Did Oba Carr reach his potential, exceed it or come up short?

sweetscientist · Apr 18, 2009

I remember watching Oba Carr early in his career thinking the guy was really something special. Carr was a tremendous boxer: good speed in his feet, great speed in his hands, a total technical package with a tremendous variety of punches and angles to show the other guy without sacrificing form, balance or defense. Carr had a solid, if not extraordinary, chin. Watching him in the early going of his career, the only thing he seemed to lack was a strong, assertive jab that he was confident about using to set up the attack and retreat behind.

It seemed like Carr was on his way to big things by 1992. But, sadly, his team never brought him along, never really put him in with a steadily better class of fighter until they put him in with an early-prime Felix Trinidad in late 1994. Pedro Sanchez and Francisco Cuesta were probably the best fighters he had faced prior to the fight with Trinidad...not ample preparation, by any stretch. Carr had a good number of fights, his opposition just plateau'd way too early...he never got seasoned before he was in at the elite level. Accordingly, Trinidad stopped him in the 8th round on the strength of punishing barrages behind the left hook-straight-right combo, but not before Carr had dropped Trinidad early and hard and given him hell along the way. Again, I thought Oba Carr was sure to make a splash after rebounding from that impressive loss.

Carr rebounded to take a fight over then excellent and undefeated Derell Coley for the small-time NABF belt...then Oba was right back to fighting low-grade opponents until he had that terrific fight with Ike Quartey in which he came up just short of deserving the decision. In the end, predictably, it was Carr's inability to meet Quartey jab-for-jab despite trying to that lost the fight. I question the wisdom in trying to out-jab Ike Quartey at that point in his career, even if you have Mike McCallum teaching you how--which Carr did. Carr made an excellent showing of himself, but, after that really never had a serious fight, never looked really sharp again, went on beating no-hopers and far-fringe alphabet contenders until he got the call to be an Oscar De la Hoya beatdown victim and took the payday. Carr was down twice and suffered multiple, justifiable deductions in that fight and was stopped in the 11th. After that he never scored another victory more meaningful than a TKO win over a spent Yori Boy Campas in which Campas did not come out for the 9th round.

Carr's first two trips to the main stage were excellent fights where he looked--in different ways--a legitimate threat to the top guys at or around 147-pounds...aside from those fights he was never competitive, he mostly never competed, against top fighters again.

What were your perceptions of Oba Carr?

Why did his career shakedown the way it did?

Why did his management take an all or nothing, uneven approach to matching him?

How could he have made a better career of it?

How many of the top fighters of his best years do you think he could have beaten? Given problems?

Baby Bull · Apr 18, 2009

Got his fight against Oscar on dvd and without the like 4 points deducted he would have being winning (surely). Oscar after kept going on about a personal problem he had and i dont know what that was but im guessing it was a injured left hand, which would explain his crappy punch output, which led to him losing rounds. I thought it was a decent performance from carr and woulden't say the deductions were justifiable. The 1st was for a accidental headbut and the second was from a low blow of which he had thrown so few.
A guy who should have being justified being DQ'd would have being John John Molina rabbit punching Oscar for 12(or 10) rounds

eliqueiros · Apr 18, 2009

Carr was a very good well rounded boxer. He was just unfortunate enough to have to face three ATG welters in their primes. As you said there is no way he would out jab Quartey (who's jab was almost a powerpunch) and Tito and Oscar just hit too hard.

Borincano · Apr 18, 2009

sweetscientist said: ↑

I remember watching Oba Carr early in his career thinking the guy was really something special. Carr was a tremendous boxer: good speed in his feet, great speed in his hands, a total technical package with a tremendous variety of punches and angles to show the other guy without sacrificing form, balance or defense. Carr had a solid, if not extraordinary, chin. Watching him in the early going of his career, the only thing he seemed to lack was a strong, assertive jab that he was confident about using to set up the attack and retreat behind.

It seemed like Carr was on his way to big things by 1992. But, sadly, his team never brought him along, never really put him in with a steadily better class of fighter until they put him in with an early-prime Felix Trinidad in late 1994. Pedro Sanchez and Francisco Cuesta were probably the best fighters he had faced prior to the fight with Trinidad...not ample preparation, by any stretch. Carr had a good number of fights, his opposition just plateau'd way too early...he never got seasoned before he was in at the elite level. Accordingly, Trinidad stopped him in the 8th round on the strength of punishing barrages behind the left hook-straight-right combo, but not before Carr had dropped Trinidad early and hard and given him hell along the way. Again, I thought Oba Carr was sure to make a splash after rebounding from that impressive loss.

Carr rebounded to take a fight over then excellent and undefeated Derell Coley for the small-time NABF belt...then Oba was right back to fighting low-grade opponents until he had that terrific fight with Ike Quartey in which he came up just short of deserving the decision. In the end, predictably, it was Carr's inability to meet Quartey jab-for-jab despite trying to that lost the fight. I question the wisdom in trying to out-jab Ike Quartey at that point in his career, even if you have Mike McCallum teaching you how--which Carr did. Carr made an excellent showing of himself, but, after that really never had a serious fight, never looked really sharp again, went on beating no-hopers and far-fringe alphabet contenders until he got the call to be an Oscar De la Hoya beatdown victim and took the payday. Carr was down twice and suffered multiple, justifiable deductions in that fight and was stopped in the 11th. After that he never scored another victory more meaningful than a TKO win over a spent Yori Boy Campas in which Campas did not come out for the 9th round.

Carr's first two trips to the main stage were excellent fights where he looked--in different ways--a legitimate threat to the top guys at or around 147-pounds...aside from those fights he was never competitive, he mostly never competed, against top fighters again.

What were your perceptions of Oba Carr?

Why did his career shakedown the way it did?

Why did his management take an all or nothing, uneven approach to matching him?

How could he have made a better career of it?

How many of the top fighters of his best years do you think he could have beaten? Given problems?
Click to expand...

SS, you have to go much further into his career with the ugly divorce with the Kronk Gym and Manny. That really teetered his career. He was in talks to fight Camacho for the WBO 140 title when everything blew-up. Also, the infamous fight with Bramble which many thought Carr lost. His demons got to him way before Tito, Quartey, and Oscar. He was an excellent fighter and his career just went down the wrong road. He should have most definitely won a title if he would have stayed with Manny.

Lionel Rose · Apr 18, 2009

Much underrated, I agree.
But there have been countless others, too..
guys like David Kamau / John Mugabi / Souleyman M'Baye / David Reid / James Page and even Marlon Starling all failed to hit the heights their talents should have taken them.(irrespective of World Titles they may or may not have won.)
With better luck / management / breaks / contacts etc call it what you will, all of these guys could've been legends had the big guy in the sky deemed fit....
BTW talking of Marlon Starling reminds me of possibly the greatest post fight interview ever given......
check this out, it's quality!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbMWtTP6A2g

El Cepillo · Apr 18, 2009

I always liked Oba Carr. I was always impressed with him. He was just unlucky to be a contemporary of Tito and Oscar.

MAG1965 · Apr 18, 2009

sweetscientist said: ↑

I remember watching Oba Carr early in his career thinking the guy was really something special. Carr was a tremendous boxer: good speed in his feet, great speed in his hands, a total technical package with a tremendous variety of punches and angles to show the other guy without sacrificing form, balance or defense. Carr had a solid, if not extraordinary, chin. Watching him in the early going of his career, the only thing he seemed to lack was a strong, assertive jab that he was confident about using to set up the attack and retreat behind.

It seemed like Carr was on his way to big things by 1992. But, sadly, his team never brought him along, never really put him in with a steadily better class of fighter until they put him in with an early-prime Felix Trinidad in late 1994. Pedro Sanchez and Francisco Cuesta were probably the best fighters he had faced prior to the fight with Trinidad...not ample preparation, by any stretch. Carr had a good number of fights, his opposition just plateau'd way too early...he never got seasoned before he was in at the elite level. Accordingly, Trinidad stopped him in the 8th round on the strength of punishing barrages behind the left hook-straight-right combo, but not before Carr had dropped Trinidad early and hard and given him hell along the way. Again, I thought Oba Carr was sure to make a splash after rebounding from that impressive loss.

Carr rebounded to take a fight over then excellent and undefeated Derell Coley for the small-time NABF belt...then Oba was right back to fighting low-grade opponents until he had that terrific fight with Ike Quartey in which he came up just short of deserving the decision. In the end, predictably, it was Carr's inability to meet Quartey jab-for-jab despite trying to that lost the fight. I question the wisdom in trying to out-jab Ike Quartey at that point in his career, even if you have Mike McCallum teaching you how--which Carr did. Carr made an excellent showing of himself, but, after that really never had a serious fight, never looked really sharp again, went on beating no-hopers and far-fringe alphabet contenders until he got the call to be an Oscar De la Hoya beatdown victim and took the payday. Carr was down twice and suffered multiple, justifiable deductions in that fight and was stopped in the 11th. After that he never scored another victory more meaningful than a TKO win over a spent Yori Boy Campas in which Campas did not come out for the 9th round.

Carr's first two trips to the main stage were excellent fights where he looked--in different ways--a legitimate threat to the top guys at or around 147-pounds...aside from those fights he was never competitive, he mostly never competed, against top fighters again.

What were your perceptions of Oba Carr?

Why did his career shakedown the way it did?

Why did his management take an all or nothing, uneven approach to matching him?

How could he have made a better career of it?

How many of the top fighters of his best years do you think he could have beaten? Given problems?
Click to expand...

He fought enough guys to figure that he just was not a top notch fighter. The Bramble fight shocked me. He went down hard in the first round. It showed a weakness, although he did pull out the fight.

sweetscientist · Apr 18, 2009

Borincano said: ↑

SS, you have to go much further into his career with the ugly divorce with the Kronk Gym and Manny. That really teetered his career. He was in talks to fight Camacho for the WBO 140 title when everything blew-up. Also, the infamous fight with Bramble which many thought Carr lost. His demons got to him way before Tito, Quartey, and Oscar. He was an excellent fighter and his career just went down the wrong road. He should have most definitely won a title if he would have stayed with Manny.
Click to expand...

good points. i was not fully aware of the mess between carr and kronk and manny steward. i just dug up some old newspaper stories and boxing periodical news items on it. at the time, i guess i just thought it was the typical crap that goes on between gyms and promoters and fighters and so on. thanks for pointing me in the right direction...it certainly answers a lot of my questions and seems to account for some of the lost momentum.

R.B.J · Apr 18, 2009

Unfortunately Oba is in bad shape...mentally and financially. He was arrested in Detroit in 2006 for loitering. Carr was in the Renaissance Marriott (GM world headquarters) in downtown Detroit banging on doors looking for his non existent girlfriend. He stated that he was homeless. Heartbreaking.

Farmboxer · Apr 19, 2009

Carr was an exciting fighter. I wish he had made more money for his fights, he deserved it. It's sad that he is broke. He never fully lived up to his potential. Sorry to say.

Axe · Apr 19, 2009

Carr should have stayed at his natural weightclass of 140 lbs instead of moving to fight the top dogs at welter with little prep.

Borincano · Apr 20, 2009

R.B.J said: ↑

Unfortunately Oba is in bad shape...mentally and financially. He was arrested in Detroit in 2006 for loitering. Carr was in the Renaissance Marriott (GM world headquarters) in downtown Detroit banging on doors looking for his non existent girlfriend. He stated that he was homeless. Heartbreaking.
Click to expand...

Wow, that is a shame.

WhataRock · Apr 20, 2009

Carr was unable to beat the champions put in front of him and thats that really..unfortunately for him they were great fighters during a strong era for the weight.

I still think his chin would have betrayed him at some point anyway if he was to fight in a weaker era.

WhataRock · Apr 20, 2009

Double post.

CottoDaBodykill · Apr 20, 2009

David Kamau what's this guys story?

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