Fighters who had their finest hour in losing efforts

Definitly.

The rest are great picks. But the one in bold (you explained it later) but I think Rosario looked flawless in the early going against Ramirez in the rematch.

I thought Valdez did better in the first Monzon fight.

Wasnt a losing effort.

 

Here's a minor one.

Sergio Mora vs. Peter Manfredo Jr. II. It was a follow up to The Contender series and I specifically remember this headlining match. Last time Mora out-hustled Manfredo and got a close decision. This time, Manfredo was doing everything he needed to look victorious and when the sequel went to the cards, a gift (split decision) for Mora! Manfredo looked like he put on one hell of a winning effort, and Mora never looked more undeserving. I remember catching this at a party at college in the living room/beer pong area and the guys that were watching were booing Mora at the end. I thought Manfredo looked excellent (to his ability) and deserving of a W.

 

True enough, but he sure didn't win















































Somehow :roll:

 

..i haven't read all of the pages here....but the finest hour in defeat was used by a lot of sports writers about charles in the first marciano fight, which always ticked me off.....because if it had been charles' finest hour he would have won,,,

 

old Roberto against top 3 MW Hagler he may have even won that loool

 

Good thread :
Reggie Johnson vs. James Toney
James Toney vs. Sam Peter
Orlin Norris in "losing" to Tucker in their first fight
Jameel McCline in "losing" to Sam Peter
Sultan Ibragimov in losing to Wladimir Klitschko
Tua in "losing" to Ibeabuchi
I could add many more if I bothered

 

Mora has a W over Vernon Forrest...

 

I'm of the mind that despite the injury (especially so considering the injury, in fact - but even independent of it) Cerdan performed quite well against LaMotta. I remember having it closer than most leading up to the retirement (still with the Bull ahead, but not by the huge margin some give him).

To me it's like almost like a middleweight foreshadowing of Lewis-Klitschko.

 

Hearns had many great times winning against many top greats, but his fight with Hagler and Leonard did not diminish him like it could have. But to be honest to give him credit, he came back and kept winning which made those fights look like blips in his career. Had they started Tommy on losing streaks then maybe they would have looked worse. But he went on to bigger and better after those losses.