The Fringe Contender Thread

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by LittleRed, Oct 23, 2014.


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  1. LittleRed

    LittleRed Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I feel like I haven't made a thread since the Great Schism and if there was a time, the time is now. Or something.

    Let's start with a solid (but not totally limited) definition of what a fringe contender is. To me a fringe contender is someone who hovers around the top 10, breaking in and dropping out regularly. If he is in the top 5, he's usually blasted out pretty quickly. The Fringe Contender can fight but something stops him from reaching the top- a skill deficit, a lack of durability, health issues, or maybe just bad luck. If he is lucky he may have fought for a title. More likely, he never quite got to reach for the gold. He is not a flash in the pan or a fluke, a one win Charley who busts the bubble on some young punk (although a fringe contender is not above playing gatekeeper on occasion) or catches a top guy on an off night never to be heard from again. A fringe contender is around and you know who he is and you know he'll never be champ but he does his job and does it well.

    So who are your favorite fringe contenders?
     
    LittleRed, Oct 23, 2014
    LittleRed, Oct 23, 2014
    #1
  2. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    From more recent heavies:

    Bert Cooper
    Lionel Butler
    Tony Thompson

    Light heavies:
    Graciano Rocchigiani

    Middles:
    Merqui Sosa
    Gilbert Baptiste
     
    Seamus, Oct 23, 2014
    Seamus, Oct 23, 2014
    #2
  3. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    ^doesn't Rocchigiani could as a champ?
     
    NoNeck, Oct 23, 2014
    NoNeck, Oct 23, 2014
    #3
  4. kingfisher3

    kingfisher3 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Tony Thompson
     
    kingfisher3, Oct 23, 2014
    kingfisher3, Oct 23, 2014
    #4
  5. Webbiano

    Webbiano Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Lou Nova
    Enzo Calzaghe
    Danny Williams
    Ovil Mckenzie
    Micky Ward
     
    Webbiano, Oct 23, 2014
    Webbiano, Oct 23, 2014
    #5
  6. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    I guess he got a legit strap for a second. Don't know if I really count the WBO at that time...
     
    Seamus, Oct 23, 2014
    Seamus, Oct 23, 2014
    #6
  7. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    I just boxrec'd it out:
    1. He was IBF 168 champ from 88-89
    2. He won the vacant 175 WBC 175 title from Michael Nunn in 98
    3. He never won WBO, but fought for it many times

    If I remember correctly, the WBC unlawfully stripped him to make way for Jones and Rocchigiani successfully sued them for millions.

    So he's more of an unappreciated belt holder.
     
    NoNeck, Oct 23, 2014
    NoNeck, Oct 23, 2014
    #7
  8. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    I remember him beating Nunn but moreso remember him giving Maske hell. He didn't have a lot of power but was tough as ****. Forgot that he was 168 champÂ… Guy had a lot of potential but liked to party and get in trouble.
     
    Seamus, Oct 23, 2014
    Seamus, Oct 23, 2014
    #8
  9. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Rocky Gannon, Darnell Wilson.
     
    GoldenHulk, Oct 23, 2014
    GoldenHulk, Oct 23, 2014
    #9
  10. Drew101

    Drew101 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Sanderline Wiliams
     
    Drew101, Oct 23, 2014
    Drew101, Oct 23, 2014
    #10
  11. Kid Bacon

    Kid Bacon All-Time-Fat Full Member

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    I am thinking hard about it and wondering if Ken Norton would qualify like fringe contender, but I think he is something above and different than that.

    Sure Kenny meets some of the conditions to be called a fringe contender, but on the the other side I feel he was in a class of his own among the 70s HW crew: certainly he was not the top dog, and he had more than his fair share of ugly defeats, but somehow he managed to hang around with the big guns and sometimes give them a run for their money, becoming a sort of nemesis for an ATG like Ali.

    Not exactly what you would think a fringe contender should be.....

    Ringo Bonavena on the other side is for me the hispanic poster child of "fringe contender"
     
    Kid Bacon, Oct 23, 2014
    Kid Bacon, Oct 23, 2014
    #11
  12. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I'll give a couple quick examples of what I consider a fringe contender


    Corey T-Rex Sanders - had a tough bloodbath with Andrew Golota, ko'd future WBC champ Oleg Maskaev, also stopped Olympic Superheavyweight Silver medalist Wolfgramm. Yet not top 10 material.

    Lionel Butler - blasted out former champs Bonecrusher Smith and Tony Tubbs, was at one time rated in the top ten briefly by the boxing mags despite a record of something like 23-12. was ko'd by Lennox Lewis. Good wins but not a solid contender.

    I also think of minor belt holders, WBF, WBU, etc....
     
    GoldenHulk, Oct 23, 2014
    GoldenHulk, Oct 23, 2014
    #12
  13. chitownfightfan

    chitownfightfan Loyal Member Full Member

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    Tony Thompson was a fringe contender in 05/06......he's been a bonafide contender since his first IBF eliminator. And even at 42 he's still hanging with contenders.
     
    chitownfightfan, Oct 23, 2014
    chitownfightfan, Oct 23, 2014
    #13
  14. Mr Butt

    Mr Butt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Don lee - middleweight
    Robbie sims - middleweight
     
    Mr Butt, Oct 24, 2014
    Mr Butt, Oct 24, 2014
    #14
  15. Germanicus

    Germanicus Active Member Full Member

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    Marty Monroe
    Lynn Ball
    Scott Ledoux

    All made some noise in the late 70's early 80's period heavyweight division
     
    Germanicus, Oct 24, 2014
    Germanicus, Oct 24, 2014
    #15
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