Fighters That Declined The Most Suddenly?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Fergy, Aug 25, 2026.


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  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Fighters that had a dramatic decline , and which fight/ fights, showed you they were no longer the fighter they had been?

    Roy Jones Jr is a obvious example, Tarver 1 and 2 .
     
    Fergy, Aug 25, 2026
    Fergy, Aug 25, 2026
    #1
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  2. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member

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    Tom Sharkey, Joe Joyce,Joe Frazier.
    Sharkey v Munroe,Ruhlin 2 ,and Fitz 2.
    Joyce v Zhang 2,Chisora, and Suslenkov.
    Frazier ,nearly all post FOTC.
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2026
    mcvey, Aug 25, 2026
    mcvey, Aug 25, 2026
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  3. Devon

    Devon Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jarrett Hurd, Joe Frazier was still a formidable force going into the Thrilla in Manila, but had absolutely nothing left after.
     
    Devon, Aug 25, 2026
    Devon, Aug 25, 2026
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  4. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Aaron Pryor and Jeff Chandler faded dramatically at the very end of their careers.

    Matthew Saad Muhammad is an obvious one where he had declined badly by the time he fought Dwight Muhammad Qawi due to his endless punishment and back to back wars that took a lot out of him.
     
    Flo_Raiden, Aug 25, 2026
    Flo_Raiden, Aug 25, 2026
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  5. Jakub79

    Jakub79 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Something happened to Lem Franklin, Leon Spinks, Mike Tyson, Naseem Hamed and Roy Jones.
     
    Jakub79, Aug 25, 2026
    Jakub79, Aug 25, 2026
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  6. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Honeyghan against Breland, that was kind of unexpected.
     
    Fergy, Aug 25, 2026
    Fergy, Aug 25, 2026
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  7. TNSNO1878

    TNSNO1878 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Josh Taylor is a good recent candidate, went from unifying the entire division to absolutely stinking the place out vs Catterall in the space of about 6 months. Jack is a good boxer, don't get me wrong, but Taylor looked woeful.
     
    TNSNO1878, Aug 25, 2026
    TNSNO1878, Aug 25, 2026
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  8. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Donald Curry is a big example of someone who was briefly seen as a top P4P fighter until one fight changed everything, in this case his fight with Lloyd Honeyghan. Never could capture the same form that he had since.

    Livingstone Bramble also fell off after being stopped by Edwin Rosario.
     
    Flo_Raiden, Aug 25, 2026
    Flo_Raiden, Aug 25, 2026
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  9. Boxing GOAT

    Boxing GOAT Active Member Full Member

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    Cleveland Williams was never the same after being shot.

    Bowe was essentially done after those Golota fights.

    Tyson wasn't the same after the Holyfield losses.

    Gvozdyk was a promising young fighter but was never the same after the Beterbiev fight.

    Rigo and Walters were pretty much finished after the Loma losses.
     
    Boxing GOAT, Aug 25, 2026
    Boxing GOAT, Aug 25, 2026
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  10. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

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    Jones after the HW win had just enough left the in the tank to beat Tarver... And was done at top level after that.
     
    KO_King, Aug 25, 2026
    KO_King, Aug 25, 2026
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  11. MagnificentMatt

    MagnificentMatt Beterbiev literally kills Plant and McCumby 2v1 Full Member

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    Bermane Stiverne is a decent shout. Easy too look back on him as crap now, but stopping Arreola how he did was impressive, and he took Wilder the distance.. He went from that to someone who looked like they didn't belong in world level bouts real quick.
     
    MagnificentMatt, Aug 25, 2026
    MagnificentMatt, Aug 25, 2026
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  12. Shay Sonya

    Shay Sonya The REAL Wonder Woman! Full Member

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    Hello, Fergy.

    Evander Holyfield suddenly declined after Bowe 2 in 1993. But! Then he seemed to recover in 1996...
     
    Shay Sonya, Aug 25, 2026
    Shay Sonya, Aug 25, 2026
    #12
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  13. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    John Tate
    Riddick Bowe
    Mathew Saad Muhammad
    Livingstone Bramble
     
    he grant, Aug 25, 2026
    he grant, Aug 25, 2026
    #13
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  14. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

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    Paul Banke completely lost any semblance of being a world level fighter after his third war with Zaragoza. He lost to absolute nobodies after that fight, he was a completely spent force.
     
    Dorrian_Grey, Aug 25, 2026
    Dorrian_Grey, Aug 25, 2026
    #14
  15. willcross

    willcross Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Lacy after Calzaghe
     
    willcross, Aug 25, 2026
    willcross, Aug 25, 2026
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