Boxers Who Were Great, But Truly Never Lived Up To Their Potential

Not to be a semantics guy but I think someone has to do great things to be a great fighter. There are plenty of guys who I think had the talent to be great who didn't achieve their full potential, like broner and dokes, but I don't think the potential to be great means someone is a great fighter. A great fighter has great wins

 

I’m sure Eddie Futch knew better then us, he had the right mechanics in place for Riddick whatever was the best for Bowe was there to be applied. His style of fighting could’ve been clever in design but applied badly at times by Riddick? I don’t know.

 

Donald Curry
Greg Page
Davey Moore.

 

I'm being a little cheeky here but I'll say Ali. What could he have been if he hadn't been banned from boxing for those years?

 

Bernard "Superbad" Mays is always a regular in these kind of lists, isn't he?
Some footage finally was unearthed, I think against Lamont Lovelady, and he looks solid but unspectacular but it was said that he was already by then deep into his alcohol provoked decline and he died not too many years later.

 

Good names.

 

Many great names were mentioned, I'd add Jack Sharkey due to his mental instability, and certainly, Max Baer who had all the physical gifts, but never the drive to train, and trauma of killing a man in the ring.
For a name one wouldn't typically mention, I would also suggest Jack Dempsey, he certainly lived up to his potential pre-title and early reign, but when he went to Hollywood and took that almost four-year layoff, he lost the drive, speed, and reflexes certainly more than if he was consistently fighting during that period. I credit the layoff and its effects more than age for his rapid decline. It's odd to think about him not living up to his potential, considering he is considered an ATG champion both for his ability, skill, and legacy but Hagler said it best when he said "It's tough to get out of bed at 5am when you're sleeping in silk PJ's" and that was Dempsey's downfall

 

Sonny Liston
Tyrell Biggs

 

Jack Johnson—had he not drawn the color line while champion he could have tested his greatness against prime versions of Langford, Jeannette, McVey.

Tony Zale—lost at least 3 years of his prime serving in the Navy during WWII.

Fritzie Zivic—claimed he took a dive in many of his losses because he could earn more money tanking than winning.

Bob Satterfield—cursed with a glass jaw, had he sharpened his defensive skills he had all the other tools of a champion.

Edwin Valero for obvious reasons.

 

Prior day weigh ins with adequate time to rehydrate his brain, Thomas Hearns is the best ever in my opinion.