The worst fighters to get title shots? past or present

He held a continents national title! That cannot be held as an excuse for giving him the shot though given he won it after fighting Ali. Coopman is certainly the worst European to get a shot. Zanon might be worse but he got the shot when he held the EBU belt so you really can't complain.

Jamaica Kidd got a LHW title shot in the 20s when he was coming off a 17 fight losing streak. Thats got to be some sort of record.

 

Speaking of Zanon, Alfredo Evangelista (who was just 14-1-1) had only been a pro for a year and a half, was still fighting eight-rounders and was even coming off an eight-round loss to Lorenzo Zanon when he (Evangelista) got a shot at Ali for the world title.

You don't see too many guys with only 14 wins, who are still fighting eight-rounders, and who are also coming off a loss, getting title shots these days.

But, Zanon and Evangelista were far from the worst. Lots of bad challengers, particularly in the lighter weights, were guys with very few fights and a number of losses routinely get title shots.

 

It appears Europe was using 8 rounds for big non title matchups in those days. Tangstad was fighting Evangelista at 8 rounds right after losing his title to Eklund for example. And that does not appear to be an outlier either.

 

Joe Hipp got a title shot against Bruce Seldon. That has to be the winner

 

By the looks of it, Evangelista fought one scheduled 10-rounder before going 15 rounds with Ali. All his other fights were scheduled for eight or six rounds.

Evangelista was a novice. He turned pro in October 1975 and was fighting Ali in May 1977. That's only 19 months as a pro. (And he lost to Zanon the MONTH BEFORE fighting Ali.)

Leon Spinks turned pro in January 1977 and fought Ali in February 1978 ... 13 months later.

But that's not a big difference in terms of pro experience.

 

Joe Hipp was a decent fighter.

People pick on the heavyweight division, but some guys with very few fights (and losses thrown in, as well) get title shots in the lower weights all the time, and people just consider it par for the course.

And sometimes those guys with only a few wins and a few losses even win belts in the lower weights.