In 1994 when Moorer won the title the fins circling him certainly where a fearsome prospect. There was Lennox Lewis, Oliver McCall, Henry Akiwindae (spelling? Sorry) Riddick Bowe a rematch with Evander Holyfield and even if he could ride it out with some soft touches Mike Tyson wasn’t far away from being let out either. It looked like there really wasn’t much to do other then cash out with Foreman before the inevitable huh? Are there many other doomed champions you can think of? Guys who when they won the title most likely took a big gulp the second they saw the line up of contenders.
Can't think of many quite THAT doomed. At least not at heavyweight. Leon Spinks, maybe? Old Foreman himself?
Can be any weight. About Moorer when I saw who was nipping at his heels I could only imagine that at that point you are just picking your executioner with a roster like that.
Well in 1995 you had Frank Bruno, Bruce Seldon, and Frans Botha as belt holders. Talk about a flock of sheep!
Iran barkley, He ether already lost or went on to lose thuraly to all the big names of mw at the time. wasn't much hope for him.
Leon Spinks is an excellent call. There were even rumors that Floyd Patterson wanted a shot at him. I think one of the mags ran an article, something like “is there anyone in the top 10 who cannot beat Leon Spinks?”
The current Super Flyweight division. Absolute badasses just seem to be coming from every direction down there to bust each other up.
Apart from Bowe and Lewis, none of those fighters would have been favourite to beat Moorer. Then Bowe looked dreadful against Buster Mathis Jr,. and Lewis got beat by McCall. It wasn't the golden age people nowadays make it out to be.
One worries that future boxing fans will believe that the time between Lewis's retirement and Wlad's reign was a golden age as well, due to its apparent competitiveness.
Think of late 78' early 79 when the welter weight champs are watching 3 up and comers like Benitez, Leonard, and Hearns toying with and destroying some of the fighters that gave them an actual tough fight, then that other , guy, tired of fighting lightweights because he literally destroyed the division , also tired of trying to make the weight, on his way up to welterweight. Plus a group of top ten fighters that probably would be champs in this era. Shark infested waters? Nah let's try Megalodon infested waters.
