Do you suspect this guy made a chunk of his career by following the script? I saw him live taking big shots earlier in his career and displaying really good skills. And then just start losing to guys, some of whom weren't just that impressive. I don't know.... Your thoughts?
He probably figured out what was necessary to get another paycheck rather than having outright deals with promoters to lose.
I think he simply built his record up against very questionable opposition and was exposed against Monte Barrett. I was ringside when he got iced by Monte in St louis and I can tell you he was legitimately busted up by Monte. He fell into opponent mode after that. He simply never beat a ranked guy and wasn't that good. The best thing about him was his nickname "What the Heck Beck"
I will always admire Owen Beck for the simple fact that on June 3, 2006, Beck (weighing 243 pounds) got in the ring with the WBA Heavyweight Champ Nicolai Valuev, who weighed a massive 321 pounds (a nearly 80-pound weight difference) ... and, though unsuccessful, took his lumps and tried to become a champion. While the very same day, in the States, Diego Corrales (who fans here considered a real warrior) backed out of his fight with Jose Luis Castillo, because Castillo came in at 139, four pounds over the lightweight limit. Simply refused to fight him, because it "wasn't fair" Castillo came in that "heavy." And all the fans on the message boards were saying he shouldn't fight because it wasn't fair ... and Castillo would have "all these advantages" over Corrales ... even though they were fairly evenly matched. All of that over four pounds! I've always preferred heavyweights over the lighter divisions. But back then, especially, it was the era of the lighter weight classes. A lot of the sport's "stars" were down in those divisions at the time. And their fans then liked to bash the heavyweights of that era. But I always thought that was a classic "general" example of how much braver just an average heavyweight (Beck) was than the supposed "warriors" at 135. Beck showed to me that day he had more stones than a guy in a lighter division who fans just assumed was one of the great "warriors" of the time. All those chest beaters down at the lower weights, who think it's a big deal if someone moves up three pounds here or there to win a title "in another division" ... it's all such nonsense. Meanwhile, there's a clearly overmatched guy (giving up 11 inches in height, 7 inches in reach and 80 pounds of weight) who steps in the ring in front of a foreign crowd to win a title at heavy, and people just dismiss him outright. So, I'll always respect Owen Beck. Owen "Much Respect" Beck.
