Good fighters who never got a World title shot?

Of course. I remember the astonishing Duran victory but forgot about Hutchings.

 

I actually saw the Kirk-Hutchings fight and was amazed at watching Kirk for the first time. What I was amazed at was how he held his hands at his sides, which was suicidal against the jab of Hutchings ( he was known as “the pumper” but not because of the jab. He worked at a gas station in between fights pumping gas).

 

Kirkland made a virtue of unorthodoxy. I remember Charlie Magri telling a story about how, one afternoon in the Royal Oak gym, as Laing came bowling out of the changing room, Charlie had to snatch the spliff from behind Kirkland's ear !

 

Baby joe mesi was a pretty good fighter. Got messed up by rabbit punches from jirov, who took his punch up with him to hw as sorry as it seems. Joe was buffalo s third franchise. It's a shame him and Mike couldn't get it on. It would have been a real treat for boxing!

 

Correct buddy, it was in 68 and fought in Birmingham, Duran was cut badly over the left eye, the ref DQ Swift in the 10th, mind you he had been warned 6 times up to that point, the ref was French so no obvs bias, the crowd didn't like the outcome, and threw chairs in to the ring, 1 fell short and knocked a reporter out !!
stay safe buddy.

 

My Dad was there, at the Embassy Sportsdrome in Walford Rd. I remember him talking about it. Thanks again Mike.

 

My pleasure, buddy.

 

No knock on Hagler, as he was both a busy champion and obviously fearless, but I would have liked to have seen both Curtis Parker and Frank "The Animal" Fletcher get title shots. They were warriors whom I would have liked to see get their moment in the spotlight. Add James Salerno to that list too.

 

Here's some ranked heavyweights during their careers who never received even a shot at any titles, Boone Kirkman, Pedro Lovell, Leotis Martin, Duane Bobick, Jose Luis Garcia, Eduardo Corletti, Al Blue Lewis, Bob Cleroux, Thad Spencer, Henry Clark, Larry Middleton, Jack Bodell, Jose Ibar Urtain, Mac Foster, Gregorio Peralta, Randy Neumann, Jeff Merritt, Billy Joiner, Al Jones (Florida), Billy Daniels, Alex Miteff, Randy Stephens, Kallie Knoetze.

 

Would have been nice, but Fletcher lost his chance when he lost to Scypion, and Parker lost to Hamsho twice and Dwight Davidson.

 

They would of got their title shot but unfortunately they failed at the last hurdle.

Fletcher lost to Scypion, Roldan.

Parker lost to Hamsho x2, Scypion, Davidson.

Which pretty much killed of their chances of a title shot vs Hagler.

There was so many good Middleweights during that era.

 

This is a great thread. Thanks everyone. I really like Amir Mansour and think about how things would have turned out otherwise.

 

Frank "the Animal" Flletcher
Dwight Davison
Curtis Parker

 

Yeah Fletcher's manager Marty Feldman f_ed up royally. Fletcher was guaranteed a title shot after he beat James Green, who had recently beaten Scypion. Fletcher did not have to take the Scypion fight to get a shot at Hagler. Scypion's manager Mike Jones could not believe his good fortune.