The Curse of the Cuban Heavyweights

Balado lost to a very green Larry Donald in March 1992 on HBO (when the network stuck their toe in amateur boxing). So he wasn't too great at the time when fighting in the States.

 

How was Charles shot in 53? Charles was the number 1 ranked contender in the world coming off several wins over top 10 opponents. He would go on go put up an incredible fight against a Prime Rocky Marciano one year later. I think Charles took Valdes lightly, but the 1953 Ezzard Charles was still a very good fighter very dangerous

He also knocked out Hurricane Jackson in 2 rounds who was known for being very durable and who was top 5 rated

 

You're right I don't know what that line is doing there.:huhPast prime, but not shot.

 

He also lost to:
Galvez
Sommerx2
Nosterov
Anders
Henriguez
Bobick
Vyotsky x2 1 by ko
Damiani

 

And how many fight did he have? 302! Some of those losses happened after his prime. Others? Who knows if some were bad calls.

As far as I know Stevenson was only stopped once in his amatuer career and it was by a big time puncher in Vyotsky.

Back then the amatuer fights resembled real boxing matches, with the back drop of the cold war adding extra fuel to the fire.

If you win back to back to back gold medals in the Olympics, you're special.

 

Maybe some of his wins were bad calls? And most of those losses were when he was prime.

 

A special amateur not necessarily translating into a special pro as Audley Harrison proved.

 

Audley was not particularly special as an amateur either...

He just had good timing, putting together his best form the 2000 Olympics in a particularly weak division that year.

 

Maybe, but if your talking about Stevenson as a professional, his size, skills and power in a longer distance fight would benefit him in a fight where he lost on points in 3-5 rounds. That is plausible to me.

Again, the man had 300+ fights, and only lost a hand full in his prime. I see just one with known stoppage loss. You'd have to be blind not to see Stevenson's skills, and power on film.

From 1972-1980 Stevenson won all three Olympic gold medals ( 72' 76' 80 ) at heavyweight and won both world amatuer titles at heavyweight in 1974, and 1978.

Heck, he won the world amatuer super heavyweight in 1986 and he was on the decline at that point.

 

A special amateur not necessarily translating into a special pro as Audley Harrison proved. - McVey

Correct. The 2000 super heavyweight field was rather weak. 1996, 2004, and 2008 were better.

Heck the heavyweight field in 2000 was better as it has Ibragimov, Savon, and Chagaev. I'd pick all three to beat the Audley Harrison in the amatuers or pro's

 

Did Savon fight Haye? I never heard that.

Do you have any info on Savon-Haye?

 

Honest mistake. But I wish he had. I never heard of that fight. Thought there might be a hidden gem somewhere. :good