ESB Classic On: Best Out-Of-Character Performances?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Boxed Ears, May 23, 2010.


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  1. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

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    I'm thinking of great performances when a fighter comes to a decision at some point to deviate from his normal style/method in a big way. We've probably all seen many opposite outcomes where it backfires and goes down as a poor performance, if not even a devastating loss. We've probably all seen a fighter seem to lose his identity and stop doing what makes him successful against the wrong man at the wrong time and regret it later, having to rehash it in countless interviews (
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    ). I know I have, and still continue to see it regularly. The kinds of performances that leave you shaking your head later.


    "What could possess him to go from a defensive genius to a brawler against a brawler when he was easily outclassing him?"

    "Why would he try to be slick? He's about as slick as sandpaper! Good God, why? I lost money!" :twisted::twisted::twisted:

    And of course "He...just wasn't himself. That's all I know. He just wasn't himself."


    I find it much more rare to see a top notch fighter decide to go completely off track of their norm and have it work like a charm. A guy who shows off dimensions you didn't know they had and they never bothered to capitalize on. A raging bull routine from a sly fox. A show of temperament and grace from an ordinarily face first brawler. A guy who does everything with a straight left starting to land right hooks from hell. A guy you didn't even know had an inside game putting on a clinic in a phone booth. Blah, blah, blah, etc, etc, etc. What sticks out in your mind as the best performance that comes out of character? Even if they ended up losing, who did it the most remarkably?
     
    Boxed Ears, May 23, 2010
    Boxed Ears, May 23, 2010
    #1
  2. sweetsci

    sweetsci Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Tommy Morrison turning into a slick boxer to beat George Foreman is the first instance that comes to my mind.
     
    sweetsci, May 23, 2010
    sweetsci, May 23, 2010
    #2
  3. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    Marco Antonio Barrera vs Naseem Hamed
    Erik Morales vs Paulie Ayala
    Johnny Tapia vs Danny Romero
     
    Addie, May 23, 2010
    Addie, May 23, 2010
    #3
  4. horst

    horst Guest

    Aaron Pryor morphing into a slick boxer during the first war with Alexis Arguello was pretty special.
     
    horst, May 23, 2010
    horst, May 23, 2010
    #4
  5. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    I prefer more sustained performances, Popkins. He was a boxer for a round or two.
     
    Addie, May 23, 2010
    Addie, May 23, 2010
    #5
  6. Boro chris

    Boro chris Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Terry Marsh vs Joe Manley.
    For a recent example Kessler seemed a lot more aggresive than normal against Froch.
     
    Boro chris, May 23, 2010
    Boro chris, May 23, 2010
    #6
  7. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Ruben Olivares turned boxer to regain the bantam title from Chucho by a unanimous 15 round decision. This was quite a departure from the normal style of "Rockabye Ruben".
     
    red cobra, May 23, 2010
    red cobra, May 23, 2010
    #7
  8. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Chiquita Gonzalez turning slick boxer in the 2nd Carbajal fight (I think he used that style again for thier 3rd fight).

    Scartissue
     
    scartissue, May 23, 2010
    scartissue, May 23, 2010
    #8
  9. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    Carbajal was diabolical in that second fight. I think he was already past his best. Great performance on the part of Chiquita though, to fight that well after suffering a bad cut like he did. Very impressive, indeed.
     
    Addie, May 23, 2010
    Addie, May 23, 2010
    #9
  10. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

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    Gotta' be Barrera against Hamed. It all came together for Marco that night.
     
    Flea Man, May 23, 2010
    Flea Man, May 23, 2010
    #10
  11. frankenfrank

    frankenfrank Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    James Toney TKO4 Tim Littles
    Oscar Bonavena LSD10 Joe Frazier
    Thomas Hearns TKO2 Roberto Duran
    Paul Williams TKO1 Carlos Quintana
     
    frankenfrank, May 23, 2010
    frankenfrank, May 23, 2010
    #11
  12. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    When Harry Greb won the middleweight title from Johny Wilson, he seems to have abandoned his usual windmill style and boxed.
     
    janitor, May 23, 2010
    janitor, May 23, 2010
    #12
  13. itrymariti

    itrymariti Cañas! Full Member

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    Leonard/Hearns has to be the ultimate here.
     
    itrymariti, May 23, 2010
    itrymariti, May 23, 2010
    #13
  14. JoeLaTurkey

    JoeLaTurkey Active Member Full Member

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    Yeah it was, amazing composure displayed by Pryor. Soon as he realised he probably couldn't knock Arguello's head off with one shot he just went Ali on him.

    How about Hatton's surprising display vs Malignaggi?
     
    JoeLaTurkey, May 23, 2010
    JoeLaTurkey, May 23, 2010
    #14
  15. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Tommy Loughran vs Leo Lomsky deserves a mention.
     
    janitor, May 23, 2010
    janitor, May 23, 2010
    #15
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