Saddest Decline Of A Fighter?

The alarming rate that Muhammad Ali declined between the second Spinks and Holmes/Berbick fights. He was on steady decline since Manila but that was to be expected. His last two performances were just plain sad.


I see what you mean about JCC.

 

Honestly he was a lot better in the Berbick fight than against Holmes. He was surely compromised by "supplements" he was taking in the Holmes fight.

Watching JCC decline was painful for more. It wasn't only the physical decline, it was hiding under Don King's skirt and his own denial that eh was declining and could be beat, even while he partied hard between fights.

 

I can't see how it isn't RJJ - forget the fighters he didn't beat, the charisma that he didn't comparatively have. When he was at his mercurial best, we are talking about an arguably top 3 H2H fighter from MW to LHW and then you add a HW title on top (forget the quality of Ruiz, the feat in itself is impressive) - to then watch him getting starched consecutively and unable to fight hard rounds and still keep on coming back to lose again - he couldn't be touched, he couldn't be moved - oh Roy - you were a superhero of my era.

 

I’m not a fan of Rigondeaux’s decline. His career was stunted for being too good. Now he loses or struggles with guys who wouldn’t have been in his league earlier and clueless people use it to disrespect him. He has made some money at least.

 

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr were the ones that came to mind. The image they had as unbeatable and the way the lost happened was sad. But for me the saddest are the ones that should've stopped but kept going just to get beat to put money on the pockets of scumbag promoters:Jerry Quarry, Bobby Chacon and Ali were sick and should never be allowed to fight
Bowe and Whitaker had also a very steep and unpredicted decline from their prime

 

Ray Leonard getting destroyed by Norris & Camacho were hard to watch.

I would say watching my man Bernard Hopkins getting knocked out of the ring was tough to watch, but I gotta admit I ended up laughing cause the second his head cleared, he was yapping away talking and complaining non-stop. I had to laugh because I'm from Philadelphia and I had the same doctor as Bernard, and when I asked him if he was impressed with Bhop's condition for his age, he said absolutely, that he was in amazing condition - he also said that he talks non-stop and NEVER shuts up LOL .

I also saw Hopkins at a charity event to raise money for medical bills for referee Frank Capuccino's son, who was very ill at the time. Nard Dawg walked in with his posse, and he was yelling at one of them non-stop LOL. The dude can talk that's for sure. It's a shame I was broke at the time, because the trunks he was wearing when he beat De La Hoya were auctioned off and someone got them for $500, that's pretty cheap!

 

It's really sad seeing such a talented fighter like Meldrick Taylor end up the way he did. It's so strange how some boxers end up in terrible shape and others are completely fine. I wish doctors looked into this more because it's obvious not everyone is affected the same way. Maybe they can warn young prospects about their chances of retiring healthy if they can notice genetic abnormalities.

 

Aaron Pryor....drugs ruined him.

 

Mando Ramos.
He had the lot, good looks, skill, he could box, he could punch, carisma, charm, the ladies flocked to his bouts, film stars wanted to befriend him, he was the toast of the west coast, destined to become a champ, and rule for as long as he wanted, the world was at his feet......
stay safe guys.

 

I was a baby when Roy was at his peak, I've never been able to really grasp this concept of RJJ legacy. might post a thread later today and get others opinions and hear their feeling on RJJ. Seriously I know so little about him.

 

A few that come to mind are seeing Alexis Arguello and Erik Morales, sat down on the canvas against Pryor and Pacquiao was pretty sad especially the expression on there faces. Martinez hardly being able to stand vs Cotto with his bad knees.