Any elite fighter with a less graceful career ending than Roy?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Iceveins, May 23, 2011.


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  1. Iceveins

    Iceveins Puglistic Linguistics Full Member

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    Its a reality that many, if not most champion fighters have an ungraceful ending to their careers because they held on too long - marked by diminished skills, embarrassing defeats, losing to journeyman they would have crushed in their prime etc.

    But Roy didn't just end his career on a downhill slide...he fell off a cliff.

    From untouchable, greatest P4P, to getting knocked out cold three times, I cannot think of a great fighter with a worse ending than Roy. Can name a dozens of Hall of Famers who's latter career was embarrassing and sad, but none of them were being brutally KOed in the manner Roy has.

    Do you think time will be generous to Roy and he will be remembered for his great feats, or is this abysmal ending going to be as defining for his legacy as his prime was?
     
    Iceveins, May 23, 2011
    Iceveins, May 23, 2011
    #1
  2. KO KIDD

    KO KIDD Loyal Member Full Member

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    he really let himself fall hard

    if he left earlier he would have been held so high

    now his whole career is now questioned

    he damaged his legacy bad
     
    KO KIDD, May 23, 2011
    KO KIDD, May 23, 2011
    #2
  3. TheGreat

    TheGreat Boxing Junkie banned

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    Tyson went out pretty bad, right now Mosley is embarrassing himself, **** it happens but yes this is pretty bad.
     
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    #3
  4. VecArrow

    VecArrow Custom User Title Full Member

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    Srl
     
    VecArrow, May 23, 2011
    VecArrow, May 23, 2011
    #4
  5. Iceveins

    Iceveins Puglistic Linguistics Full Member

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    Got ya.

    Most of the time we give great fighters a pass for the sub-par performances they put out when they are way past their prime. In fact its almost like they never even happened. Sugar Ray Leonard, Tyson, Norris, Hearns, Duran etc etc...

    But something tells me fans are not going to be so generous to Roy's career in hindsight after all these brutal losses.
     
    Iceveins, May 23, 2011
    Iceveins, May 23, 2011
    #5
  6. TheUnstoppable

    TheUnstoppable Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali and Tyson went out in pretty harsh ways. Both took horrific beatings.
     
    TheUnstoppable, May 23, 2011
    TheUnstoppable, May 23, 2011
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  7. TheGreat

    TheGreat Boxing Junkie banned

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    I disagree that he rapidly declined past his prime, he was past prime as early as 01 but was still great, he was 34 when he beat Ruiz, truth be told he just hung around too long.
     
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    #7
  8. Iceveins

    Iceveins Puglistic Linguistics Full Member

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    Nah as I stated its common for boxers to decline, i just mean is his ending the worst of them all? From basically undefeated to being knocked out 4 times, 2 of them completely out cold, one of them brutal, the other one a TKO but still pretty emphatic.

    SRL was knocked down but not out, and I dont think anybody questions his career from the Norris fight, and especially not the Camacho fight.
     
    Iceveins, May 23, 2011
    Iceveins, May 23, 2011
    #8
  9. Terror

    Terror free smoke Full Member

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    James Toney is a fat, punch drunk disgrace fighting in Indian Casinos against nobodies, but he is nowhere near Roy in this matter.

    Ali and Tyson.

    Michael Spinks got his head exploded in 90 seconds then quit.

    Shane Mosley.

    Nothing compared to the decline of Roy. He's a ****ing idiot and deserves every ounce of criticism he gets for these asinine adventures into concussionland. I cannot think of a steeper drop in ability or reputation. Yes, he got old, but he also chose to keep fighting.
     
    Terror, May 23, 2011
    Terror, May 23, 2011
    #9
  10. TheGreat

    TheGreat Boxing Junkie banned

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    I agree RJJ should stay far away from the ring.
     
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    #10
  11. TheGreat

    TheGreat Boxing Junkie banned

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    Depending on what version of Tyson showed up he would've either had a huge win or got his ass kicked and brutally KTFO. Either way, he would've got paid.
     
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    TheGreat, May 23, 2011
    #11
  12. elchivito

    elchivito master betty Full Member

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    Its sad watching him trying to fight with that style he has like it was the 90s. Hes not getting caught with one shot, but 3, 4, 5 at a time. It disgusts me watching him from ATG to a stepping stone. Tysons downfall was bad, but not as bad as Rjs man. Rj is facing comp in their prime Tyson was manhandled by McBride and stopped by Williams. Rj facing killers at the end if his career compared to Iron Mike.
     
    elchivito, May 23, 2011
    elchivito, May 23, 2011
    #12
  13. KO KIDD

    KO KIDD Loyal Member Full Member

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    also because of these losses ppl now question his resume his early and prime career and some now think he is a fraud

    citing poor opposition helped him and if he fought a couple of guys that he didnt he would have lost
     
    KO KIDD, May 23, 2011
    KO KIDD, May 23, 2011
    #13
  14. boxingisbomb

    boxingisbomb diehard fan Full Member

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    de la Hoya finished poorly
     
    boxingisbomb, May 23, 2011
    boxingisbomb, May 23, 2011
    #14
  15. Longcount

    Longcount boxing Full Member

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    Do you class Leon Spinks as elite? He was an Olympic medallist and beat Ali so I guess you could.

    He got his chance early and never llived up to his potential but he had a bad sequence of whippings at the tail end of his career.
     
    Longcount, May 23, 2011
    Longcount, May 23, 2011
    #15
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