Which fighter went from 'hot' to 'shot "in a short period of time?

Jermain Taylor after Pavlik

Jeff lacy after Calzaghe

 

That was Tony Thornton, Longhorn. Middleweight/super middle. Fought Jones Jr and either Benn or Eubank. He dies a few years ago just after retiring.

 

I forgot completely about Thad Spencer. He beat Ernie Terrell in the 8-man WBA tourney to find a successor to Ali and was favored to win the tourney after that win - but again - never won another fight. Quarry stopped him in 12 in the semis, but I don't know if that was enough of a thumping to damage him. What may have been his waterloo may have been his bout with Leotis Martin in England of all places. I heard that bout was a war which may have ruined him. But I also heard rumored that he was a hard partier with Eddie Machen and didn't take his conditioning seriously after Quarry. Who knows?

 

Tyson Fury must now be added to this list.

He's so shot he can't even survive a training camp any more despite his most recent performance being a career best victory against one of the best fighters in recorded history.

 

Meldrick Taylor, Terry Norris

 

That's a really good choice. As for contenders that were on the rise and sank like the a rock,
I think Dominic Guinn is a good example. The guy was riding high after slaughtering Michael Grant, then beating the African Dokiwari, after losing to Monte Barrett he seemingly never recovered, going roughly 50/50 in his remaining fights.

Also Slammin' Sammy Nesmith, a middleweight in the early 80s was looking good, until Frank "The Aminmal" Flecther took him apart.

 

Carl 'the truth' Williams. Gave an aging Larry Holmes arguably his toughest title defence and lost a 15 round decision. He was like a younger bigger version of Holmes and many thought that he would be Larry's heir apparent after that performance. A couple of fights later came up against former champion Mike Weaver and had his dreams of future glories shattered along with his chin as Weaver koed him inside 2 rounds. Was never the same again though he did have one more shot at the title against Mike Tyson but like in the Weaver fight ran into a pulverising left hook and was stopped early.

 

Williams form didn't change drastically right after Holmes - Holmes was faded and so made Williams look a little better than he was and hype ensued surrounding Williams. The "Truth" is that he caught Holmes at the perfect time. Then, Williams was easily handling Weaver but went in for the kill and was shocked by a left hook. Williams simply NEVER had a good chin and Weaver exposed it. Then, Williams recovered well from that loss to beat Bert Cooper in a fight many thought Cooper would win. Then, he beat Berbick and got a shot at Tyson. Of course, Williams' mediocre chin could not hold up against Tyson.
So, this is a poor example, in my opinion.

 

Nobody has mentioned Elisha Obed yet?

Dominant run working up the 154 lb ladder and looking physically unstoppable. Won the title and defended it twice before just quitting against Dagge. Within a couple of years, he had regressed to not even looking like journeyman fodder. His losses to Czyz and Curtis Parker are on YouTube and he looks completely useless.

Shocking when you compare those performances to his title defense against Tony Gardner (which I posted on YouTube).

 

Rex Layne.

 

Taylor almost beat Froch after that and eventually won a belt again.

 

Mike Jones

 

I can only think you have scar tissue on your brain, unless you are a full natural ******...