Fighters Who Were/Are Enigmas

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Russell, Dec 7, 2009.


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  1. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Enigmas as in how great or even good they were is a mystery.

    Lack of good competition, never being able to prove their greatness at a world class level, bad breaks, early deaths... So on and so forth.

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    Joe Calzaghe is a perfect recent example to give an idea of what I'm looking for.

    Pissed away 90% of his career taking safe fights in his own backyard against over matched opposition. Does so in decisive fashion, but it proves next to nothing on a world class level.

    Finally steps up at the end of his career and fights two faded legends. Is floored in the first against both (Against a Jones without a pulse none the less)

    I don't know what to think of Sloppy Joe. I' recently heard a poster here say he thrived off of workrate and a good chin and not much else, and in many ways I agree. :think

    His "best" win in many peoples eyes was against another question mark fighter in Kessler, who now looks to not be anything special at a world level either.

    Thoughts, and other similar fighters?
     
    Russell, Dec 7, 2009
    Russell, Dec 7, 2009
    #1
  2. Mantequilla

    Mantequilla Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Of recent years, Grigorian.

    And maybe Dean Francis.
     
    Mantequilla, Dec 7, 2009
    Mantequilla, Dec 7, 2009
    #2
  3. Muchmoore

    Muchmoore Guest

    Ike fits the bill perfectly.
     
    Muchmoore, Dec 7, 2009
    Muchmoore, Dec 7, 2009
    #3
  4. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    Another excuse to talk about Yuh Myung Woo. In my judgment, the great fighters really prevail when they are pitted against fellow greats. Yuh was never in that position, as his defenses were mostly against average fighters, and whenever he struggled, he would usually win definitively in rematches. I have a fight with him against Willy Salazar, a lank guy for light Flyweight. Well, Yuh wins practically every round in my eyes, bouncing right hands off this guys face repeatedly. One of the referee's had it 116-113, and another 117-112. It wasn't even that close. Most of the fighters in that division fighting out of Korea were enigma's. You didn't know if they had losses because of incompetent officiating, and guys like Yuh never came across a fellow great fighter. Yuh was great from what I see, not an all-time great, but as a package...he was a world calibre fighter, indeed.

    Ricardo Lopez is the same kind of thing to me.
     
    Addie, Dec 7, 2009
    Addie, Dec 7, 2009
    #4
  5. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    George Godfrey is the classic case.
     
    janitor, Dec 7, 2009
    janitor, Dec 7, 2009
    #5
  6. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Perfect shout out.
     
    Russell, Dec 7, 2009
    Russell, Dec 7, 2009
    #6
  7. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

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    James Scott- I assume you're much less likely to fulfill your potential when you're living and training in prison.

    Tony Ayala
    Ike Ibeabuchi
     
    Thread Stealer, Dec 7, 2009
    Thread Stealer, Dec 7, 2009
    #7
  8. lefthook31

    lefthook31 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    Gerald Mclellan. A lot of speculation as to how good he could have become. Hard to use the Benn fight as a barometer because noone knows in which round his brain started to short circuit.
     
    lefthook31, Dec 7, 2009
    lefthook31, Dec 7, 2009
    #8
  9. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Lost to two no names over the course of his career prior to the Benn fight, so not too sure about that. :think
     
    Russell, Dec 7, 2009
    Russell, Dec 7, 2009
    #9
  10. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Jose Luis Lopez... all the talent in the world, none of the dedication...
     
    Seamus, Dec 7, 2009
    Seamus, Dec 7, 2009
    #10
  11. Casamayor122

    Casamayor122 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Khaosai Galaxy
     
    Casamayor122, Dec 7, 2009
    Casamayor122, Dec 7, 2009
    #11
  12. HyperBone

    HyperBone Silverback Gorilla Full Member

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    Michael Nunn. I believe he was psychologically "damaged" after the Toney fight. He could have been greater, had he moved on after that loss.

    Ike Ibeabuchi, Tony Ayala, Salvador Sanchez, Wilfredo Benitez(if he had been focused and had self discipline he woulve done more)....
     
    HyperBone, Dec 8, 2009
    HyperBone, Dec 8, 2009
    #12
  13. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Yeah, Ricardo Lopez, who by staying in his little bird cage of a division, never really revealed if he was as good as he appeared on the surface to be.
     
    red cobra, Dec 8, 2009
    red cobra, Dec 8, 2009
    #13
  14. Shake

    Shake Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Kirkland Laing.
     
    Shake, Dec 8, 2009
    Shake, Dec 8, 2009
    #14
  15. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Imo,Joe Calzaghe's best performance was against Jeff Lacy. In the Kessler fight,he produced a solid,rather than brilliant performance.
     
    Stevie G, Dec 8, 2009
    Stevie G, Dec 8, 2009
    #15
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