Of all the Could-Have-Beens...

Gerry Cooney is a sad case. Big, powerful fighter with a long, stiff jab and murderous left hook, thrown to the Big Bad Wolf a little too early and never recovered his focus.

 

Billy Collins Jnr.

 

If by "panic attacks" you mean "withdrawl symptoms"....

 

he wasnt going to be an ATG really

he was a good fighter but not 'great' but he had great heart and was an exciting fighter would definitly be a world champ if itt want for resto

 

Breland. Probably damaged goods by the time he turned pro. Such a long and extensive amateur career, and injuries were nagging him from day one.

 

meldrick taylor

 

Teofilio Stevenson - damn those pesky Cubans and their principles.

Max Baer is another - 'He had a million dollar body and a ten-cent brain'. The two fighters who died after fighting him must have also affected him.

 

Lionel Rose
John Conteh

Always the two that come first to my mind when this topic comes up.

 

My thoughts:

Les Darcy and Stanley Ketchel established themselves as great fighters before they died (prematurley) but their best work might still have been ahead of them.

Young Griffo probably takes the prize here. He could have been the best figfhter of his genaration if he had not become an uncontrolable alchoholic. The guy was embarasing guys like George Dixon who were the best technicians of the era.

Luther McCarthy was as much of a might have been as Ike. He was just about the best of the white hopes when he died and was only 21.

Earnie Schaff was definitely going places in the heavyweight division when he died. Couyld perhaps have been champion.

 

I always think of Don Curry in this situation. He looked unstoppable, and just technically perfect against Colin Jones and Milt McCrory, and looked destined for greatness.

It all fell apart quite quickly with Honeyghan and McCallum...

 

Michael Watson was improving all the time until he was hurt, and only 26. Mclellan would have gone on to be a legend i reckon.

 

Of recent times
Ike Ibeabuchi
Shannon Briggs
Andrew Golota

Also
Michael Dokes
Greg Page

The guy i thought was going to be the best of them all though was Michael Nunn

 

The obvious answer is Mike Tyson.

Yes he had a great career.

But if he didn't go looking for the big punch, if he didn't have those problems that affected him mentally, if he didn't lose his head movement, bobbing and weaving style and combinations, I don't see anybody that would of beaten him.