Boxers you used to dislike but have grown to like?

Mayweather. Always wanted to see him lose. But came to love him.

 

Liam Wilson I thought he was pretty disrespectful when he first turned pro and a bit entitled on the Aussie scene but he won my respect in the Navarrette fight.

 

Jake ''El Gallo de Dorado'' Paul

His clever slipping and moving against Joshua and his CHIN won me over...a very brave brave young man.

 

Same I'm honestly rooting for him against Manny and Tyson lol never thought I would've said that 10 years ago. General public treat those two like saints, at least Floyd kind of knows he's a dick

 

I always separated the man (an arrogant asshat) from the fighter (a consummate professional of the highest order, a generational talent, ALWAYS showed up at his best ready to win).

always wished the man matched the fighter.

 

Larry Holmes. Definitely.

I always seemed to root for him to lose ... beginning with the first Shavers fight and all through his reign.

I was thrilled when Michael Spinks finally beat him. And I didn't even care for him during his initial comeback.

I thought he was just trying to mimic George Foreman's run.

But Larry won me over when he upset Ray Mercer and wept in the ring after receiving the verdict.

After that, I rooted for him to beat Holyfield, McCall, and all the others.

I always respected his accomplishments and his winning streak as champion.

But, personality-wise, I didn't care for him.

I guess when he showed how much the Mercer win meant to him, a switch flipped in my head. And I could see things more from his perspective. Then, looking back, none of the things he did on the way up or as champ really seemed all that bad.

 

Naseem Hamed
Used to hate his arrogance but now really appreciate the excitemant he brought to boxing

 

Eubank Snr for me.

 

Tyson Fury, because unlike guys here I only discovered boxing a few years ago.
I hated him for pretending to be the greatest ever and at the same time ducking Usyk.
Now I find him likeable and kinda funny, I understand that it's a man struggling with himself like most of us

 

David Benavidez.

I thought he was using his size advantage at 168 and bullying smaller supper middleweights.

But now he's challenging his own match at cruiserweight and he's proven he's not just a size bully.

 

Yes. I was very young when he came onto the scene and thought he was an arrogant asshat. I forget who it was, but he went to Germany I think, somewhere in Europe, to flatten this great new hope. The whole stadium was booing and jeering him, and he just strutted around like a peacock. The penny dropped, and I utterly respected him from that moment on.

 

Herol Graham

Didn´t like his style, too much pushing and his nickname of the "Bomber" seemed like a joke.

So happy when Kalambay beat him and then McCallum.

I started to change with the Jackson ko and then losing to strong but crude Frant Grant.

Got fully behind his comeback, especially beating undefeated prospect Chris Johnson and then Vinny Pazienza.

Gutted when he lost while still slightly ahead vs Charles Brewer.

Read his biography and saw what a top bloke he is.