which fighter(s) made you a boxing fan?

tyson baptized me, klitsckos expanded it, and rjj completed it

 

Roy Jones Jr. with his performance against Tony Thornton. That unbelievable barrage of punches that made the ref stopping the fight made me not only a RJJ-fan but a fan of boxing in general too.

 

Charlie Zelenoff made me a boxing fan

 

Jeff Fenech.

 

Ali

 

Tyson and Kosta.

 

I boxed in PAL from the time I was 10, so I've always liked it from an athletic and competetive standpoint.

Fan? Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler (I'm from right near Indianapolis), Mike Tyson, Pernell Whitaker

 

I'll get alot of flack for this but, Rocky Balboa was the one who started it all for me. Though fictional, he was a huge influence.

After that, other than my grandfather's stories of him having an exhibition with Billy Conn during WW2 and my dad's friend was a Toughman champ, I'd have to say as a kid I followed George Foreman's comeback closely, as well as Duran, though he was now approaching his 40's.

Pazienza was a favorite in the household as well. I remember also when Buster Douglas beat Tyson, and it was on the news here in Ohio that in Columbus they had a parade in his honor and called it 'Buster Douglas Day'.

When I was seven, I won a 'Arnolds Fitness For Kids' contest, and not only got to see the Terminator, but Evander Holyfield as well.

But, for me, I was more into the old time fighters, because I was raised on the talk of ''Oh bull****! Duran at his best would beat De La Hoya! Oscar is too much of a pretty boy!" or "Watch this son! Big George is gonna knock this guy out!", as if it was living proof that guys from the 1960's and 70's were superior still to the guys today.

 

I didn't really become a huge boxing fan until Joe Frazier. So, Joe Frazier is the guy.

 

Gee, what an original reply.

 

Duran, leanord, Hearns, Hagler, Benitez, Gomez, Arguello, Mancini, Rosario, Chavez Camacho, Tyson, The Cooney vs Holmes Heavyweight Battle

these where the guys as I was coming up,,,,no bull**** they fought the best and fights were made.....

many a Saturday afternoon with my Pops and moms Uncle watching Arguello in another masterpiece takeing a guy out on CBS Wide World of Sports for free!!!!!

 

For me certainly the Klitschkos (Vitaly-Hide, Wladimir-Barret), Lennox Lewis and Roy Jones Jr. played a huge role. Also Felix Trinidad.