Which boxer got three or more title tries in one weight and lost before winning it (or never winning

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by AntonioMartin1, Nov 14, 2025.


  1. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,110
    4,417
    Jan 6, 2024
    Stribling at LHW. He went 2-1 in his 3 shots but one win was a NWS and the other had the ref change his mind after the fight and rule it a draw. Imagine thinking you're the champ and getting it taken away. Then his HW title got retconned by everyones favorite alphabet body the WBA.

    To top off his misfortune he died right after that.
     
    ChickenPockPock and Fireman Fred like this.
  2. AntonioMartin1

    AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

    5,411
    4,497
    Jan 23, 2022
    Yes and he got robbed the fist time with Napoles

    Talking of which..Wilfredo Rivera.

    He got robbed the first time with Whitaker and arguably, maybe the second time too. Then he lost to Oscar De La Hoya.
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2025 at 5:23 AM
    Fireman Fred likes this.
  3. AwardedSteak863

    AwardedSteak863 Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,081
    11,314
    Aug 16, 2018
    Oba Carr is the first guy that comes to mind. He was a really good fighter that would have been a world champion in most eras. Unfortunately for him, he had to fight Tito, Oscar and Ike for the welterweight title.
     
  4. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    23,719
    27,337
    Jun 26, 2009
    Torres fought frequently in Mexico, Japan and Korea as well as making appearances in the U.S., Panama and Chile.

    But somehow never fought in Germany.
     
    Fireman Fred likes this.
  5. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    24,753
    18,639
    Jun 25, 2014
    Jameel McCline fought for the WBO belt vs Wlad, the IBF belt vs Byrd, the WBC Interim vs Peter, and the WBA belt vs Valuev.

    Lost them all.

    Axel Shulz fought for the IBF belt three fights in a row against three different guys - Foreman, Botha and Moorer - and lost all three.
     
    Fireman Fred likes this.
  6. drenlou

    drenlou VIP Member

    75,936
    40,451
    Jan 22, 2015
    Rocky Juarez at 130 pounds.
     
    Fireman Fred likes this.
  7. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    24,753
    18,639
    Jun 25, 2014
    Of course, Jersey Joe Walcott lost twice to Louis and twice to Charles before winning the title in his fifth attempt.
     
    Fireman Fred likes this.
  8. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,148
    4,989
    Jun 24, 2017
    Golota lost to Lewis, Byrd, Ruiz an Brewster an the weird thing about all those title losses was that each was for 4 different versions of the heavyweight title
     
    ipswich express and Fireman Fred like this.
  9. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

    10,451
    12,898
    Mar 2, 2006
    Leonel Hernandez from the friendly WBA confines of Venezuela received 4 shots at jr. lightweight (Escalera, Serrano twice and Uehara) without winning. He even received a shot at Arguello at featherweight.
     
    Fireman Fred likes this.
  10. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

    10,451
    12,898
    Mar 2, 2006
    Here's another crazy one for you. Man, this dude had a lock on title shots. Manuel Medina won a version (WBA, WBC, IBF or WBO) of the featherweight title 5 times. He also had 5 unsuccessful shots at 126 and 1 at 130. This guy had the keys to the vault.
     
    Seamus and Fireman Fred like this.
  11. AntonioMartin1

    AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

    5,411
    4,497
    Jan 23, 2022
    I love German Torres!

    Never saw him actually fight but I read plenty of stories about him on Ring en Espanol and Ring in English and KO Magazine and all the other publications, so many in fact, that I became interested.

    I cant remember if it was him, or Marcos Villasana, but Villasana boxed in Puerto Rico on March 31, 1984, the night of the Laporte-Gomez world title fight, and one of them was pictured on Ring En Espanol wearing a t shirt that said Puerto Rico on it! I know that Villasana was the one who fought but boxers travel in packs to fights sometimes, to keep on training with each other or to back their friends up. Whoever was it, it made me a bigger fan!

    As an aside, we should give Ring Magazine and Cosmopolitan credit here: All the magazines you see like People Magazine, with Spanish versions of them, Ring , Popular Mechanics and Cosmopolitan were the pioneers! In fact, Ring en Espanol and Cosmopolitan en Espanol were published by the same house, Editorial Americas from Miami.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2025 at 2:19 AM
    Fireman Fred likes this.