Joichiro Tatsuyoshi. Not Classic era, I know, but his talent and popularity was too good not to mention. This is a guy I actually think was fast tracked way too quickly. I don't think he actually had an easy bout. Great talent, and he won the world title very early, but as a result basically every bout was a war, and this is one of the things that messed up his eyes. Even Joe himself regrets it from the documentary I've seen. If he'd been taken more steadily, they could've worked on incorporating his great movement into his great offense. If he'd achieved that he'd be absolutely devastating IMO. Not doing this was a factor in his loss to Yakushiji (and taking him way too soon). I'd also check out just what the **** kinda sparring they were doing to have his retina detach in his early twenties. Its a testament to his spirit he came back at all, let alone eventually re won the title. Still, his redemption bout with Singwacha is one of my favourites ever. If they'd done this in retrospect, though, he would've had a greater (not that long though) career.
a friend of my manages and trains fighters. And when he comes to town for them to fight I hang out with them. He works them out buys them the food and does everything. After the fight he gives them gatorade, which I told him sometimes give them water at first because gatorade can make them vomit. Then if they win they are happy and they kicked ass, if they lose it is the trainers fault. One thing interesting. One time my fighters fighter lost by TKO getting beaten up and I thought oh please stop this fight. And they did, and my friend said "my guy was starting to land punches and they stopped it. I didn't see that. And then he files a protest. In people's mind they land one not so clean punch and somehow the ref stops it as a set up. Either way, the whole business is pretty complicated. Then I tell my friend, well I go with the ref on this one. and my friend gets mad at me. You cannot win sometimes.
I'd go with Big John Tate, by not having him fight Berbick a few months after getting dusted by Weaver. A few tune up fights after the Weaver loss could have extended the effective phase of his career a bit so long as he also stayed relatively clean. I'd also love to have had a chance to get Dempsey to defend against Greb and Wills, but let's be honest, I'm not going to outdo Tex Rickard in terms of box office. Jersey Joe was a great call, too, if Walcott could have actually had a definitive prime phase of his career, I think his legacy would be much more notable.
I would like to give Hector Lopez another shot with better management but also better choices from him. If he had stayed out of the gang life and worked at boxing full-time. Real training camps, real preparation. I know KT will never forget him.
I'm a Psychotherapist by trade, so this question is something I've wondered about for awhile. My first pick would be Gerry Cooney and trying to resolve his love/hate relationship with boxing and himself. I still think an aggressive and intense Cooney stops Holmes 8 out of 10 and think he left so much on the table. I think he avoided success because he was afraid of the scrutiny and being exposed and unliked for the darker parts of his persona. Holmes was 10X more stable psychologically. Second pick would be moving Jesse James Hughes out of Mobile to train somewhere else for his upcoming fight against Trinidad in 1994. Staying away from the Bottoms in Mobile might have saved his life and he might've beaten Trinidad- he was angle-iron tough and on a real roll. Instead he ends up murdered by cokeheads and left to rot in a swamp. Third would be Elisha Obed. Dundee in Florida got rid of his "Bundini ", his childhood trainer, Moon Robinson, (who was the source of all Obed's self-belief and actually gave him the Obed name (from Everette Ferguson, if I remember right), right before the Sea Robinson title defense and he sunk like a rock right afterwards. Even before that, Obed was prone to making his own managerial decisions and not good ones. He signed to fight tough clubfighter Taco Perez three days before another already signed fight against Sammy Barr and was exhausted from going ten hard rounds 72 hours before going another 10 hard rounds and ended up getting a draw. He later said he "needed the money".. Having seen him in his prime, he was so much better than what he is remembered as being and could've been even better if he would've kept Robinson and not been overworked and burned out. I appreciate all the great and thoughtful posts, btw. Not a usual thread starter.
70s George Foreman Such a neglected potential he could've been greater then he was had he not been so mentally weak he should have made for a fine champion. Ike "The president" Obviously a wasted talent... I'm uncertain if a good manger could separate the man from his demons though.
I'd have Dempsey, having fight more regular. Keep his eye on the ball and even if fighting a bit of a Louis bum of the month type schedule just to keep him in the ring. Who knows, if he did this, the Tunney fight may have been a lot different.
Tate was the guy I was thinking of. Ace Miller did not do him any favors. Imagine if Don King had signed the guy in like 77. First off the money thing would not have any worse. How could it be? And King would have protected him a lot more---there were way too many tough fights for Tate on the way up . Especially since he was fighting in the other guy's backyard and taking on tough opposition from the start.
I would have kicked his father out of the gym and anywhere where there was boxing business to discuss. The man ruined his son's career partly.
Tua. Could have been the best in his era with a different trainer/manager imo (should have studied Tyson, Marciano, Frazier some more). Probably should have came in lighter and learned to cut off the ring better as well. Still don’t know how we never got a Klitchko v Tua matchup. I suppose he’s not classic though lol if not Tua then Dempsey.
