:dealagreed and part of zoo was the fact that, when the going got tough and he couldn't dominate (as he did with tackie) or knock out (phillips) an opponent, he didn't have the same skill set. hatton threw him way off and he never let kosta get back on track that said, i think a few years earlier it would have gone the way of arguello/pryor 1...except this time when the thunderous rights land, hatton would stay down
Harry Greb when he lost the title to Tiger Flowers. Tony Canzoneri when he lost the lightweight title to Barney Ross. Barney Ross when he lost to McLarnin. Willie Pep when he lost to Saddler. Ray Robinson when he lost to Turpin.
greb was half blind though and well past prime against tiger ross is a good one robinson was always a better welter and past prime after 120+ fights
Well, a lot of people thought Greb was robbed so he must have been quite good. And he was whipping everyone else still, including Walker just 7 months earlier. Yeah, it's true he was half blind and past his best, but he still might have been one of the "best ever to be beaten for his title". That's just how good Harry Greb was. It's hard to believe, but apparently he was all that.
can't argue. i mean, he was half blind for a LOT of his career and it is too easy to dismiss him and say "half blind". he was still better at that phase than 99.9% of middleweights ever
Terry McGovern should be mentioned. Riding as high as you could get, when he took the fall. No significant indications that he was lost mentaly, though he arguably was.
Past prime perhaps but Jofre by Harada could be considered. Leonard loss to duran was probably the 1st one to spring to mind but has already been mentioned. Napoles against Backus deserves a mention but if Napoles was at his best at 147 is up for debate