Yeah, it's definitely more common for top contenders not to fight each other now with multiple ways to get a crack at a belt. If you started listing the contenders that Pulev hadn't met, you'd for sure have a lot more names on it.
He was literally the last challenger to be involved in a fight between the two best heavyweights in the division! That was back in 2014! You didn't have to wait so long for that, with champions like Walcott and Marciano around!
Selective career choices are to blame, he was worthy competition of those listed above his Rocky SD is proof enough.
Well, Valdes and Baksi were full members of the Who Needs Him Club. Jack Gardner had lost the British Title. Johnny Williams would have had commitments to defend his Titles. Charles and Walcott were waiting in line for fights with Marciano. There's a few potentially off the list.
That only leaves the likes of; Baker Walls Satterfield Holman Slade Jackson Harrison Wallace Oma Henry Neuhaus Sys Johnson Then!lol
I am not saying that you did. My point is, that they both went for the #1 contender! Walcott especially, could have strung it out by cherry picking! If Marciano had cherry picked, and milked the belt, then he would probably still be champion now!
He could certainly have made another 4 or 5 defences against opponents of the calibre of Don Cokkell!
I think the point is that division was terribly weak at the moment in question. Charles lost two back to back in the leadup to that fight, one to a lhw. Valdez had won just two of his last 6 or so. LaStarza may have been less proven compared to them but all of those guys were losing fights at that point. Given their history there was interest in LaStarza. I dont know, I dont have a problem with LaStarza getting a shot. You could have flipped a coin and given several guys as good or bad as him a shot and they would have been just as open to criticism.
One of those two fights was before Rocky was champ. But you? You already knew that. Fact is, if he’d have fought everyone on the OP list and won, say, half of them, he’d be a worthy contender by the standards of the day. I’m not seeing a lot of spotless records among them or among the title challengers in the general era.
the ring doesn’t dictate who these title holders mandatories are. In either case I don’t think Wilder has ducked “ loads of guys.”
it was the only way to earn a true living back then. You wanted the money then you had to take the very best fights you could get. Today a guy could fight a past prime ex contender for some XYZ belt and get millions. With options like that where’s the motivation to swim with the sharks ?
