ATG's/Greats that suffered losses against far lesser opposition

Monzon pre-title reign losses

 

True. Makes Robinson's record even more remarkable.

 

A friendly advice. If you post things just to **** on a fighter you don't like, you won't be long here.

 

Ezzard Charles losing to Kid Turnero in his hometown in 1942.

Ezzard was 7 years away from becoming champion and nowhere near his peak but he had just destroyed former World light-heavyweight champion (lost his crown just 6 months before) Anton Christorfordis in 3 rounds, beat former middleweight titilst Teddy Yarosz and in his next 2 fights would beat the incredible (though smaller) Charley Burley twice.

Though Kid Turnero was a quality fighter it´s still surprisingly that the lost to his 13 year veteran whose best days seemed behind him (fought for the World crown 7 years previously).

 

Dempsey and Langford losing to Willie Meehan.

 

Tyson losing to Williams and McBride.

 

Shane Mosley losing to Vernon Forrest. Styles make fights. Forrest was well below the quality of Mosley. But had Mosley's number.

 

All the ones that fought extreme schedules.

 

I wouldn't say Vernon was well below Shane. There was a time when he was the best amateur fighter in the country in a time when the US program was loaded. It's not like Forrest caught Mosley with a lucky punch. He completely dominated him in the first fight. Vernon was a really good fighter before he blew out his shoulder and Mayorga was way below both of them.

 

Mayorga was deceptively good for a short time. He manhandled Six Heads and only lost by about a point to Spinks. I agree though.

 

I will say this about Mayorga. He did the most with his ability and fought to his strength which was his strength. He was awkward, tough and hit like a truck. A tough opponent for anyone at 147.

 

Erik Morales losing to Zahir Raheem. He’d beaten Manny the fight before. With hindsight you can say it was the beginning of his descent but at the time, it came out of the blue and just seemed like an arbitrary performance.

 

Wihile not an ATG, Turpin was nr. 1 contender so pretty much the best out there at the time.

 

OK. Here is a cat for your pigeons. Ali losing to, and struggling with, Frazier...and Norton. Ali's record is incredible and he is, in my opinion, head and shoulders above both of those fighters. Conversely, his wins over both men consolidate his record, but they were not on the same plane as him. Ali beat Liston, Patterson. Frazier, Norton, Foreman all of whom could be legitimately called ATGs. Frazier and Norton simply do the have the depth to their resumes that he does. Neither does Foreman, his wins over Frazier and Kenny being head and shoulders his best. I always cite Frazier and Norton, Foreman and Ali as a wonderful way to illustrate styles make fights. On paper, Norton is the 'least' of the four yet arguably gave the greatest the most trouble. Frazier is the best of the triumvirate of competitors in my opinion but was walloped by George. Twice. Who walloped Norton. Who may have 'beaten' Ali three times. Ali is, for me, a significantly better boxer than them all, yet two of them beat him and beat him well.

One could also argue that from a contemporary angle, Ali beating Foreman was an example of a fighter considered 'unbeatable' being beaten by someone who many thought shouldn't even be on the same side of the world as them. There were genuine fears for Ali's health before that fight, yet the result is there for all to see....

 

Arguello last L and his early losses