Fighters with the biggest post-career reputation boosts?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mrkoolkevin, Apr 22, 2019.

Page 1 of 7
  1. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2014
    Messages:
    18,440
    Likes Received:
    9,575
    Should be self-explanatory. Looking for the best examples of fighters who, rightly or wrongly, came to be thought of far more highly after they retired than during their careers.

    For example, Schmeling and Walcott seem like two of the best examples at heavyweight.
     
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 22, 2019
    #1
    Bokaj likes this.
  2. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2018
    Messages:
    4,899
    Likes Received:
    7,574
    Muhammad Ali
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Apr 22, 2019
    #2
    JunlongXiFan, HolDat, InMemoryofJakeLamotta and 2 others like this.
  3. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2019
    Messages:
    27,131
    Likes Received:
    44,895
    Yes, but because he was vastly underrated when he was fighting
     
    George Crowcroft, Apr 22, 2019
    #3
    JunlongXiFan, Thread Stealer, HolDat and 7 others like this.
  4. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2019
    Messages:
    27,131
    Likes Received:
    44,895
    Wladimir Klitschko
     
    George Crowcroft, Apr 22, 2019
    #4
    JunlongXiFan, Smokin Bert, HolDat and 6 others like this.
  5. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2018
    Messages:
    4,899
    Likes Received:
    7,574
    I think it's less that Wlad was underrated and moreso that nobody cared about boxing during his reign and, therefore, didn't know who he was
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Apr 22, 2019
    #5
    JunlongXiFan, Gatekeeper, Richard M Murrieta and 3 others like this.
  6. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2019
    Messages:
    27,131
    Likes Received:
    44,895
    I think his beast performance against AJ had a lot more people (myself included) reading into him
     
    George Crowcroft, Apr 22, 2019
    #6
    Contro, escudo, Richard M Murrieta and 2 others like this.
  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,940
    Likes Received:
    47,978
    Ezzard Charles has the biggest enhancement I can think of. Lots of people seemed really displeased with him as HW champ and Europe even tried to usurp him. I also don't think he was seen as GOAT material at LHW in his own time, and he's almost become one of two default choices now.
     
    McGrain, Apr 22, 2019
    #7
    JunlongXiFan, HolDat, Clinton and 20 others like this.
  8. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2014
    Messages:
    24,639
    Likes Received:
    18,433
    Lennox Lewis, without question.

    During his career, he was routinely badmouthed. Hell, in his final interview after his last fight, against Vitali Klitschko, Larry Merchant was giving him a hard time. I first joined boxing message boards during Lennox Lewis' reign, and people rarely had a kind word to say about him. I remember arguing with people who insisted Lewis had no chin and was BORING. You can count the number of "boring" Lennox Lewis fights on a couple fingers.

    Now, most have Lennox among the top heavyweights ever.
     
    Dubblechin, Apr 22, 2019
    #8
    ideafix12, JunlongXiFan, mrkoolkevin and 22 others like this.
  9. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    Messages:
    10,360
    Likes Received:
    12,683
    Sonny Liston - throughout his career I believe he was known as a goon/shady/tank artist whose age and death would always be cloaked in mystery. But I think today his career is looked at as a whole and people see during his prime years ('58-'60) he was one scary fighter.
     
    scartissue, Apr 22, 2019
    #9
    George Crowcroft, Clinton, Richard M Murrieta and 1 other person like this.
  10. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,940
    Likes Received:
    47,978
    That's a question of geography, that one.

    In the UK (not sure about the rest of Europe tbf) he was regarded as a lock, though it took time.
     
    McGrain, Apr 22, 2019
    #10
    Clinton and George Crowcroft like this.
  11. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2015
    Messages:
    10,183
    Likes Received:
    19,426
    Harry Greb

    Faded away and was virtually unknown 20 - 30 years ago.

    Now he's back in his position as the best baby.
     
    roughdiamond, Apr 22, 2019
    #11
    JunlongXiFan, Sooncreate3, HolDat and 9 others like this.
  12. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2014
    Messages:
    18,440
    Likes Received:
    9,575
    How so? He was certainly already considered a top-level ATG well before 1981.
     
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 22, 2019
    #12
    swagdelfadeel and JC40 like this.
  13. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2006
    Messages:
    97,722
    Likes Received:
    29,070
    Walcott ,Charles.Neither were highly thought of as heavyweights when they were fighting.
     
    mcvey, Apr 22, 2019
    #13
    Clinton, InMemoryofJakeLamotta, George Crowcroft and 4 others like this.
  14. AwardedSteak863

    AwardedSteak863 Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2018
    Messages:
    6,057
    Likes Received:
    11,249
    Calzaghe comes to mind. A lot people called him a protected paper champ for most of his career but after beating Lacy, Kessler, Hopkins and Jones at the end of his career he rightfully got his respect.
     
    AwardedSteak863, Apr 22, 2019
    #14
    Clinton, Gatekeeper, BitPlayerVesti and 1 other person like this.
  15. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2014
    Messages:
    18,440
    Likes Received:
    9,575
    Not sure that this counts, since this was a more or less instant reaction to what eventually turned out to be his last fight (so far), months before he announced his retirement.
     
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 22, 2019
    #15
    George Crowcroft likes this.
Page 1 of 7