Who is the most undeserving world heavyweight title challenger?

On 22nd August 1957, Olympic champion Pete Rademacher was given an opportunity to challenge reigning heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in his very first professional fight.

Rademacher stunned the audience by dropping Floyd Patterson in round two. This turned out to be a temporary crest in Pete's career however, with Patterson scoring a KO win in round six.

Is Rademacher the most underserving heavyweight title challenger? Or is there somebody else who deserves that dubious honor?

 

Jose Roman

 

There have been many. Offhand....

Jean Pierre Coopman
Dave Zyglewicz
Al Delaney and Freddie Beshore both lost 3 out of their last 4 before their respective shots
Abe Simon had lost his previous fight before both of his title shots

 

Well some that seemed a joke but went on to win, such as Shannon Briggs, Michael Bentt, Leon Spinks, Andy Ruiz and of course James B Douglas.

 

Eric Molina
Johan Duhaupas
Artur Szpilka
2016 shot version of Chris Arreola
Gerald Washington

2022 Dillian Whyte
2022 Derek Chisora

 

Yeah, Rademacher for me, for reasons that are obvious

 

Bermane Stiverne in the Wilder rematch.
He had only fought once in the past 2,5 years and that was a very close win in which he was dropped by journeyman Derrick Rossy.

And he was mandatory!!!!

 

Johnny Paychek .
From a ringside reporter on Paycheks walk to the ring " I have just seen a ghost walking "
stay safe guys.

 

Tyson Fury.

 

Damon Reed vs Herbie Hide 1998

 

The dude in the crowd (Tim Tomashek) who got a title fight with Tommy Morrison when Morrison's scheduled opponent (Mike Williams) refused to come out and fight, left the arena. Tomashek was a journeyman with an active boxing license who happened to be in the crowd when Williams noped out. He had less than zero business being in the ring with an actual world class fighter, but hey, he was the one other heavyweight in the arena with an active boxing license.

Supposedly, Tomashek was drunk (as he was just there to watch), said something to the effect of "nah, i'm gonna go drink some more" when asked if he'd take the fight, so they offered him $2500, which he took.

 

I know it's almost sacrilegious to say in hindsight given how great of a fight it was, but Mike Weaver challenging Larry Holmes. Weaver was 19-8 with his only significant win coming against Bernardo Mercado, who had already been exposed by the more deserving challenger, John Tate.

Glad it happened though as it's a classic fight and showed how good Weaver really was.

 

Which title did Delaney challenge for?

 

Paychek had lost one of his last 33 fights,[subsequently avenged],and was ranked no6.