Was just looking at a couple of heavyweight records from the last 20 years, and it seems strange that guys like Gary Mason retired with a 37-1 record and 90% KO rate, but didn't fight more top level opposition. Ditto for people like Akinwande. Don't they feel they missed out by not challenging themselves more against the best? Someone like Bute is in danger of this as well, Calzaghe suffered from it and only realized too late, fighting washed up versions of Hopkins and Jones instead of the epic clashes they could have had in their primes. You only live once and I can't help but think they will regret the missed chances later in life, along with the fans who missed some potentially brilliant fights.
Bute still has time, he can still get some good fights from the super six guys when its all done....even though having him in there would make it even better. As for Akinwande, I guess his dreadful display against Lewis didn't do him any favours. I know what you mean though, it makes you wonder why fighters didn't seek out better fights throughout their career....I guess it's down to management most of the time!
Gary Mason was managed by Terry Lawless, who did a similar job with Frank Bruno, importing an overly long line of no-hopers for Mason (and Bruno) to beat up. Mason was tested by Mark Wills and Everett Martin, fights he struggled in. He retired due to re-occuring eye injury.
because it was supposed to have 3 americans and 3 europeans and they replaced an american (taylor) with an american. i do agree with you but it would have been 4 europeans to 2 americans the way you suggest.
That's basically it... Lawless also managed Horace Notice who retired after only 16 pro fights and for the same reason as Mason, a torn retina or something. He pretty much fought the same crap opposition. Bruno was a step higher than both though, and in all fairness fought and beat a few decent opponents.
Notice showed himself clearly second only to Bruno in Britain at Heavyweight and also beat future Cruiserweight title holder Wamba. As a man barely weighing more than 200-205 Notice showed potential, but probably that meant shedding the pounds to make Cruiserweight, had it not been for that eye injury. Notice, I believe would of been favoured to beat Mason, and I suspect probably would of won a decision.
Assuming of course that he could take a true heavy weight punch.. He did face Proud Kilamanjaro, who could certainly bang, but didn't have the skill to manifest his power much. We also have to factor into the equation that Notice was already around 31 or 32 years old when he left the sport in 1988, and still only having 16 fights... So I don't know how much room for growth he really had left.
He should've been there instead of Taylor ... but then Taylor was 1 of the 3 Americans(3vs3). He could've got in the s6 instead of Froch only because Kessler was "The Man" in many eyes and Abraham was probably a condition so MK would participate. The 3 Americans was a must for the US public they prob wanted even more but no american fighter was holding a belt so the 2 champions ( especially "The Man") was a must to for the tourney to be credible . So they had to choose between Froch and Bute.They say they chose Froch because Bute was more expensive ...but who knows for real.
But Mason was considered such a novice, whilst Notice did show a bit of class. I got to see him fight Waters and he was impressive (although Duke McKenzie should been main eventing against Sot Chitalada, and I missed out on seeing Benn, who was fighting on another card that night. A card that I blew out just to see the brilliant Thai), if a bit small, but it seemed he was a class above Mason at that stage. Everyone I knew had the three Lawless Heavies Bruno, Notice, Mason...
