Poorest Title Fight Performances

I have to echo Max Baer-Jim Braddock. No offense to the Cinderella Man, but if he were facing a guy who had his head screwed on right, and had the same attitude he had vs Schmeling, Baer would have knocked his block off and retained the title.

 

Patterson- Liston I
Liston- Ali I
Frazier-Foreman I

 

John L. Sullivan versus Gentleman Jim Corbett

John L. was badly conditioned, and knew exactly who he was facing,
a boxer who would move and not engage in any 'wild brawling exchanges'.

A bad fight plan, and foolish fighting cost John L.

This was the 'first heavyweight flop performance on record'.

 

Pascal both times against Hopkins.

Woods against Tarver was terrible to see. Went to see Clinton in most of his big fights, him being a local lad and everything, and it was bad enough seeing him freeze up against Johnson in their first two fights. Then he had that really good run where battered Hoye, outclassed Gonzalez twice and then finally got the ****** off his back third time around against Johnson. Seemed like he'd turned a corner, so the mates and I all shelled out a bomb to fly over to Tampa for a few days for the Tarver fight. Tarver was a complete ***** in the build up iirc and we were all ganning for Clinton to knock his block the **** off. Then he just completely choked and in no way did himself justice when we all thought he had a decent chance. My mates were livid but I can only remember how sorry I felt for him. Plus none of us pulled and the beer was gash. :twisted:

Zapata tanked second time around against Chang, and McCrory flopped against Curry something cruel.

Might seem like a harsh choice to some (maybe it is), but I was always put out by the way Barrera gave up the ghost first time around vs Pac. Brilliant performance from the latter, but Barrera packed in mentally pretty early in that fight imo, not that I'd blame him entirely.

Nothing tops Nelson-DeLeon though, Jesus Christ. Witter flunked badly against Judah, Bradley and Alexander........so that's Witter, Woods and Nelson all in one post. Talk about our famous Yorkshire grit.

 

Jack Johnson against Phlly Jack O'Brien.

Johnson was ill-prepared, unfocussed and generally not up to the task against a late-stage, pitty-pat light heavy.

 

Witter was shite against Bradley, did **** all. I was impressed by Bradley that night but Witter wouldve beat him if he'd turned up.

 

Sonny Liston vs. Cassius Clay I...........Theatrical farce

Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston II..........A hoax perpetrated on the public

Cassius Clay vs. Floyd Patterson..........A back injured Challenger is permitted to enter the ring

Cassius Clay vs. Brian London...............Scraping the bottom of the Challenger heap

Cassius Clay vs. Henry Cooper...............Only a rematch, because 'Sir Henry' floored Clay

Cassius Clay vs. George Chuvalo............A fighter who lost his last bout to Eduardo Corletti

Cassius Clay vs. Cleveland Williams.........A one-legged opponent, with a bullet still in his side

Cassius Clay vs. Zora Folley..................He was the oldest guy we could find

Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner...........The New Jersey Liquor Salesman gets to the 15th round

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Bugner................Please, not again

Muhammad Ali vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman...The Belgian Heavyweight Champion, enough said

Muhammad Ali vs. Jimmy Young..............The Champion looks like a 'Beached Whale' and loses.

Muhammad Ali vs. Richard Dunn...............We need somebody to make the Champion look good.

Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki................The Champion escapes Japan with a Draw.

Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton...................The judges rally in the last 3-Rounds, to save the Champions crown.

Muhammad Ai vs Alfredo Evangilista...........A pudgy little Spaniard from Uruguay, goes 15-Rounds, and laughs at Ali.

Muhammad Ali vs Leon Spinks...................A 7-bout professional, who nearly lost his last 2-bouts.

 

Hakkar vs Hopkins
Minus vs Lora
Taylor vs Pedroza
Curry vs Honeyghan
Barrera vs Pac
Hatton vs Pac
Haye vs Wlad
Eubank vs Schommer, Amaral
Zapata vs Chang II
Duran vs Leonard II
Chang vs Torres II

Much of the latter half of Chitalada's reign

Most of Mosley's career post Forrest II other than Margarito.

 

Crap performances in bold :

Baer v Braddock

Louis v Godoy 1

Patterson v Liston 1
Liston v Clay 1
Ali v Liston 2

Ali v Young
Ali v Spinks 1

Duran v Leonard 2

DeLeon v Johnny Nelson (worst ever, bar none)

Seldon v Tyson

Hopkins v Calzaghe

Wladimir v Haye

 

Trust you not to toe the line...

 

Both should be in bold, and arguably 'The Entertainer' was worse still against Warring.

 

Yeah, my bad. DeLeon deserves to be bolded. Shall fix that.

No chance that I was watching Nelson v Warring !

 

Audley Harrison's recent effort against Haye deserves mention.

 

Modern Day,

Muhammad Ali versus Alfredo Evangilista.

It has to be the absolute worst, and on National Televsion.

At the Press Conference, Alfredo made Ali look pathetic, when he told
him to act like a grown-up, and not some wise ass street punk.

At the Press Conference before the bout,

The Champion was performing like some struggling comic, in a back room
lounge at a second-rate Casino in Las Vegas.

The only people laughing were his hangers-on, and a few press hacks.