The most undeserving challengers who won the title ?

You...can't see it? :blood

"I don't try to intimidate anybody before a fight. That's nonsense. I intimidate people by hitting them." Mike Tyson

 

I'm confused if you are saying the fighter got lucky like Weaver v.s. Tate or was not of championship quality like Spks v.s. Ali ..

Here's one ... Arturo Gatti's (R.I.P.) last run as champ at 140 ... Arturo was not even in the divisions top five as far as ability but HBO ( who loved him as a huge draw) and the alphabets set up a scenario where, after three fights with club fighter Ward, he fights for the title against a nobody, gets to defend it twice against a shot Jesse James and another nobody before feeding him to the lions in a magafight against Floyd where he did not win one second of the fight and was brutalized in front of the world in a bigger superfight mismatch than Holmes - Ali .. Then they have the audacity to try to revive him one more time before he loses two more punishing KO defeats ... all about business but talk about an unworthy champion (tremendous heart aside) ... all high profile HBO televised fights, the most difficult slots for any fighter to get in a media reduced boxing stage ... really a bit of bad taste ...

 

I think it's easier to excuse a title shot by a former champion. For me, Leon Spinks is difficult to justify. A nationwide audience saw his lackluster draw against a then sputtering 21-6-1 LeDoux (coming off his eighth round knockout rematch loss to Bobick), and Leon was the least experienced professional Ali had squared off with since 1961. (Only 1-1-0 Herb Siler and 1-2-0 Jimmy Robinson had fewer bouts among the GOAT's opponents.) Only the fact that Leon was an Olympic Gold Medalist made him look credible and marketable in comparison to Evangelista. I've expressed the belief numerous times that Shavers may have irreparably damaged Muhammad far more than Frazier did in Manila, and that Leon, unlike Jimmy Young, made the absolute most of being in the right place at the right time.

Agree about Cuevas, who had no victories over anybody with a winning record of more than 2-0-0 (and that one being a ten round decision win). I consider Pipino's dethroning of Espada to be a bigger upset than Spinks-Ali I. Muhammad was clearly aging and fading, while Espada was seemingly on his way to greatness, and had established a presence in the States. (Cuevas-Espada II was a classic war, and belongs on youtube. When Angel was fully prepared, he was a tough SOB, but two protracted wars of attrition with Pipino utterly ruined him for Hearns.)

 

More like Spinks v Ali.
I don't believe in "lucky punch" (although Mercer-Damiani might be the exception).

Simply, fighters who hadn't done anything to earn a shot at a legitimate world championship (for example, they'd beaten NO decent fighters recently, or were coming off losses and layoffs) ... but actually WON the title fight.

Some great examples on this thread so far.


Michael Spinks v Larry Holmes probably deserves a mention. He'd NEVER beaten a heavyweight in a professional fight, nevermind a heavyweight contender, but got the shot at Larry - and whipped him (although some still dispute the decision, I think the first fight was clear enough).

 

Lauro Salas

 

I don't agree with some of the fighters mentioned such as Baldomir, Rahman, Douglas and Backus. Baldomir, although unexceptional, was on something like a 20 bout unbeaten streak and was holding onto that ridiculous WBC International title for quite awhile, so he was not out of the question. Rahman had won 3 straight including a 7 round war with rated Corrie Sanders so I was Ok with that one. Douglas had come back well after the Tucker fight almost 3 years earlier including wins over Berbick and McCall, so he was a definite. And last, Backus, although not a sterling record had broken into the world ratings with wins over Percy Pugh and Jerry Pelligrini and then topped it off by beating #1contender Manny Gonzalez. So he was a solid choice for a title shot. But if you want viable candidates I would pick Luis Santana, who has already been mentioned, having only won 3 out of his last 10. The mob-controlled Babe Risko, who had dropped 2 out of his last 3 before he got his shot. Cecilio Lastra, who not only had never even contested for the Euro title but was stopped by Roberto Castanon for the Spanish title. And finally Carlos Palomino, who, although becoming a fine champion, had only fought 3 name opponents - a loss to Andy Price, a draw and win over the no longer ranked Zovek Barajas and a draw with Hedgemon Lewis. But, they made the most of their title shots.

Scartissue

 

Tinfoil Tyson when he fighted Trev Berbick for WBC cardboard title of USA.

 

Yes! Most undeserving 'champion'.... He was pathetically shameful in his fights with Norris.:-(

 

Haye, all he did was beat barrett.

 

Sven Ottke

He was 12-0 (1) and had been a pro for a little over a year and a half when he challenged Charles Brewer for the IBF SMW Title. Ottke won by Split-Decision. He hadn't beat any notable fighters prior to facing Brewer.

 

Cassius Clay @ 1964 vs Liston.
Clay should have rematched Doug Jones and Henry Cooper

 

Oscar De La Hoya, 12 fights in & gets a shot at Johnny Bredahl? Davey Moore, title shot after 7 fights? Hate to say it ,but Chavez. didn't beat any ranked contenders, prior to his shot at Mario Martinez. more to due with Countryman Jose Suleman, than Chavez' accomplishments.

 

Billy Backus beating Napoles?

 

He sure paid for it in the rematch! What a beating!! Then for good measure, Backus was thrown in against Cuevas!
Salvador Sanchez came out of nowhere & was put in with Danny Lopez. There should be a prerequizet that any fighter getting an initial title opportunity. should at least defeat a top 10 contender.

 

i know it was only w.b.o but Michael Bentt!