Prospects that looked great but failed badly in their careers

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Unique Way, Jan 18, 2025.


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  1. Unique Way

    Unique Way Active Member Full Member

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    I have to say Moses Itauma looks fantastic for his age. His opposition wasn't great, his stamina and chin weren't tested at all at the pro ranks, but purely on the eye test he looks absolutely incredible - technique, balance, ring IQ, speed, power. Seems he has it all. However, there were some other guys in boxing history that looked great at the similar stages ot their career but failed badly once they stepped up. I'm not talking about guys like Michael Grant or David Price, no. First signs of Price being uncomfortable under pressure have appeared against ancient Matt Skelton. He stopped him in round 2 but looked weirdly uncomfortable until that. And Michael Grant wasn't exposed by Golota - he look very unimpressive against Al Cole, Obed Sullivan, Lionel Butler, Ray Anis. He didn't look bad but he has shown nothing in those fights to be considered a future HW star.

    So, I'm not talking about the guys who looked vulnerable way before they were exposed. I'm talking about the guys like Panchito Bojado, who looked like: "Wow! This is future star for sure!"

    What the other examples of the guys who looked extremely promising but were exposed the way Bojado was?
     
    Unique Way, Jan 18, 2025
    Unique Way, Jan 18, 2025
    #1
  2. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Comes up every couple of months, and every time I say my biggest disappointment was Andrew Maynard. Gold medalist...power puncher....mad volume...turned out to have a weak chin and Leonard ruined his style.
     
    catchwtboxing, Jan 18, 2025
    catchwtboxing, Jan 18, 2025
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  3. Ice8Cold

    Ice8Cold Still raging that we didnt see Bowe V Lewis Full Member

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    Tommy Morrison had a lot of hype and promise as well, people had very high expectations for him. He did become a champion but he didn't live up to many people's expectations. Morrison looked great on the eye test as he was coming up the ranks.

    Adrian Broner too. Audley Harrison.
     
    Ice8Cold, Jan 18, 2025
    Ice8Cold, Jan 18, 2025
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  4. Bronze Tiger

    Bronze Tiger Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Andre Direll…I will always believe that he could have beaten Andre Ward…styles makes fight
     
    Bronze Tiger, Jan 18, 2025
    Bronze Tiger, Jan 18, 2025
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  5. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Before the Thompson fights, I thought David Price would go on to become the best HW in the world.
     
    Greg Price99, Jan 18, 2025
    Greg Price99, Jan 18, 2025
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  6. Eddie Ezzard

    Eddie Ezzard Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Engels Pedroza.
     
    Eddie Ezzard, Jan 18, 2025
    Eddie Ezzard, Jan 18, 2025
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  7. drenlou

    drenlou VIP Member Full Member

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    Silver Medalist Ricardo Williams looked to be the goods, until he ran into an unknown fighter named Pollo Valenzuela. That one loss offset his whole career.
     
    drenlou, Jan 18, 2025
    drenlou, Jan 18, 2025
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  8. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    You and I both, brother.

    I fell hard for that dude. And then he fell hard, over and over again.
     
    Seamus, Jan 18, 2025
    Seamus, Jan 18, 2025
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  9. Noel857

    Noel857 I Am Duran Full Member

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    From the UK
    Errol Christie
    George Collins
     
    Noel857, Jan 18, 2025
    Noel857, Jan 18, 2025
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  10. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Does anyone remember Gerry Cooney? It wasn't so much that he was exposed against Holmes. He put up a good fight considering who he was in against and the age/experience difference. But then he fell apart mentally and his career was essentially over.

    Another big white heavy that comes to mind is Fred Fulton, who was tearing through the ranks in Dempsey-like fashion including an emphatic win over Sam Langford.... and then Jack Dempsey found that spot on Fred's chin, and the spot just kept getting bigger.
     
    Seamus, Jan 18, 2025
    Seamus, Jan 18, 2025
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  11. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    This content is protected
     
    McGrain, Jan 18, 2025
    McGrain, Jan 18, 2025
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  12. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Fulton is an ATG and was only not champion because of WW1.
     
    HistoryZero26, Jan 18, 2025
    HistoryZero26, Jan 18, 2025
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  13. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

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    I thought Audley Harrison had it all when he turned pro ... skills, talent, personality, Olympic gold. I was convinced he was gonna be the successor to Lennox Lewis.
    He never seemed to adapt his amateur skills to the pro game and, perhaps, lacked meanness in the ring. The higher level he fought the more his deficiencies began to show.
     
    KO_King, Jan 18, 2025
    KO_King, Jan 18, 2025
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  14. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It's a shame we never got that fight.
     
    Bokaj, Jan 18, 2025
    Bokaj, Jan 18, 2025
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  15. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Again, some people have a really low bar for All Time Great. He was a dangerous fighter who got exposed by the top level of heavies.
     
    Seamus, Jan 18, 2025
    Seamus, Jan 18, 2025
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