Hyped boxers who fell short of expectations

Marshall Martinez. He beat Cotto as an amateur and signed a lucrative deal with Top Rank. He was 7-0 when he got caught with 5 kilos of coke and went to prison.

 

Mike Tyson, Gerry Cooney, Greg Page, Ray Mancini, Hector Camacho

Tyson and Camacho did accomplish a lot but not as much as was expected. Both fizzled out for various reasons.

 

Golota exposed Grant first, even though he ended up losing.

 

I remember one article basically predicting he was the next SRR.

 

Duane Bobick (as he takes a Ken Norton right hand to the throat on national TV).

 

Yeah, I saw that too. No-one could live up to that!

 

Jeff Lacy - 160 pound Mike Tyson?

Naseem Hamed - made a record of fighting boxers who were at or around UK national level whilst proclaiming himself TBE, comprehensively dismantled as soon as he stepped up to the major leagues

 

Audley Harrison, I remember when he turned pro some people thought he was the second coming of Lennox Lewis.

 

Also Jo-el Scott mainly due to prison time.

 

Tyson achieved enough. He fought many contenders and only lost once in his prime against someone who on that night was really really special. Even ifeverything had gone perfectly he would have started declining around 91 to 93 anyway at the latest because of his style and the youthfullness and desire it requires

 

Barerra beat him comfortably.. Hardly a dismantling.. If we're talking dismantlings.. Lacy coming over here to beat up Calzaghe a mini Mike Tyson as he was described.. Got totally violated by Joe Calzaghe. That's a dismantling. Barerra beating Hamed was a legend beating a just shy of genuine world class class fighter with ease.

 

He basically had to be convinced by friends and company to become a fighter, it wasn't something he took naturally too or even particularly enjoyed. I remember hearing stories of that nature when he was profiled by the commentary team during some of his fights.

 

Hector Carrasquilla was a major talent who never really recovered from his crushing shock loss to Soo- Hwan Hong. Like a smaller less robust version of Pedroza, against whom he actually put up a real fight despite being damaged goods.

Pat Ford looked like a real monster in his short career, Pedroza ruined him right after he (Ford) had arguably beaten Sanchez.

Bojado and Errol Christie were good mentions earlier in the thread.

Mijares is a good recent example, Hasegawa too imo. I remember both of them being highly regarded by the old crowd here on Classic before Mijares got thumped by Darchinyan and Hasegawa got ambushed by Montiel.

Nino LaRocca was a massive hype job who got huge support and backing in his adopted Italy while a genuinely brilliant fighter like Kalambay was forced to languish in obscurity until he upset Herol Graham.

 

It would be easier to name the hyped boxers who lived up to expectations!

 

Gonzalez Was supposed to be a monster at HW who was going to destroy Bowe Lewis and the rest !.didn't turn out that way.