Unstopped fighters who were far from unstoppable...

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by horst, Jul 9, 2010.


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  1. horst

    horst Guest

    I'm sure we've all been involved in hypothetical h2h match-up discussions where you've backed fighter A to stop fighter B and been met with the blunt dismissal that fighter B was never stopped in his career, so how would A be able to manage it?

    To me, a fighter who went through his career could have been stopped by the right opponent just the same as a fighter who went through his career could have been beaten by the right opponent.

    Can you think of any fighter who went through his career and retired having never ever being stopped, that you think was far from unstoppable, and could have had that record smashed with ease by a particular fighter?
     
    horst, Jul 9, 2010
    horst, Jul 9, 2010
    #1
  2. horst

    horst Guest

    For instance, Juan Manuel Marquez has never been stopped and is nearing the end of his career, but I don't think he is as close to being unstoppable as someone like James Toney is.

    Marquez has a good chin, a big heart, and excellent powers of recovery, but he can be caught, hurt and dropped. After the 3rd Pac KD in their 1st fight, Marquez was in bad trouble, but the end of the round came quickly, allowing him to regroup, but his senses were scattered throughout that first period. Pac was raw and one-dimensional back then, and after the 1st KD he just unleashed eight straight 1-2s, and repetition is not the best way to get someone out of there, picking your shots is.

    After the KD in the 2nd fight, JMM almost went down again but grabbed the ropes as the bell rang, and again the break allowed him to regain his composure. If that KD had happened closer to the start or middle of the round, it's not inconceivable that the more mature Pacquiao could've capitalized on hurting him and got the stoppage.

    Basically, I think someone who perhaps takes time and picks their shots more could stop Marquez, I see someone like Alexis Arguello knocking him out more often than not anywhere from feather to light.


    If the more aggressive pre-injury Vitali Klitschko tried to run over prime Tyson, I can see Mike landing the decisive punch somewhere along the line.

    And considering the ease with which past-prime, physically declined and toothless versions of Hopkins and Jones dropped Calzaghe, I think a prime Roy could land flush rights with enough regularity to get a stoppage.

    Hamed was never stopped either, but his wide-open defence ansd susceptibility to KDs is a TKO waiting to happen for the right fighter. I think the featherweight versions of Olivares or Gomez would manage it for sure. Would back Pacquiao to stop him late on accumulation as well. Maybe Marquez, if he fought aggressively enough.
     
    horst, Jul 9, 2010
    horst, Jul 9, 2010
    #2
  3. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

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    It's a little bit different from the thread topic, but the first name to come to mind was Hector Camacho Sr. The reasoning is different though. Not that I'd necessarily favor certain opponents to stop him, but I don't see Camacho as "unstoppable" being as that he'd look to survive rather than take more risks to win which might get him stopped. I don't see James Toney or Marvin Hagler doing that.

    In a way, Antonio Tarver is like that too. Go into a bit of a shell and look to last the distance. Only I'd probably pick guys like Michael Spinks or Dwight Qawi to stop him.
     
    Thread Stealer, Jul 9, 2010
    Thread Stealer, Jul 9, 2010
    #3
  4. Scorpion

    Scorpion Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Calfaghe
     
    Scorpion, Jul 9, 2010
    Scorpion, Jul 9, 2010
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  5. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    Riddick Bowe.

    Hurt numerous times in his career, and how he never went and and stayed down on the end of a legal punch against Andrew Golota I will never ever know. Holyfield hurt him, Golota hurt him, Hide even got a reaction a few times, as did Biggs. A testament to the man's heart and mental fortitude that he was never stopped in his career.
     
    Addie, Jul 9, 2010
    Addie, Jul 9, 2010
    #5
  6. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    It's an interesting thread, Popkins, but the selection of JMM doesn't ring true for me. Excellent recovery powers are almost more important than avoiding ever being knocked down, when it comes to being unstoppable. I can't see anybody making Dinamita quit, nor keeping him down for the full count. The only conceivable stoppage would be a referee-initiated TKO or on cuts (since Nacho is a hard man, and would have too much vicarious pride to throw in the towel on his charge).
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 10, 2010
    IntentionalButt, Jul 10, 2010
    #6
  7. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    This is the same guy who was decked three times in one round, and once in the rematch. Old Barrera had him down on the end of right hand, also.

    I think Popkins is spot on...Marquez is not infallible and he could easily have been stopped after the third knockdown against Pacquiao by another ref.
     
    Addie, Jul 10, 2010
    Addie, Jul 10, 2010
    #7
  8. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    Did you read past my first sentence? :yep
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 10, 2010
    IntentionalButt, Jul 10, 2010
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  9. LukeO

    LukeO Erik Morales is God Full Member

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    Ali would have stopped marciano.



    Maybe not, but Foreman would have.
     
    LukeO, Jul 10, 2010
    LukeO, Jul 10, 2010
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  10. Ilesey

    Ilesey ~ Full Member

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    Hamed.
     
    Ilesey, Jul 10, 2010
    Ilesey, Jul 10, 2010
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  11. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    Irrelevant. He's still a good choice for this thread.
     
    Addie, Jul 10, 2010
    Addie, Jul 10, 2010
    #11
  12. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    You underrate recovery, my friend. It's a far more desirable trait than being unknockdownable. Plenty of boxers never went down only to be stopped on their feet many a time because they couldn't pull their **** together once hurt.

    Being able to spatula yourself up off the pan and jump back into the fire, is a special quality. Most people underrate it, actually - so you're not alone in overlooking it.
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 10, 2010
    IntentionalButt, Jul 10, 2010
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  13. anarci

    anarci Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Joe Calzaghe is the first guy that i thought of.
    Sven Ottke is another one.
     
    anarci, Jul 10, 2010
    anarci, Jul 10, 2010
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  14. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    ...I'm not overlooking anything. :verysad I don't care enough about it to argue with you anyway, IntentionalButt...I was just agreeing with Popkins in saying marquez is far from unstoppable. Agree to disagree. :good
     
    Addie, Jul 10, 2010
    Addie, Jul 10, 2010
    #14
  15. Cobbler

    Cobbler Shoemaker To The Stars Full Member

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    Nobody is unstoppable.
     
    Cobbler, Jul 10, 2010
    Cobbler, Jul 10, 2010
    #15
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