I saw a few of his fights growing up and couldn't get over his atrocious record. But as soon as he went into action you knew that he was a guy who was either mismanaged or had other issues in some of his fights. A talented fighter though and one who blew hot and cold to the extreme. Although he retired with a record of 47-26-5-35, Freddie Pendleton managed to chalk up wins over Roger Mayweather, Livingstone Bramble, Tracy Spann, Jorge Paez, Tony Lopez and Tyrone Trice.. That's an incredible win list in my opinion even if some of those guys were a shade past it when he fought them.. A good number of his defeats came against world beaters too..
He was fairly consistent in the late eighties to early/mid 90s. He lost a lot in the beginning and end, which is a little different than hot and cold. Sort of like Jinmy Young with his career path.
I really liked Pendleton. He could fight. He had very solid all around skills He had little to no amateur experience and was thrown in with prospects as an opponent early on. He was initially too much of a runner but once he hooked up with Ed Gerch as his manager in around 1984, he began to make a mark. He fought prospect Tyrone Trice on one day's notice and proceeded to knock him out in less than a round. After the fight, he said he had to do so because he had not really been training and was called away from a pick up basketball game to inform him of the Trice fight. He brought a 13-13 record into the ring against IBF champion Jimmy Paul in what was supposed to be an easy non-title fight for Paul. It turned out to be a competitive 10 round fight and from then on Pendleton was on everyone's radar. The next year, he ko'd former 130 lb and future 140 lb. champ. Roger Mayweather with a devastating barrage in the sixth round. That set up a USBA 135 title fight with the rising Frankie Randall. In a highly tactical back and forth affair, the fight was ruled a 12 round draw. The fight was televised live on ESPN, and I remember thinking both guys were top 10 types and that they would both one day win world titles. It took them awhile (1992 and 1994 respectively) but they both made it. Pendleton was easy to root for. He earned everything he got in boxing, and was in no way coddled like so many more hyped fighters.
He was great Pendleton I loved watching him. He was a great fighter Mike Hunter was another hardly anyone remembers him but he has good wins over Oliver McCall, Tyrell Biggs, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Pinklon Thomas, Jimmy Thunder
There are some guys with absolutely terrible records that clearly know how to fight. Pendeleton is a perfect example. Ralph 'Tiger' Jones is another one.
Around 1990, ESPN had a ten year anniversary special for their top rank boxing show. So basically everything between 1980 to the present. They showed many awesome fights including the great battle between William "Caveman" Lee and John Locicero.. But they also showed Freddie Pendleton scoring a knockout over Roger Mayweather. The shot he hit him with must have rocked the whole arena.
Yaqui Lopez!!! What a warrier. Love the guy. So many guys that were right there, great fighters, great guys that I felt so bad for . But not everybody can win the big one. But they deserve just as much credit.
I remember hearing Nigel Benn say that Pendleton used to beat him up so badly in sparring that the lacing on the back of his headgear would start to come untied after a round or two.