Poor management, career choices

Newman and Bowe actually got a good deal with HBO to make a lot of millions fighting overmatched guys like Dokes and Ferguson, and a Holyfield who was perceived to have really declined. HBO would later do the same thing with RJJ and publicly regret it.

In terms of business and money I thought it was a good move, make millions against easier opposition and then make the big money fight later (the same idea I think Floyd and Manny had in their minds all along).

But Bowe underestimated Holyfield and came in with 12 extra lbs of flab, and Holyfield fought a very good fight.

 

Emanual would have been great for Roy. Roy was so good he would be great with anyone, but with Emanuel he would have been an even bigger knockout puncher.

 

The worst decisions I see might be Donald Curry. He and his team did something wrong not in decision of where to fight, but more training and getting him in shape.. And we also underrated Honeyghan, who might have been better than we all thought for Donald's style..

 

Davey Moore was fed to Roberto Duran.
Andrew Maynard fed to Bobby Czyz.
Chico accepting the overweight version of Castillo.
Gamboa fighting Crawford.
Brook fighting GGG.
Marvis Frazier fighting Holmes with about 10 fights under his belt.

 

Nothing Emanuel could do would have protected that fragile chin of Roy's....it was his Achilles Heel that he concealed for so long until his special gifts began to dissipate.

 

Marvis Frazier being fed to Mike Tyson by his delusional daddy.

 

Very good post....and I will watch some of his earlier fights...hey, I liked RJJ,...I was amazed by his performance vs Toney...and his showmanship,...but he was a disaster waiting to happen I shudder to think of what would happen if any of the lightheavy giants of the 70's were to have made contact with that vulnerable chin of his....Foster, Eddie Mustafa, Saad Muhammad, Galindez, Spinks,...it hurts just to think about it.

 

David Tua one of the most talented HW ever never to win a title.
Earned 3.5 m for Lewis fight and problematic investments and
management problems meant he never fulfilled his potential.
These 3 fighters were groomed to face Marvin Hagler and were
thrown in with 3 fighters when they weren't ready.
John Collins Jr vs Tony Sibson.
Bobby Czyz vs Mustafo Hamsho.
James Shuler vs Thomas Hearns.
Footnote. Shuler died in motorbike accident week later.
Bob Arum said of James that the boxer came into his room after
the fight and thanked him for promoting the fight.
Arum said that James was only fighter who had ever done that.
Arum continue he was a decent young man.

 

Thanks for pointing this out....
Jones was lucky that he chose Ruiz and not ....um,....Lennox Lewis. Cherry picking sure has it's advantages.

 

he hid it very well. In someways he might have known something because he sure didn't engage with guys. I wonder who had a better chin Hearns or Jones. Hearns actually was hit clean with many guys even Duran put some right hands on him. I wonder how Jones would have done in brawls like Hearns, since Emanuel might have made him a little more exciting.

 

Vargas was 20-0 with 18 Kos and the IBF champ with 5 successful defences. His amateur record was 100-5 and he had boxed in the 96 Olympics games.

As a pro up to that point he had faced:
*Campas (72-2) who he picked apart and looked amazing.
*Winky Wright (39-2) which was a tough fight great cardio late in the fight and all of the qualities that he was on par with the 154lb division best. Tough close fight but Vargas looked like a champ who could excel when pushed to the brink.
*Raul Marquez (30-1) and Ike Quartey (34-1). Vargas looked good in all those fights. He showed stamina, punching power and was never badly rocked of showed signs of extreme vulnerability. If anything he was hittable but he relished the brawling tactics and seemed to come out on top if a fight took that route.

Vargas was totally read for Trinidad. Plus he was offered 2 mil to fight Felix.

Vargas's problem was that he had an ego and wasn't adverse to mixing it up. Up to that point he had successfully brawled in spots and when in trouble he just upped the tempo and outhustled guys late in fights to impress the judges (The Winky and Quartey fights). He relied on backing guys up and his power punch was the left hook. And as they say "never hook with a hooker" which spelt disaster vs Felix. Watch the fight, what does Vargas do whenever he comes back from a KD or is in trouble. He goes back to the left hook upstairs.

 

Donald Curry should have stayed with his original manager Dave Gordon & trainer Cornbread Smith.
Throwing Davey Moore in with Roberto Duran was a big mistake too.