Greatest waste of talent in boxing history?

Tony Ayala sprang to my mind

 

I'm pretty sure its on here so I agree with who posted. I would say Mike Tyson qualifies

 

Well, I'll say this. Ruslan Provodnikov had the grit, determination, heart, chin, but was not quite as good a boxer as Jose Luis Lopez. Now, if JLL had Provodnikov's will and determination? Man, he would have been something. I don't think I ever saw Provodnikov come into a fight out of shape or coast through a fight just barely doing enough to win. JLL, not so much. Anyhow, JLL shoulda, coulda, woulda. Too late now.

 

the dozens & hundreds of fighters who were avoided & cheated out of championship possibility...

fighters most feared and too much of a danger for Owned & Invested in champions.

"too good for their own good" as the saying goes.

 

Much as he sprang on his victims.
Yes, wasted potential and never a more appropriate candidate; both as a boxer and as a human.

 

For me Ayala had a bad time in front of him. He was about to be matched with Davey Moore which is 50-50 at best for mine. If he ebat Moore he had a resurgent Duran to take on who would have whooped him. Just after that Mike McCallum came on and if he looked at 160 Hagler was King. So regardless of some decent promise Ayala was about to be put thru the washing machine. He was good, but not that good.

 

A terrible and tragic end, but also a damn good story.

 

Current fighters I would say Gary Russell Jr. amd Jermall Charlo are squandering their prime with inactivity and cherry picking.

Ayala, Valero, Golota, could all achieved greatness on some level.

 

I would love to know how good Max Bear could have been, if he had kept at it instead of partying and relaxing. I would certainly favour him over Braddock that way. He had good wins before that, but his reign was so short lived. I feel like he could have done way more.
I mean Schmeling, Carnera, Levinsky, Griffith is not too bad.
But who knows, maybe I'm overrating that potential version of him. I don't think he would've made it into to upper echelons of greatness at heavyweight, but he certainly could have been a lot more accomplished.

 

Scrap-Iron Johnson. He could have ruled with an iron fist.

 

Willie Meehan beat Dempsey in a four rounder twice, drew with him twice, and lost one which is hardly very telling. Especially considering guys of Dempsey's style frequently lose the first couple rounds (ala Frazier), then come on later in the fight.

 

I always forget his name (which I think fits the theme) but rich the fight historian did a video about a kronk amateur standout who tommy hearns feared sparring so much he almost quit boxing as a kid who was a terrible alcoholic and never got anything going as a pro as a result.

Sadly a lot of amateur stars who wasted their talent on drugs and alcohol.

 

Good calls on Ramos and Mays, in particular Mando, at 19 he looked destined for greatness, he had the looks, the connections, the fan base, everything was in his favour, but the bright lights, the substances , the lack of any discipline all played a part in his sad and pitiful demise, the still photo of him on a stretcher, being taken to the ambulance after the horrific, and life changing beating he took from Carmona, will linger long in the mind, his arm hanging loosely out of the side of the blanket, for all the world looked like the arm of a dead man, which he nearly became, so sad......
stay safe guys.

 

As others have said it is difficult to call a world champ a waste of talent and I suppose there is a difference between those never won a title and threw away a career like Ayala Jnr or those who compared to most fighters had an amazing career but you know could have done more.

My thoughts are Wilfred Benitez, if even half the stories about him in The Black Lights book are true about his lack of discipline and crazy father it's a miracle he achieved what he did. With a work ethic and a good team it would have been the Five Kings of the 80s.

Tubbs, Hatton, Witherspoon, Toney and anyone who disrespects their health and training between fights.

Tyrell Biggs, great athleticism but poor dedication, had all the tools to be a champ but threw it away.

Gerald McClellan, so highly rated and exciting but from what I have read on here clearly badly damaged even before Benn.

 

Posted this earlier but I think you mean..
Kronk fighter Superbad Bernard Mays 26-1-1 15 KOs. Stories I've read is he used to always get the better of Tommy Hearns in sparing, Steward said he was the MOST TALENTED Kronk boxer of them all, his amateur record was 200ish wins, 2 losses. But then found beer and got hooked on it. His last fight was a loss but his pancreas was messed up because of all the drinking. Died of alcoholism at 33