What Fighter's Downfall Saddened You The Most?

It wasn't merely the Chavez fight.

He wasn't the same after, but he was still a good enough fighter to move up in weight and win a world title at 147 over an unbeaten Aaron Davis.

Taylor's team never should've had him face Terry Norris. That was a bad move.

 

Exactly, its a myth that arises from the Legendary Nights documentary. His decline was caused by moving up to a weight class (welterweight and light-middleweight) where he had no business being. He couldn't crack an egg at 140, he wasn't going to consistently keep those heavier guys off him. Terry Norris showed us this, although with the shorts Taylor wore in that fight he deserved it

 

I really enjoyed that documentary.

But after reading so many people who come up with simplistic crap (not necessarily referring to who I quoted in this thread, but other threads in general) from this show, I almost dislike it now, and don't care if they ever make another episode.

 

Donald Currys.If he would have just moved up to Jr.Middle instead of trying to force his body to make Welter.And after his first loss he was done even though he fought for more years.He never came close to being as good as he was say for the Mccroy/Jones bouts.

 

For me it had to be Ali. Part cummulative damage, part Parkinson's, is that the official story? Either way it's sad, that the most articulate, intelligent, and charismatic of fighter in my lifetime was silenced, stilled, in the public forum anyway, and all but nullified. I believe he has awareness too, which for me and I'm sure for him makes it worse. A true loss, what a cruel joke.

For some Ali was a blowhard, an egotist and a showoff, but I always saw him as a giver of his energy and passion for life, of his humor, of his good fortune. A hero of mine used to say, and at the time I hated to hear him say it, "Life is a Mother," because it sounded negative, defeatest, but of course now, years later, I know he was only right. No matter how it turns out, life is a mother and it's the people that make us forget that for a while, that touch us by their example of heart, of grace under pressure, that stand out in retrospect.

We could have used Muhummad Ali right now, in these difficult times, but that is selfishness on my part 'cause he's already given enough to a world that if not for his considerable gifts in and out of the ring would have kept him silent in obscurity.

 

Greg Page, definitely.

 

Well it is produced by HBO who were ridiculously biased in their presentation of that fight. Taylor was winning the fight for sure but Harold Lettermen I believe had the fight like 10 rounds to 1 for Taylor. No way. Chavez had won rounds during the fight, I'd probably have it around 7-4. Which isn't the shutout they made it out to be at all.

That aside I did enjoy all the documentaries from that series. The Hagler-Hearns and Leonard-Hearns ones were excellent. It was reported that HBO were going to do another series which I was eagerly anticipating but I think it has been put on hold. In fact I think HBO do a fantastic job in almost all of their countdown shows and 24/7 shows. The Mayweather-De La Hoya/Hatton series had me so hyped for those fights. It was what made them the events they were.

 

in most recent times diego corrales and jose luis castillo - after watching that unbelievable violent classic first fight....i said to myself there's no way that either man was the same and that was the end of both of them

corrales - loses his last 3 fights in his career; the fight with clottey was a heartbreaker because he was fighting at a weight he had no business being and of course is killed 2 years to the day after that first fight


castillo - sketchiness, weight problems, poor fights and finally being dropped and ko'ed by hatton..is pretty much done

 

Larry Holmes was the prime heavyweight champion of my childhood. I admired his efficiency, pride and unique charisma in the ring.

Seeing him fall to Tyson so dramatically and conclusively saddened me. It was like seeing my dad getting beat up, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. Even the way Larry absorbs that final right swipe raising his head, eyes squeezed shut, along with the left hand on his way to crashing into the canvas told me he succumbed only bodily, never in spirit.

Though he never regained the title, I was so glad he was later able to come back and give us a much worthier bookend to his journey in the ring.

 

"The Schoolboy" Bobby Chacon's story is a movie.
From winning a world championship, The Excess of booze/fame lifestyle, Thru the suicide of his wife Valarie, Becoming a 2 time champ, The murder of his son, To pugilistic dementia & collecting around junkyards for aluminium cans.

Another Fall from grace...

 

Erik Morales was absolutely my favorite fighter ever and I was still depressed at thanksgiving a week later. I was in a serious funk for quite some time and actually didn't watch another fight for more than three months.

 

I'm not going to comment on the tragic endings or the guys who fought way too long. Instead, the fighters loss, where they were still at the top or close to the top of their game:

1) Arguello vs Pryor #1. Great fight between 2 greats. Seeing my favorite, Arguello unconscious on the canvas still bothers me a lot. I won't even watch the fight.

2) Foreman vs Frazier #1. I was 10 and Frazier was my favorite @ the time. Fortunatley I was a big Oakland A's fan and Fraziers loss was in the middle of the A's dynasty.

3) Sanchez vs. Little Red Lopez #1. I was a big Lopez fan, seemed like a good guy and his fights always entertained. I later became a big Sanchez fan.

 

Meldrick Taylor's without a doubt.

 

when i was about 8 or so my grandad a huge boxing fan was baby sitting me. it would of been one of my first ever fights that i witnessed (i didnt say 2 "watched" as i was so young i woudl of been playing with toys in between rounds) was eubank-thompson II.


i found a tape of it in my grandads old house (prolly recorded when i was there that night). looking back on it, it conjures more memories than i thought.after a good few rounds eubank was ahead than all of a sudden he smacks thompson with a great uppercut and not like before where thompson starts to go all twinkle toes after the first solid shot. he starts to get over him.
but not like usual chris starts to fade WAY to early. when a solid right hand by thompson lands you coudl clealry seechris wince. somthign is wrong. in his prime he would of slipped these type of shtos and came back with a combo and a ko punch...but this is an older, heavier eubank who seems to be covering his eye. no blood just the biggest, fattest slab of meat on his eyelid and cheek.

i think everyone was shocked. he almost beat thompson in the last fight. but it was clear he had nothing left i think thats what made it so touching. he couldnt make a sensible wieght limit and was fighting a clearly non elite world fighter.
and got beat.

real touching.

also you got to remember that benn,watson,bruno had all retired lewis hasnt really turned his career around yet and eubank still had a chance of turning his career around.
he didnt and the rest is history.

 

Hearns loss to Hagler,and the way he lost,though a great fight.