Which British Boxers have been Frank Warrens biggest Stooges over the years?

I'd say most of them.

The biggest examples are Ricky Hatton 2001-2004 and Joe Calzaghe 2000-2005.

Of course, guys like Gary Lockett and Gavin Rees would be quite happy to be under the iron fist of a promoter like Warren because they knew they wouldn't get world title fights - and therefore paydays, without his guiding hand.

 

Enzo Makaveli holds the current role.

 

Both undefeated, high profile and very wealthy under Warrens's banner


They struck out on their own and cashed in at the end; but would they have been in a position to do that if they hadn't done the 'Warren years'?

 

:think

I like to think that both of them would have done well without Warren..... in fact I am sure they would have done equally as well with anybody else.

Both were held back something silly.... I know Calzaghe amassed a shitload of WBO defences but hardly anybody knew who he was until 2006.

 

I don't think he was all that big when Lewis turned pro.

Let's face it, Lewis didn't need a promoter anyway.

 

Stooges to me would be the likes of Lockett, Rees and Enzo but the other side of the fence is that these are Euro/ fringe world level boxers who have earned extremely well out of the sport.

Both Hatton and Calzaghe used Warren just as much as he used them.

 

Gary Lockett and Gavin Rees are certainly stooges..... shining examples of the Sports Network gravy train.

At a lower level you could consider someone like Steven Bell, who bums Frank Warren in every interview he does in Boxing Monthly. He tried to say that Audley Harrison would have fared much better had he been with FW from turning pro.

I'm not convinced. That left hook would still have landed..... and it would have been in 2003 rather than 2007 :rofl

I wouldn't call Maccarinelli a stooge in the strictest sense. He has been aboard the gravy train, but I think he would have enjoyed a certain level of success with another promoter.

 

That is harsh but, equally, completely true. Let's face facts, a lot of guys know they can't make it to the top so try and make the most money- cam anyone blame them either? They're the ones getting hit in the head. Even though he is a *****, you have to accept that Warren is brilliant at the job he does.

 

I think with Enzo, unless it was timed right, you are looking at a top 10 cruiserweight who loses in his world title challenge. Warrens 'influence' can get the right shot at the right time.

 

For me Naseem Hamed was his biggest stooge. For a man who bragged about greatness and achieving legendary status, he allowed himself to be manipulated by Warren from the beginning. Back in 1995 he was first WBO super-bantam mandatory challenger to Barrera who was already highly rated in the US, but he instead followed the Warren script by moving above his natural weight to fight Steve Robinson and then made numerous pointless WBO defences. Naz knew enough about boxing history and the word scene to know that he wouldn't achieve greatness without beating some elite US and Mexican fighters in their prime, but he was satisfied beating the ageing big names of the division. Hamed was the worst stooge, simply because he had far superior ability then the rest so had more of a duty to himself and boxing to defy the Warren approach.

 

None of them.

What you fail to understand is these men were hardly exploited and made a fool of, they became richer than they would have under any other promoter, and got opportunities they would not have had under any other promoter. Despite them being ordinary fighters in some cases.

In Calzaghe's case, yes he could have branched out and fought better opposition, but ultimately he was always very money orientated and he made loads of money. He's unlikely to regret those years.

 

I don't think people are failing to understand, several people have already made those points.....

 

Flint Island failed.

Frank Warren has never had a stooge, they've all done better economically than they would elsewhere for the simple reason he's the best at promoting a fight.

If you are a **** fighter like Lockett you can thank your lucky stars you are with Warren. He'll make you a decent amount of money and get you a shot to nothing.