I can't think of a division so steeped in excuses, and no this isn't a modern phenomenon. Almost every time the title has ever changed hands there's been a convenient, built in excuse. Gets quite old, fast.h Willard came into the Dempsey match overweight and hungover from a night of drinking. Johnson "threw" the Willard fight, in his own words he was protecting his eyes from the intense sunlight. Jeffries wasn't 10% the man he used to be against Johnson! Some believe Sharkey threw the Carnera fight, a fighter who supposedly had only a handful of legitimate wins his entire career. :-( George Foreman was poisoned in Zaire! Joe Frazier was shot to pieces when he was blown out by Foreman. I've heard it said that Ali got a blowjob prior to the FOTC that took away his legs. Wladimir was injured against Puritty, poisoned against Brewster! The Lewis/Vitali cut circle jerk of bull****. I don't know if the bigger the fighter is the larger their ego is, but its ridiculous when I think about it.
I believe maybe one of those and that's Jeffries's excuse. The rest I give about as much credibility as Pacquiao's excuse of wearing the wrong socks.
That's harsh, while I do somewhat agree. Being five years off while living the lavished life is going to hurt. But the explanations for some of these excuses are somewhat valid to me. Williard was old and inactive. That means something to me. And Russel, you forgot the Liston and 3 rounds and 3-4 years excuse the press/reporters throw out after Ali "shocked the world" and upset Sonny Liston. Also the "Long Count" With Dempsey vs Tunney. And you get the fan-man in the Bowe vs Holyfield II fight. You get tons of excuses for all fighters/division too. Don't forget that Tyson from 88 to 90 went from invincible to way past it all while being only 24.
Willard was old and rusty, but drunk and overweight? I doubt anyone would spend their night before facing Jack Dempsey drinking and he was almost at peak weight.
No, I've never even heard the drunk excuse. The 3 years and the fact he's 37 years old is the much more viable excuse to me.
