Is there a fighter you didn't like in the past that you like now in hindsight?

Hector "Macho" Camacho was an easy guy to dislike....but when he put that TKO on Sugar Ray Leonard, and later beat Roberto Duran, I began to like him.

 

I've come to appreciate both Mayweather and Toney more than I use to.

Honestly the list would be endless if I had to the time to watch more boxing videos or even books. After reading a bio of Dempsey, I became a huge Demsey fan, after reading a bio and watching a video of Johnson, I became a huge Johnson fan. I still imagine what Dempsey riding the rails from town to town, going into bars and fighting for money, that seems like a movie right there.

 

Jimmy Young. I didn't appreciate him nearly as much when he was fighting. Partly due to the way, I felt at the time, he squandered his title shot.

 

Never liked his personality, but I really do respect Sugar Ray Leonard, who was probably the all-around best that I've seen in my life.

 

Couldn't stand James Toney's big mouth and regard RJJ's cake walk on November 18, 1994 as one of my favorite boxing moments ever. My loathing turned to love for Toney right around the Jirov fight, Top 3 best Cruiserweight fights in history. Lights Out is now considered one of my favorite fighters of all time.

I despised Felix Trinidad as well because he was a dominant monster. The way he beat Sweet Pea still p i s s e s me off to this day. I felt Ike Quartey was the better fighter and should've been matched together but the DeLaHoya sweepstakes were too big to pass up for either fighter. Quartey-Trinidad and Norris-Trinidad were 2 dream fights that almost came true. Then Hopkins won me some bookoo bucks on September 29, 2001. A glorious day in my household. Looking back I'm glad I got to witness an offensive juggernaut like Tito who's overlooked and underrated these days.

Lennox Lewis was a hated man of mine. He was scary good in the ring and his destruction of Razor Ruddock left me in a state of awe. How could Ruddock get blasted out so fast against Lewis after those 19 harrowing rounds with Tyson? And then the blowout of Golota made me realize Lennox might be going down as the best heavyweight of the 90's. I still think Bowe beats him at their best and their potential fight goes down as the 2nd biggest missed opportunity in heavyweight history (Tyson-Holyfield '91 and Tyson-Foreman being #1 & #3 respectively).

 

Monzon. Not a nice guy and a difficult style inside the ring to warm to. But over the years I'm glad to have had a change of heart.

Marciano...In my youth I hought he was horribly overrated, but in time I grew to appreciate him.

Wilfred Benitez...thought he was boring but maturity had made me realise the error of my thinking.

Ray Leonard...didn't like his flamboyant personality and loathed him when he beat Hagler, but he's become one of my faves over the years.

Virgil Hill...couldn't stand him when he was WBA champ and hoped he lost every fight. Again, time and perspective have changed things.

 

Never really disliked any fighters back in the day but Roy Jones would be the closest. Bothered me that he played in that basketball game before his one fight, and I didn't like that he taunted people who lacked the physical talent to make him pay for it.I also failed to appreciate the skill, technique, and timing that let him get the most out of his physical gifts.

 

Benn and Lewis come to mind. So does MAB.

Didnt like Benn because he was Eubank's rival. Didn't like Lewis cos he beat Bruno. Didn't like MAB cos he beat Naz.

Now I don't really like anyone except the underdog sp stuff like that makes no odds to me.

I follow boxers like I when I go to a big fight I'll pick one to cheer for (Haye, Khans opponent, Froch, Quigg etc) but I don't have a vested interest.

 

Lenni, Benitez, Monzon, Griffith, Feo, Ezz, most of the pre 30 guys like Benny Leonard (before I watched the longer footage), Loughran (yep. That stupid), Tunney, Papke, both Gibbons, McFarland, Willie Ritchie, JJ...

From my current top 10 favorites almost all of them I wouldn't give the time back than.

More recently I remember the last time I watched Slattery I didn't think too much of him. Now I kinda like him. Still think he's too daring stylistically, but I like him.

 

Hector Camacho

 

Mike Tyson. Especially what he brought to the table in the mid-to-late 80's. Always knew he was good, but felt people put a bit much into him back then.

 

Tito and DLH. I really came to appreciate Tito, I still think DLH was a cherry picking pretty boy phoney but i grudhingly respect his talent. That was a very good era for WWs.

 

yes i used to have a hate on for Roy for essentially the same things you mentioned, now i accept him and feel a bit sorry for him that he is past it and still in the game, he really was special looking back.