What the title say. Any fighters you changed your opinion on drastically over the course of a few fights? Can be a positive one or negative if you'd like.
Many. Liston I constantly change my mind on. But the biggest negative changes since joining this board were Dempsey and Jack Johnson.
D1ck Tiger has dropped stock for me - He isn’t what I used to think he was. Gene Tunney is so much better than I used to think he was.
I used to rate Monzón higher, today I have no doubt that Hagler was better than him and, if I am in a mood where I don´t give a **** about what others think, I will say even Hopkins was..
Ezzard Charles. Went from zero to number 1 in my book all time. The board drastically changed my mind on Liston as well. I keep bouncing back and forth with Dempsey
I think Lewis just doesn't have the sort of "presence" of a champion or something (?), it's definitely something intangible. Cause he was great, he looked great, and even if you watch him, you still might not get it, I know I definitely didn't the first time. I think he's an all time great and up at the top both legacy wise and head to head, but there's just something about him that makes it hard for you to really accept it.
When I was young I bought into Georges Carpentier being a great Lhvy ,as I leaned more about him I realized I had severely overated him. I have also down graded Marcel Cerdan significantly over the years, his resume just doesn't warrant top rating imo. ditto Jim Corbett. Marciano and Frazier were once in my top ten but, with the advent of Lewis,Holyfield, and Tyson,they are both now outside it. As a youngster ,I though Ezzard Charles was just a so so heavyweight delving into his record and the records of those he beat,it became clear to me he is an ATP4P Great.
Like most boxing fans, when I was young I tended to love the big hitters. Foreman. Shavers. Gomez. Zarate. Cuevas. It took awhile, but once past those teenage years---and talking to the old guys at fights with those guys----then I started to comprehend the flaws they had. And to appreciate more just what the boxers were doing in there. Started paying attention to details, even subtle ones, instead of punching power as the be all and end all.
I was a big Shakur Stevenson fan for a while but have since seen the errors of my ways. Used to have a big Marciano soft spot but am now pretty apathetic towards him. Was a bit of a Chavez hater but I've come to accept him.
Personality, not ability wise? Carlos Monzon. I used to be a big fan. Then I found out what a murderous psychopath he was. Fantastic fighter though.
I've gone back-n-forth on LaMotta a few times - sometimes I think he deserves a rating among the ATG MWs, other times I think he's something of an overachiever w/ a deceiving record. Funny enough, I've actually come to feel Cuevas is underrated. Maybe he doesn't rank among the greats at his weight, but I think he beats most other WWs who fall shy of greatness themselves.
