Fights who suffered damage due to sparring wars?

Bill Miller was a real gentleman. After James' training session was over, Bill came over to us and we must have talked for an hour. Regular guy. My dad and him were close in age so were from the same era. Good memories and how different everything is now.

 

True. In the Quarry bio "Hard Luck", the writer references exactly what you speak of. First timers to the gym were dismayed at what they saw and when they spoke up the reply was "hey, we are working here".

Add in that Jack Quarry, the POS father had these kids knocking each other in the heard when they were 5 years old.

Some fighter are just too tough for their own good. the Quarry brothers, Chuvalo, etc.

 

I read an article a couple of years ago on Joe Frazier. Yank Durham was Joe's manager/trainer and he was careful to be sure Joe, in his early career, was not exposed to certain gyms in the Philly area where sparring sessions often turned into gladiator wars where to fighters acted like they were fighting over Rachel Welch. The main two reasons, he did not want Joe's self confidence shaken and he knew with Joe's style he would be taking enough punishment in actually fights.

Joe had 37 fights. Quarry had 66 fights and likely sparred 10 fold of what Frazier did.

 

I'm of the impression Michael Moorer is a full time dickhead. 24/7

 

Why would a fighter be considered a dick head for sparring hard?

I would consider Muhammad a dumb *** for getting in with a banger like Moorer so late in his career.

He was a former world champion trying to believe that he still had it.

Not Moorers fault at all.

 

I will add Gary Bell to that list.
He was an undefeated heavyweight prospect in the mid-90's who was fond of Mike Tyson. He copied his black trunks, hairstyle and even his neck twitch.

Team Holyfield choosed him and David Tua to be his sparring partner in the lead up to his fight with Tyson. Holyfield's trainers instructed Bell to imitate Tyson's aggressive style, by mimicking his customaries fierces rushes. Holyfield admitted that he was beaten so bad by Bell that he thought of pulling off the fight. Eventually, things clicked on and the rest is history. Bell was present as a part of Commander Vander's team on the ring that night.

But for Bell (who also sparred with Lennox Lewis before he fought Mercer), things will not end here. He was again designated as Holyfield's sparring spartner for the rematch, and began working with Tua during countless hours of sparring.

In 1999, Bell fought Tua officially for the USBA title. This would prove to be disastrous : Tua started quickly and Bell was heavily bleeding after a clash of head. Bell was stopped on his feet soon after.

His life went sour in the early 00's, between brain damages, prison and more defeats.