Fighters you had the highest hopes for that fell short?

Absolutely!

 

Sergey Kovalev. Had all the tools to be a dominant champion but didn’t seem to put it all together in the end. I still maintain the notion that Kovalev’s career could have gone much better for him had he gotten the decision against Andre Ward the first time around.

 

I think there are parallels between Kova & GGG - they didn't start getting the truly big fights until they were at the tail end (or even already past) their primes, & they were both robbed of a decision win vs. a superstar/ATG shortly before their careers declined.

 

Yeah, Lopez beat Loma tho many Loma fans are claiming Loma won or pull thousand excuses for that fight same way Pac-Man fans are making thousand of excuses for his losses.

 

What did those three have in common regarding defenses?

 

Yuriorkis Gamboa
Kelly Pavlik
Juan Manuel Lopez

 

Maybe not the highest hopes ... But Audley Harrison comes to mind. I watched him win Olympic gold in 2000 and was convinced he'd become a world champion.
His pro career never really got off the ground - never seemed to have the style or the mentality to switch successfully from amateur to the pros.

 

There was a time when I had Denis Boytsov down as a possible future star.

 

I remember when Gamboa & JuanMa seemed destined for 1 of the biggest showdowns in the sport. Lopez losing to Salido ended up ruining both of their careers IMO.

 

Orlando Salido had a knack for ruining plans. Crushed Juanma twice in PR that killed any hopes of Gamboa vs Lopez and then giving Loma his first L in his bid to become the fastest fighter to win a title. What a party crasher.

 

Honestly thought Andre Dirrell would go far even after the debacle that took place during the Super 6 (getting robbed against Froch, his acting job against Abraham, declining to fight Ward, leaving the tournament, Dr Shaw High). He looked like he had the skills and talents to at least be a title holder just like his brother Anthony Dirrell. Shame that he didn't have the capacity to go further.

 

Lopez, whatever happened there, had potential, it probably wasn´t simply a lack of skills but work ethics or whatever... maybe @AntonioMartin1 can share some background info... because he went downhill too soon and too fast.

 

Teofimo Lopez.

 

All complete massacres? Not sure other than that.

 

Goyo Vargas
Elisha obed
Clemente Sanchez
Arturo Pineda