An unusual heading, but throughout history there have been certain fighters, whose only claim to fame (maybe only function) was in beating fighters that are historically regarded as significantly greater. The greater fighter may have easily beaten men who have beaten the guy, but for some unknown reason they cannot overcome this one particular rival. I mentioned Terry McGovern in a previous thread, and his SW nemesis was obviously young Corbett. Can you guys think of others?
Can we include Jersey Joe Walcott in here with his rivalry with Charles? Charles may have got the first two win s but he never got one over Walcott after that.
There are loads of guys who get into a conversation beating Maxie Rosenbloom. There are a few keynote guys like that down the years.
Shane Mosley is a legendary fighter with speed, power & chin. He looks like an unbeatable fighter with no weakness's BUT there's this one fighter who was never known for having the greatest knockout power and he rocked Mosley and gave him plenty of fits. He is known other tha Vernon Forrest. Eder Jofre, is arguably the greatest bantamweight in the history of the sport. He can beat everybody, everyday and everywhere except beating this one particular person. The Japanese legend Fighting Harada. Marco Antonio Barrera is simple one of the best super bantamweight fighters of the sport. He was hard to get knocked out especially in his prime. Pacquaio, Marquez, Hamed and Morales had little success in trying to knock him out but Junior "Poison" Jones was did it. Have you heard of tough Philadelphian Middleweight Bennie Briscoe? Monzon said he was the toughest opponent he's ever fought. A relentless, iron chinned & brutal hitting middleweight. An unstoppable powerhouse who went 0-3 against the same opponent and his name was Rodrigo "Colombian Rocky" Valdez. He gave the only knockout loss to in Bad Bennie's record too. Don't know if it was becuz of the accumulative wars, but Saad Muhammad was tailor made for Dwight Qawi. At last but not least, we have Jose Medel. Medel has beaten everybody who once beaten him before. But Jose Baccera went 3-0 with him. Such an interesting fighter
I don’t think Saddler can be considered for this description he was something else, a unicorn. I think this thread title and question could be re-worded more simply however, no intended disrespect I’m just daft OP. One that I think you and I have discussed before that suits perhaps is Mayorga (spelling?) and his wins over Forrest that don’t seem plausible to conceive without film, well for me anyways, but I’m a fool.
Beccera beat Medel when he was a teenager, and Becerra himself peaked early. I highly doubt Becerra would beat the Medel of the mid -60s.
First person to come to mind was Stevie Cruz. He was a late sub who dethroned Barry McGuigan in the blazing heat of Las Vegas. That's really all Cruz is known for. I don't know why McGuigan didn't request a rematch in the fall or winter in the UK. He'd have probably received it.
It’s a good choice, but there was a few legit reasons and excuses for McGuigan’s loss, not just the incompatible heat.
Shig Kaneko - a fighter who never did anything huge in his career other than beat Flash Elorde 4 times out of 4. He did engage featherweight champ Sandy Saddler in a non-title but was KO'd in about 4 rounds.
Antonio Tarver and Roy Jones….and the funny thing about it is…Tarver actually believes he was as great a fighter as Roy Jones
