From Unbeaten Beasts to Broken Men. Fighters Who Really were never the same again???

Gerry Cooney after Larry Holmes? Certainly had a decent (albeit padded) record before the fight and was never the same physically or mentally afterwards.

 

I thought he was never the same again after been KO'd the way he was by Foreman...:think

 

Mark Breland was meant to be Robinson and Hearns rolled into one. And although he had a stellar career; post his first defeat to the Magic Man it was clear he was not going to live up to that hype!

Anyone remember Kelcie Banks? He was meant to be the next can't miss American hero, until Reggie Tuur flattened him inside a round (in the Olympics).

Duane Bobick was hyped no end until getting blasted out inside a minute by Kenny Norton, as Bobick was trying to make it 39 and 0 as a pro...

I know some may disagree but I never saw Bomber Graham ever quite make it back to his peak following the first Kalambay defeat.

 

Norton is an example of a fighter who peaked after losing his unbeaten record...

 

Maybe more a collection of over-hyped fighters than ones actually changed by their first loss though (Graham excepted)?

I remember Banks getting the big hype even before the Olympics and then getting flattened by Tuur (who went on to have a decent pro career IIRC).

 

Surprised no-one yet seems to have mentioned

Nigel Benn

He won the fight against Gerlad McCllellan but he was never the same again

The fight drained him mentally emotionally and physically

The real Nigel Benn was left in the ring that night and never returned

 

:huh

Well probably because Benn WON the fight! And already had lost twice in well known bouts prior to going in to the ring that night!

 

Anthony Hembrick (American Captain and gold medal favourite for the 88 Olympics) never got over being flattened by Booker T Word... But really, he did not quite recoverer from missing the bus.

 

Has Rod Douglas been mentioned?

 

Michael Spinks

Never fought again after Tyson steam rolled over him

 

I think most people figured mentioning boxers who had been brain damaged in fights was probably in poor taste (and a bit too obvious)?

 

He was an unbeaten beast

 

:deal excellent answer!!:good

 

I think Cotto is an excellent example.

It was the manner of the defeat - regardless of any unproven allegations over handwraps etc..... because Cotto beat the living daylights out of Margarito and he was still there firing back, and eventually made him submit.

Was a bit gunshy against Jennings, then was gifted the Clottey fight because of a lazy opponent, before showing plenty of stones against Pacquiao in a losing cause.

 

Not exactly in keeping with the thread title, but Bones Adams was never the same after being jobbed against Paulie Ayala. He seemed to fall outta love with the sport and lost interest after that fight.

He was soo underrated btw, Its kills me to see basic, unskilled sluggers get so much publicity and hype when fighters like Bones Adams who was a sweet practitioner, doing what the sport was founded on and he gets ignored.