michael Watson was a great fighter H2H when he made weight right. If he maintained the form he had in Eubank II at super-middleweight he'd have been one of the very best ever. I can only see a few guys beating that verison and it's the highest of the highest level of fighters like Jones, Toney, Calzaghe and Ward. Such a shame the injury that suffered, a real blow for boixng fans. And I'm sure it wasn't great for him, either.

 

James Toney. More dedication. Not eating himself out of so many weight divisions.

 

Ramos sparred with him and thought highly of him and Shuler. Though it seemed like he rated Shuler ahead of him. I think Mays could have been a top 5, 3 contender, but I think his chances of beating Hagler are lesser than Ramos, Shuler, Davidson, and probably Czyz.

 

By some accounts he was an alcoholic in his mid to late teens. Not saying he would of beaten Hagler but i feel like people who worked with him thought his ceiling was pretty high and he didnt get anywhere near it.

 

AGREE 100%,

Michael Watson Was for "Keeps".

 

Meldrick Taylor. Even after his first loss to Chavez was able to gain a belt at 147 but couldn't keep the desire. Not sure if desire is the word but Chavez took a lot out of him.

David Reid. Similar to Taylor above. Trinidad ruined him but for a guy with a lazy eyelid that never got better even after major surgeries, he might've hit the ceiling anyways.

 

Ike Ibeabuchi

Who knows how good he could have been

 

Kiyoshi Tanabe, a fairly obvious one but his eye injury forced him to retire just as he was about to get a world title fight against a man he stopped. Had just started working with Eddie Townsend and seemed set for huge things.

 

He had 295 amateur bouts and was sparring 12 rounds every other day during camps. I honestly don’t know why any trainer or any other guys in the camp would allow this.

 

I always saw Ali’s suspension as a blessing in disguise. We really don’t know what type of punishment he would’ve been taking during those years. He could’ve potentially been damaged goods a lot earlier and not have had his legendary bouts with Frazier, Norton, Foreman, Lyle, Shavers, etc

 

In all honesty, probably didn't. Same with Dwight Davidson, another Detroit guy.

 

It's actually spelt alcoholican

 

Seriously to many to name.
Think about this one a minute.....
What IF Howard Davis Jr could punch
A little better.