This guy seemed to have the tools to be a legit contender but it sure didn't turn out that way. Leading up to the pummeling he took from Riddick Bowe he was undefeated as a pro and coming off a very good amateur career which he had victories over Bowe and Lewis. He had size and boxing ability but would go on to get eaten alive by a pissed off and motivated Riddick Bowe. He would follow this by being destroyed by an old Tim Witherspoon and would go on to be beat by a number of other solid journeymen and contenders. Why do you think he wasn't able to cut it as a pro? Do you remember when he was coming up in the pro game? Was there much hype around him? Did many people give him a good shot of beating Riddick and did many think he was a legit contender for the world title?
A great example of the difference between the pro game and amateur game. "Many" no but some thought he would be a stiff challenge to Bowe instead of just a stiff. The guy was a fraud. Carefully maneuvered and fed to Bowe in a hype fight. Bowe was motivated but even a fat Bowe would of destroyed him, he had absolutely no defense to block a right hand. Same reason Witherspoon destroyed him. No guard, no head movement and slow feet. Guy just wasn't very good. Bowe just happened to be first to expose him.
This ******* was all talk no walk... I only wish Tommy Morrison could have gotten him in the ring in 94-95, Gonzalez was vulnerable to left hooks, Morrison would have beaten him to a bloody pulp..
It's not suprising that some couldn't handle the transition not just from amateur to professional boxing, but from Castro's communist Cuba to the free world, especially considering Gonazlez's circumstance. He was highly hailed and courted after defecting in Finland. IIRC, he ended up with a deal with the MGM Grand where he was given a penthouse in which to live and probably free run to do anything he wanted or run up any expense imaginable on the hotel's bill. So he goes from Third World to Viva Las Vegas overnight. Hard to get a guy like that, especially one as overconfident and pompous as JLG, to properly train and listen to trainers who might have been helpful in him ad******g to the pro game. I think he looked around and said to himself, "I've already whipped Bowe and Lewis, the world is my oyster now, why should I listen to these fools and why shouldn't I have as much fun as I want?" We all saw the results.
And he was about the last guy to get that big $$$ exclusive casino contract. You sure have not seen other casino's doing much of that, let alone for big bucks. The powers that be don't miss big mistakes and suffer big dollar losses. what they don't do is try following in those same footsteps with their money.
HE turned pro too late and didn't make the right adjustments. His jab and outboxing was good but his defence and inside game very weak. His punch seemed to be more about point scoring than doing damage. He didn't have the right fights to get him ready for Bowe and was thrown in too quickly after that loss to Witherspoon. With the right adjustments he could have been so much more successful but that's boxing.
Disagree. First off, you have to listen to a trainer. And obey. And think in the ring. Holding his hands up wouldn't have been a bad idea either. Maybe throw a straight punch and how about bringing his hands back to their proper position after throwing?
Ive read on ESB he was avoided as a pro, perhaps due to his amateur pedigree. A noteworth performance from Bowe, Jesus Christ did he beat him.
The first time I saw him fight was on the undercard of Holyfield vs Bowe II. He faced the aged Renaldo Snipes that evening. From the start I didn't like the way he taunted Snipes and the poor sportsman ship he showed. In fact my friends and I were hoping Snipes would pull a trick out of his sleeve and upset him. But sadly Mr. Snipes got pummeled. The next time I saw him was against Tim Witherspoon in which he got battered early. That was the end of my interest in him.
big bully who looked like a monster but folded when tested, he was the type of guy that made a guy look good knocking him out
He talked a lot of **** prior to that Bowe fight. And that was one fight I cheered for Riddick, to get revenge for the JLG's beatdown of Snipes. You really can't be a total ****ing slob and win the championship. The guy devolved after the amateurs, ate like a pig, drank and smoked.