Highest hype:performance ratio among failed heavyweight title challengers

Povetkin had a ‘WBA regular’ belt, whatever that is, when he fought Wlad, right?

He was pretty awful in his challenge and I think he had some hype behind him.

I’m not sure live gates can be compared as more than a tiny piece of the anecdotal assessment of how hyped someone is — I mean I don’t think Greg Haugen was hyped when he fought JCC, but it drew 100K+ and he certainly had the Mexican crowd hyped to see him catch his whupping from running his mouth — but I’d say that was mostly just good promoting rather than hyping him up as a great challenge.

 

Chin, brilliant points. Though I personally like Cooney, and though he was outclassed by Holmes he certainly didn't disgrace himself and did have a few good rds.
But your points are certainly very valid. But was it Cooney’s fault America was so rabid for a white heavyweight champion, they put him in the ring when clearly he wasn't ready?
The majority in America demanded that fight. The weight of the majority of the country was placed on his shoulders. When he failed that weight broke him.

 

I don’t agree at all.

And his performance — heck even his effort (or lack thereof) — against Wlad was an embarrassment.

Tell me in what way he lived up to the hype in that challenge.

(And he’s at least as guilty as WK for the holding, probably more so. Go look at the tape and every time he gets close instead of punching he literally extends both arms and shoots them out under Klitschko’s armpits — what exactly is Wlad supposed to do, hold his hands over his head? Count how many times Povetkin closes the distance and actually punches when he gets where he wants to be … I’ll give you a hint, you won’t need your toes and only one hand to do the counting.)

 

I think the biggest was Andrew Golota, he fought for every single belt. WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO.

 

And Golota was favored to beat Brewster, who blew him out in 53 seconds!

 

Tommy Morrison was journeyman in wolf's clothing.

 

1. He got knocked down four times by Wlad and made a business decision to survive rather than try to win, or he would have been on the KO list.

2. Amateurs don’t count. Completely immaterial.

3. Who happened to be the two best fighters he fought in that span. And AJ hasn’t exactly stood the test of time.

4. None of those names are better than B list. Chagaev for instance — what’s his best win, Pianeta? Or Kerston Manswell? ‘Sugar’ Valuev in a fight where nobody won?

5. Whyte is also shot. Hunter is a cruiserweight with no real resume. Again, not impressed.

6. Funny how you failed to mention that Povetkin is a caught-two-times PED cheat and that his career rather deflated after he pretty much had to quit with the illegal supplements after that. Got old real quick. Dude was unashamedly on the Ivan Drago training regimen.

But all that aside, he was hyped going into the Klitschko matchup. Heck, you’re hyping him as the best, or one of, to never win the title. And he meets the criteria of this thread because his challenge was a complete dud.

 

Grant was hyped massively. Even the Golota fight didn't put people off of him. In fact they said he had heart, to climb back up.
He was seen as the next big thing.
Even though Lewis, was right then at near his best!

 

Tua against Lewis?

 

Jack Munroe deserves a shout.