What Fighter's Downfall Saddened You The Most?

If there was a smaller fighter good enough, why wouldn't they trouble him? You don't think if there was a Roy Jones or James Toney around during the time they wouldn't have troubled him? Maybe Hagler wouldn't. He never moved up so we wouldn't know.

Maybe if Spinks was quite past his prime and couldn't punch to knock him out, Hagler might have been enticed to take Spinks on too.

I wouldn't debate it.

Yeah it was a better win (but by a point on my card). That said, Hagler was a lot more convincing in his best wins imo, even though they may not have been as good at the weight class.

Hearns was p4p too, as was Leonard after their fight, and as was Antoufermo as well. It's not as if Hagler didn't face p4p guys.

 

Hector Camacho who although he ended up with a decent career basically blew it. He could have been so much more and had this guy been a great sportsman, no way Chavez would have ever beaten him ever, its a testament to a gifted performer blowing his potential and being surpassed by one with grit and a smaller set of gifts.

 

Listons fall against Leotis Martin was so sad to watch...

 

For me Joe Louis against Rocky Marciano.

He retired, he wanted to stay retired, he came back for the IRS, and only pride was keeping him up in that fight.

 

Joe Louis unlike most he didn't bring it on himself by being stupid or a dickhead.

 

Watching Ali beat up Floyd Patterson in the second fight. I don't even watch that one anymore...

 

Muhammad Ali's..........It became apparent after the fight with Foreman and the last fight of Frazier in 1975 Ali begin to decline severly. Ended his career trading wins with mediocre Leon Spinks, was dominated by Larry Holmes(the saddest fight I ever watched) and lost to Trevor Berbick in his last horray

 

Probably Tyson. I haven't watched the Mcbride fight, and I probably never will.

 

I'd have to say Taylor cuz he never really got to ascend to the heights and status that his gifts would have led one to believe he would.

 

Spinks did the right thing. It's sad that he's not regarded higher, because he had some amazing achievements. He was unbeatable in the most competive Light Heavyweight era ever. The Eddie Davis fight was close, but Davis was also a very tough fighter who game many a champion trouble.
Beating a faded Holmes is much better than beating John Ruiz.
The Tyson fight is how Spinks is remembered, however, which is unfortunate. It always sad when a man who has had so many success stories is remebered for his one failure. It's ironic, because he wasn't expected to win anyway.

 

True. I don't think Spinks would have done well against any of the top Heavyweights at that time. He just wasn't a Heavyweight. It's a testament to him that he acually got a few kayo's in the division. I would have love for him to move to Cruiserweight before he went to heavyweight.

 

By the way, this is how i think Spinks does against those mid 80s heavyweights.

Tucker- loses ud
Dokes- wins by ud
Tubbs- loses, tubbs is too big and skilled for him.
Berbick- win
Carl Williams- win
Greg Page- win by tko
Tim Witherspoon- loses by ud
Pinklon Thomas- 50/50 fight
Coetzee- win by ko
Bonecrusher- win by ud
Weaver- win by ud

This doesn't even include the fact that he could have made a serious run at cruiserweight by fighting Holyfield, rematching Qawi and fighting Carlos De Leon. Michael Spinks could have given himself an Archie Moore level resume. I guess the fire wasn't there.

 

Which is precisely why Spinks could have never reached those heights. There's more to a fighter than skill, they have to have the determination, heart, and courage to go with it and unfortunately for Michael, he was scared going into his fight with Tyson. Ali and Liston was an exact replica of the same situation, but whereas Ali was able to overcome his fear, Michael Spinks just froze and got knocked out. Spinks had the skillset to be better than he ended up being, but he lacked courage.

The most saddening downfall of a fighter for me is Muhammad Ali. Watching somebody of his ability and importance to the sport go out on his shield was both humbling and sad.

The downfall of Barrera wasn't all that bad because he was competitive with Juan Manuel Marquez, and just proved that he could survive against the younger and hungrier Manny Pacquiao. I hope he stays retired, but if he doesn't, I'll support him through thick and thin.

Sugar Ray Leonard's downfall was awful. Some uneducated fool said earlier that he wasn't shot when he lost to both Norris and Camacho, but anybody who's seen Leonard's fights with Benitez, Hearns, and Hagler know that was not the Sugar Man. He would made short work of both Camacho and Norris had it been 10 years earlier, so to watch him get knocked out by Camacho, who wasn't a big puncher, was terrible.

Joe Louis getting knocked out cold by Marciano was bad, as was Mike Tyson's loss to Mcbride. Can you imagine what Tyson would have done to that guy in '88? Would have been a massacre.