The ‘When was Walcott’s prime’ thread got me thinking about guys who came into their own past mid-career, who took a quantum leap when others are usually in decline. I’m not really including guys like Duran and Archie Moore, who sustained greatness (albeit especially in Duran’s case with a degree of inconsistency), but fighters who really rounded themselves into champions or high-level contention after being less than that previously. Here are a few who come to mind: Jersey Joe, of course. Jimmy Ellis, who had been at best a pretty good middleweight who found himself on the cusp of being in the top tier of heavyweights in a fairly deep era. Floyd Patterson, who really rejuvenated himself in his ‘second career’ after losing twice to Liston. I realize he was great before, but he somehow became a different, more sturdy guy after hitting rock bottom. Mike “Hercules” Weaver, who was a journeyman before testing Holmes and then rising to a new stature after that coming-out party. Big men mature later, so obviously a lot of heavyweights there. Some others: James Scott, who blossomed in prison with a run that saw him beat Eddie Gregory (he become Mustafa Muhammad a bit later) and Yaqui Lopez, among others. Saoul Mamby was pretty close to a win-one/lose-one guy until he hit about age 30, 10 years into his career, then became a champion and went on a tear. Even after he dropped the belt and started losing more, he was ultra competitive with top guys for years after. Who else belongs on this list?
Floyd Mayweather, imo, was at his best in his early-mid 30s Ron Lyle deserves a mention Bernard Hopkins is the poster boy for "age like wine"
Norton and Weaver followed a very similar path to me. Both lacked some confidence and direction early imo and for Weaver in particular dedication. Norton found his way thru a motivational book and ironically planted the seed in Weaver's head that he could be a very good heavyweight if he dedicated himself more. Not much later Weaver knocked a guy out in the gym that had never been knocked out in a fight (and only by Foreman in the gym) and hence was noticed by Don Manuel as it was his guy he had pole axed. It was all up and up for Weaver from there.
Dennis Andres.Was getting on and had been a pro for years when he went to the Kronk gym .Didn't do to bad did he !.
I thought he was underrated. People called him a bad fighter and all this, and he beat Czyz and other guys and was champ at 175 3 times. Not a great fighter, but not bad. As for late bloomers. Patience and having a little power as an equalizer for getting older can help. And handpicking a little as Hopkins did.
D*ck Tiger was essentially a domestic, maybe Euro-level (at best) operator until he hit his thirties. After trying to kick-start his career in the UK he lost his first four fights in a row, for example. But eventually he put together a record which makes him one of the two greatest African fighters of all time, probably behind only Nelson. Easy to forget that taking Chavez's legendary '0' was Frankie Randall's first world title fight, and he was thirty-two. Granted, he wasn't a complete unknown and some of his stalled progress had been down to non-boxing related issues, but it was still a big late-career fulfilment of a great talent - especially as the second fight with Julio (which he won, if we're being realistic) and the three-fight series with Coggi were still to come.
Ron Lyle and Jesse Burnett were late bloomers due to prison time. Billy Backus, on the other hand, was very similar career-wise to Jersey Joe Walcott. He had a family, and trying to be a fighter and put food on the table he also worked construction and his training suffered. He retired with an unremarkable record of 8-7-3. 2 1/2 years down the line he gets laid off and, trying to make a couple of bucks on the side, returns to boxing. Now he is in training full-time, giving boxing 100% attention and takes off on a winning streak beating top contenders Percy Pugh, Johnny Brooks and #1 contender Manny Gonzalez, which got him his title shot.
Ray Mercer has not been mentioned yet. He was up there in age when he got out of the marines. Sure makes a big difference in how you bring a fighter along and when to test him.
Deontay Wilder Seriously though, Lennox Lewis is the only fighter I can think of offhand for whom a pretty strong case might be made that he was at his best some time between 30 and 35. Poets almost always do their best work when young; composers usually get better and better for as long as they live. Fighters are a lot more like poets.
