What consitutes a "shot" fighter?

Yes.

 

A shot fighter - a fighter who is fighting an opponent to whom no one wants to give any credit .

 

Evander Holyfield..

 

No offense, mate, but a list like this is the reason the definition is ****ed up. "Shot" does not mean past your best, but still better than 95% of the competition.

 

tyson/botha..........tyson shot..............ali/holmes ali shot.........pinkland thomas vs holyfield = thomas shot...............byrd/holyfield=holyfield shot...............bowe/golota 1=bowe shot.......:smoke:smoke:smoke

 

A fighter is SHOT when he cannot do the things he used to. When it's clear as day he's NOT the same fighter he once was. When they lose to guys or badly struggle with guys they would normally demolish or beat with near ease.

 

A clear example: Jose Luis Castillo

 

Of course you see the RJJ thing that way because you are a fan of Tarver. The fact remains that RJJ was a shadow of his former self. In his past fights he only fought on the ropes when he needed time, which was not much. Now the ropes his is home. He doesn't or didn't have his legs in those fights, he wasn't as quick, his reflexes were shot to hell. The worst parts that happened to Roy was his reflexes and footwork dimishing from what they once were. He does not have legs, in the Tarver fights he got caught by shots that he would've never got caught with if he was not dimishing. He changed his style because of this fact. Which is why he fights more like winky now, and only shows spots of his past.

 

To be a shot fighter one must have the first name Roy, and the surname Jones

 

Thats cold, man

 

Erik Morales is shot. Evander Holyfield is shot. Oscar De La Hoya is getting there, but not yet.

 

I think you're a bit hasty saying Hatton's shot.

DLH too.

There's a step or two between 'prime' and 'shot'. Diminished? Yes. Shot? Bit harsh.

 

does anyone else keep track of a sort of "shot fighter radar"... guys who have been in a series of wars and seem to have a degradation of skill... because its only a matter of time before they become shot and drop off a cliff... in other words, a list of fighters who are not shot per se but could be in a fight or two... for example, i currently have steven luevano on mine (as much as i personally am a fan of his) because he's been in some frickin WARS recently (against nicky cook, turdsack, santiago) and to me there is a frightening decline in his ability to get out of the way of punches

 

No. I don't think I need to STFU, why? Because you seem to be comparing ring age, as if Tarver has been a professional as long as RJJ was, which he hasn't since he was a amateur for so long. RJJ loss much passion for the sport, going back down to light heavy -- having been a pro for quite sometime. Tarver was still seeking recognition having not been a pro for so long.

2nd, they have completely different styles and depend on very different physical attributes in fights. Tarver doesn't have the gifts that RJJ has. What Tarver has was a good defense, a pretty good jab and that killer punch he caught jones with. RJJ plays a a young mans game with great natural ability. You have to be young and fresh to fight like that, because reflexes are the first to go, and your legs are second. RJJ was already dimishing before that fight. He was past his prime when he fought Ruiz. Your age talk would apply if Tarver had the same ring age as Jones in the professional game, but he doesn't -- his desire was at its peak and he doesn't depend on quick reflexes and his legs to win fights.

Jones was shot -- he was a shell of his former self. People can get old very fast in the ring. And Tarver was shot as well in the Dawson fight, he is way better than that -- at least he was 4 years ago. All that weight loss probably screwed up his body, just like it did Roys. He hasn't looked the same since that.

And I am not trying to take away anything from him, but if a person is shot then they are shot. Period. Aspects of Roys game was so shot that anyone could tell that. People have been calling for him to retire ever sense. And I don't care that he got KO'D by Tarver in the 2nd round of their rematch -- I thought Roy was going to get KO'd in the first fight even though I was his fan over Tarver. But I was amazed at the amount of punches he ate, especially the 6 round. I was surprised in the secound fight because in the first he showed that he could take Tarvers shots to some capacity -- I figured he could in the 2nd fight. Got hit by a punch with his eyes closed, a punch that was thrown when he tried to break the rules of boxing like he always did in his prime and get away with it, but with shot reflexes this only sealed his faite with a punch that he didn't see.

 

I tend to see a 'shot' fighter as being something a bit more degrared than most of you. I sort of imagine the Tyson that lost to Danny Williams type thing.