Utter ruination of young prodigies

Chapo was dangerous until the last drop, wasn't he? Even in his self-contained 1997 comeback, he went 5-0 (4) on the year - and who knows how much further he could've extended that but for his strange untimely death (provided he kept a reasonable cap on the level at which he fought)

 

Speaking of Horn...the Hornet, perhaps soon, at the hands of Bud?

Now, even at this late stage Pacquiao is no slouch. That's a fine, overachiever win for Jeff...but one could argue that stylistically it did precisely zilch to prepare him for a Crawford (and Corcoran did even less)...

 

...and we can add Tommy Ayers onto his list of victims. Before they met Ayers was 21-0 (18), coming in with confidence & momentum. He put up a spirited effort but Starling wrought a slow jam symphony of destruction to body & head, after which Ayers would spend the rest of the decade struggling with a 17-3 mark (stopped twice) post-Starling.

Donald Curry might well have been another, were he not just a bit too great. 14-0 going up against 25-0 Starling with no real "bridge" in between debutante fodder and him (save the likes of Bruce Finch) is a daunting task for anybody, even a blue-chip amateur with a 400-4 record.

 

Also want to give an honorary mention for the Avoidance of this fate (no small feat), along with Curry, to Danny Jacobs. Many guys have followed his initial career arc, only when they get KTFO by their equivalent of Pirog they're never again heard from...and that's without subsequently battling & surviving cancer. The fact that he not only made his way into contention again, but arguably (in some people's eyes) deserved the nod over the generation's #1 middleweight is pretty damn "Miraculous".

 

Actually that's an interesting take. He fought on another 3½ years (although most commissions wouldn't touch him with a thirty foot pole after the brain clot) and remains undefeated - but never really mounted the big rally of momentum he was hoping for to land a title shot or payday.

 

Yup, made a thread on him a few months ago...

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/what-gives-with-graylin-curry.595694/