Famous boxers who were heavy drinkers during their careers

Great story. Love the Finnegans especially Kevin. Would kill to see any of his two fights with Hagler especially the first one. Hagler had so much respect for Kevin after that fight.

 

Eckhard Dagge. He once said: "Many world champions have become alcoholics, but I am the first alcoholic to become world champion."

 

Kovalev forsure

 

Jimmy Slattery and Benny Lynch are the first that come to mind.

 

Larry Holmes.

I remember watching a fight from around 1985 on youtube , may have been a dokes or carl williams fight.. Larry was ringside drinking beers .

 

I remember Larry at a USA card in the 90's sloshed on red wine. I think he was very disciplined in camp, especially during his prime, but liked to cut loose and enjoy life the older he got, like a lot of athletes who sacrificed their youth.

 

Sinan Samil Sam

I remember reading that his sparring partners would regularly smell alcohol on him while training. He passed at the age of 41 from Liver Cirrhosis.

 

Carlos Monzon used to beat up waiters in restaurants even as world champion

 

Johnny Tapia. Think a lot was drugs mind you and this was before he became a world champion which is impressive.

 

Arturo Gatti, Tex Cobb

 

Carlos Monzon and Joe Frazier.

According to Bob Foster, Joe Frazier could drink a fifth of spirit in a very short amount of time. He apparently had an enormous appetite and tolerance for alcohol.

Carlos Monzon was a noted heavy drinker. I've read somewhere that he would often imbibe the night before a fight. Crazy stuff.

 

Tommy Oosthuizen. Lots of articles about how he threw it away for drink. He had some really good tools to win boxing matches but just seemed to lack the extra gear of a true prizefighter and it made sense that he was struggling during his prime years.

 

I can't see that Young Griffo has been mentioned in this thread yet and he is arguably the greatest fighter who was a well established alcoholic during his prime years.

 

No one mentioned John L. Sullivan.