I always put that down to the fact that I just don't think he was ever a welterweight. That, and like you said, gobs of inactivity.
When he lost to Humberto Soto, I remember thinking to myself that he's not all he's cracked up to be. Keep in mind Soto was a last minute substitute who wasn't supposed to beat him. His handlers immediately pushed for bigger fights before he gets derailed without fully cashing out. By the time he lost to Litzau he became a trial horse. As for the question I'd say Jermaine Taylor after Kelly Pavlik.
I think the near tragedy took Nigel's heart. He always gave everything which must be hard to do when youve nearly killed a man. Ditto Chris Eubank after Michael Watson 2, Ezzard was never the same after Sam Baroudi died. He never fully pulled the trigger. Same with Joe Bugner after Ulric Regis died. It shows how great Lupe Pintor was that he could come back after the Johnny Owen tragedy (anniversary tomorrow. RIP Johnny) and give everything. You'd think that would take a heart of stone but, by all accounts, he's a lovely guy.
Usually, on this subject, I think of that cerebral-changing one-punch KO that a fighter can't recover from. But thinking in terms of a steady one-sided beating I immediately think of: Mando Ramos v Chango Carmona - Mando absorbed one severe lacing and left the ring on a stretcher and wasn't worth a damn afterwards. Secondly Chango Carmona v Rodolfo Gonzalez - Carmona absorbed an uncanny beating from Gonzalez and left the ring on the same stretcher in the very same arena he won the title and was never worth a damn afterwards.
