Fighters who got more respect after the way they performed in a loss

Vitali after Lewis.

 

Mallignaggi after Cotto.

 

It is very common that a fighter's status and perceived ability level are boosted as a result of losses. Some key examples are:

1. Joe Bugner - In 1973, Bugner lost back-to-back decisions to Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Prior to these bouts, Bugner was regarded as a fringe contender, just an untested and vulnerable European heavyweight. But he fought well in both bouts (particularly the Frazier fight), went the distance, and showed more ability than many contenders had against Ali and Frazier. Consequently, Bugner was regarded as a legitimate contender based on these losses.

2. Chuck Wepner - Wepner earned a lot of respect for his tougher-than-expected losing effot against Ali in 1975.

3. Mike Weaver - After giving Larry Holmes hell for 12 rounds in their 1979 title fight, most boxing experts realized he might be the best heavyweight outside of Holmes himself. Going into the fight, Weaver was a fring contender. Afterwards, he was taken seriously.

4. Henry Cooper - Cooper made his reputation through his losing effort to Ali in 1963. Cooper floored Ali with a brutal left hook in that fight, and was consequently immortalized.

There are many other examples, I don't have the time to sort through them right now.

 

Conn against Louis (possibly the all-time best example of this)
Leonard against Duran
Tunney against Greb

 

John Mugabi was a nobody before he gave Marvin Hagler hell.

Azumah Nelson's career was launched off a loss to Salvador Sanchez.

Jimmy Young is considered a god on this site, mostly due to losses to Ali and Norton.

Most every British heavyweight who ever lived.

 

Hearns against Hagler helped Hearns legacy on the condition that he keep winning after that fight and he did. Had he started to lose then it would not have done as much for his legacy. I am not sure how much it would have helped Hearns legacy more had he knocked out Hagler and Hagler retired, than what happened with a great fight and a loss. People would have just said Hagler was not what they thought. This way the Hagler/Hearns fight put more attention on the fab 4 matchups and gave them identity as warriors. Funny how it works.

 

Dick Ecklund against Sugar Ray Leonard.

 

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There weren't many of us Kessler fans outside of Denmark before he lost to Calzaghe (because many still hadn't really seen him, or had just seen him against Andrade and still didn't quite know what to make of him). His large-scale fan base was really born that night, more so than after any win.

 

Anhony Mundine following his loss to Kessler gained respect.

 

:roll:

 

charles after marciano I...

 

Foreman of '91 going 12 hard rds with Holy.....:good

MR.BILL:hat

Duran getting politically reamed in '96 against Camacho....

 

Ronald Lyle after Foreman.

Too many to mention.