Name boxers that were never the same after winning a BIG fight

It's true Bowe was never the same after the third Holyfield fight. He won the battle by lost the war.

Lol at some thinking Bowe won the second Holyfield fight. Evader outhuatled him that night.

 

Max Baer after his wins over Carnera and Schmeling never looked as aggressive or impressive imo

 

sonny Liston after beating Floyd the second time.

 

Is this another Tyson Fury thread?

 

"Neon Leon" Spinks post Ali 1. Sadly, Leon should have retired back to St. Louis, and bought himself a "car dealership" and let a knowledgeable car manager run it for him...and live off the profits.

 

Lightning Lonnie Smith beats Billy Costello with shocking ease to win the 140lb title and looks like a smaller Roy Jones Jr. before we even knew about RJJ. Then gets hammered by Rene Arredondo in his first title defense (granted, he reportedly was forced to fight with a torn rotator cuff) and we pretty much never hear from him again.

 

Excellent choice. Costello was 30-0-0 ( LS took his "Oh"). That fight might have been a small Closed Circuit broadcast. I remember seeing the fight.

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I had holyfield winning also, Holyfields shots were clean, eye catching, well timed and crisp, Bowes were clubbing and alot of them partially blocked.

 

He was already slipping before, Clinton woods made his eye swell up,
fighting a slow heavyweight flattered his speed. Ruiz caught him with some good shots and moving down in weight and fighting the best LHW he had fought in years just highlighted that Jones wasn't the same.
He the took alot of shots while drained, got KO'd in the rematch both of which took something out of him.
In the Johnson fight he was legitimately a shot fighter.he lost all 8-9 ropes while laying against the ropes and getting battered before Johnson KO'd him.


SRL had a similarly quick decline from 87 looking near prime vs hagler-91 looking pathetic vs norris
Tbh his reflexes already looked like **** vs Hearns in 89

It's just what happens to these really athletic boxer types.

 

Fighters who either killed or seriously injured their opponents are almost a separate category. Eubank, Gabe Ruelas, Jesus Chavez - that kind of experience had a profound effect on a lot of fighters.

 

The heavyweights are who I think of:

-Leon Spinks after winning the title from Ali
-Buster Douglas after winning the title from Tyson
-Riddick Bowe after winning the title from Holyfield

None of them were shot, they all just got lazy quickly.

 

Yes, very true. You can add Ezzard Charles to that list as well.

 

I had Holyfield winning too. I haven't watched it since 1993 and I was a Holyfield fan as well, but that's my recollection.

 

I still remember Lonnie Smith talking trash before his fight against JCC. "I am knocking Juli-o Ce-Sar Cha-Vez OUT!" Needless, to say, that didn't Happen, and Chavez won. (Although, it did go the distance which was rare for Chavez at that point of his career)

 

Tyson Fury