Were Did Howard Davis Jr.Go Wrong In The Pro Ranks?

Combination of lack of desire in the sport, and bad luck. He came VERY close to winning the title vs Rosario, but came up just short with the last round KD.

He'd easily win a belt if he was around 135-140 today.

 

Couldnt break an egg.

 

Bad guidance, bit of bad luck and maybe a few missing intangibles.

 

I think he was too concerned with getting hit,he had the talent but not the desire,Davis was usually retreating throwing punches that barely landed because he was afraid of what was coming back,watch his fight with Watt, and make up your own mind , he did not have a champions mentality imo.

 

He was managed by his father for one. He was a great amatuer one of the best I have seen. I saw him, Ray Leonard,Mark Breyland,Eddie Gregery,Vito Antufermo.Cooney Davis Brothers,Alex Ramos, Juan Laporte, and may others live......Davis and Breyland disapointed me because although successfull never lived up to there potential

 

Davis said he had lost interest in boxing by the time he started fighting as a pro, and put up half-hearted efforts in most of his fights.

 

I must confess with Howard i always got the impression that his first priority was to "look Pretty" in all he did, and on many occassion where he should have punished an opponents miss, he preferred to stand back and admire his evasive skills ! many times he would pull a "shimmy" movement, be in a position to land, and yet seemed to prefer making his opponents look foolish be trying to beklatedly block punches that were not coming ! he would often drift back towards his opponent looking like he was now full of intent on letting some combinations go, then would jump back like a kangeroo touching a electrified fence ! the consequence of this quite often was that an opponent who should of been demorilised with punches was not, Howard seemed to think he was on a par with Leonard (who he beat for the olympic Val Barker best Stylist Trophy) and also could bring the Ali Magic to the lightweights, Leonard of cousre was much more rugged and did indeed punish opponents sometimes rather cruelly, if nothing Else Ali's speed and boxing ability was of course fairly unique amongst the heavyweights, Not so at lightweight were even slower fighters could show a fast turn of speed to Tag Howard as Norman Goins did, Jim watt was no speed Demon, he just used Timing to offset Howard, I think Howard perhaps had an inflated estimation of his Talent, his speed and boxing ability were indeed fantastic, but he needed to use them to their maximum effeciency, having created the openings he should have been more concerned with hitting his opponent then looking pretty ! Too much of that and the Showboat will get Sunk !

 

That was going to be my answer.

I don't think it was really anything he could help. He had great all-around speed (which is great for the amateurs, where judges score quantity over quality), but he couldn't really hit and wasn't particularly strong or durable.

I don't agree that he was necessarily "unlucky" as a previous poster said. In fact, I think he was given a lot of (possibly undeserved) chances because of his name and Olympic fame. For example, he was able to get a title shot straightaway against Jim Watt, despite the fact that he'd only had a handful of pro fights and had failed to impress in many of them. He was also expected to beat Watt, who was generally thought of as a fairly beatable champion.

 

He admitted to not being totally into the sport after several pro fights.Plus, his style was more suited to amateur boxing.

 

Going with Jones and Rappaport for managers, and not getting a top-notch trainer like Eddie Futch, and Angelo Dundee(somewhat like Greg Page in that respect).

 

Davis didn't go wrong as a pro, c; just his misfortune not ta have the constitution ta take a shot 'n, despite blazing hand speed, no eraser.

 

This. :deal

 

lack of punch and intensity for the professionals. It happens. Look at Andrew Maynard.. Everyone thought he would be good, although Andrew could punch, but his foot positioning was terrible and he telegraphed his punches.

 

I must add that Davis fought a top notch fight against Rosario and near took his title.