Greatest waste of talent in boxing history?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Melankomas, Jan 19, 2023.


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  1. Melankomas

    Melankomas Prime Jeffries would demolish a grizzly in 2 Full Member

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    Which fighters do you think could've been greater had it not been for their own choices? I'd say Willie Meehan is up there, he beat Sam Langford, Jack Dillon, Jeff Clark and a prime Jack Dempsey. Had he actually trained at fought at his prime weight, he definitely could've been an ATG. Any others?
     
    Melankomas, Jan 19, 2023
    Melankomas, Jan 19, 2023
    #1
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  2. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I mean, by definition, you've never heard of him, right?

    Of the guys we've heard of, Prince Naseem didn't do himself justice.
     
    McGrain, Jan 19, 2023
    McGrain, Jan 19, 2023
    #2
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  3. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Greg Page, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Edwin Rosario, Donald Curry, and Hector Camacho, got to be included in this list.
     
    Titan1, Jan 19, 2023
    Titan1, Jan 19, 2023
    #3
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  4. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Mando Ramos
    Toluco Lopez
    Bernard 'Superbad' Mays
     
    scartissue, Jan 19, 2023
    scartissue, Jan 19, 2023
    #4
  5. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Most of the guys you listed had some pretty damn good careers.
     
    mr. magoo, Jan 19, 2023
    mr. magoo, Jan 19, 2023
    #5
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  6. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    True, but in the case of Curry, Rosario, and Camacho, they could have done a whole lot more, especially Curry and Rosario.
     
    Titan1, Jan 19, 2023
    Titan1, Jan 19, 2023
    #6
  7. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Perhaps. I don’t think curry was made to last frankly.
     
    mr. magoo, Jan 19, 2023
    mr. magoo, Jan 19, 2023
    #7
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  8. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    It does if you put it in the fridge.

    This content is protected
     
    McGrain, Jan 19, 2023
    McGrain, Jan 19, 2023
    #8
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  9. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    You know, you're probably right, in retrospect., there was a bit of fragility.
     
    Titan1, Jan 19, 2023
    Titan1, Jan 19, 2023
    #9
  10. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Ba-dum-bum
     
    mr. magoo, Jan 19, 2023
    mr. magoo, Jan 19, 2023
    #10
  11. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Gerry Cooney
    Tony Tucker
    Andrew Golota
    Ike Ibeabuchi
    Terrell Biggs
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Jan 19, 2023
    Ken Ashcroft, Jan 19, 2023
    #11
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  12. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Guys like Naseem Hamed, Riddick Bowe, and Hector Camacho squandered their talents in some ways but they still made the most of their careers.

    In recent years I would say the biggest wastes would be:
    Yuriorkis Gamboa
    Joan Guzman
    Edwin Valero
    Ike Ibeabuchi
    Tony Ayala Jr
     
    Flo_Raiden, Jan 19, 2023
    Flo_Raiden, Jan 19, 2023
    #12
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  13. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Riddick Bowe: won the title from a peak Holyfield in a single performance that conceivably placed him in perhaps top 6 h2h...then that fighter disappeared, basically. He never fought anywhere near that well again.

    He said it all when admitting that, upon winning the title he lost interest in boxing, and had to be practically dragged to the gym.

    Management also shares the blame; without the awful Newman Bowe would have fought Lewis and quite possibly have won (I really don't see the Lewis of that time beating the Holyfield I Bowe; Bowe was more advanced as a pro at that point). He followed Newman's horrible advice to ditch the belt in the trash...one of the worse managers ever.

    It would have served Bowe right if Lewis had taken the multi-million dollar deal to fight Bowe a few years later, when Lewis would certainly have knocked the hell out of him.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jan 19, 2023
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jan 19, 2023
    #13
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  14. FrankinDallas

    FrankinDallas FRANKINAUSTIN

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    Kelly Pavlik comes to mind. Drinking messed him up badly.
    Tommy Morrison also. Wine, women and drugs did him in.
     
    FrankinDallas, Jan 19, 2023
    FrankinDallas, Jan 19, 2023
    #14
  15. AwardedSteak863

    AwardedSteak863 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Vince Phillips and Leon Spinks. Both were absolute badasses as amateur fighters and when sober were beating atg's like Ali for Spinks and Tzysu for Phillips.
     
    AwardedSteak863, Jan 19, 2023
    AwardedSteak863, Jan 19, 2023
    #15
    Bokaj likes this.
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