Which Fighters Became Great Champs despite having several losses early on?

Henry Armstrong lost his 1st, 3rd, and 4th fights.

 

First one that came to my mind.


Also (if we're only talking about great champs):

Kid Gavilan
Joe Brown
Dick Tiger
Manny Ortiz
Billy Conn
Tommy Loughran
Mickey Walker

...just to name a few.

 

Freddie Pendleton wasn't a great champion though, was he?

 

Alexis Arguello & Alfredo Escalera

 

maybe pepino cuevas and chu chu castillo who have arguments of being great.

 

JMM loses to Norwood, John and Pacquiao haven't stopped him becoming the #1 P4P in my book.

Glen Johnson also warrants a mention.

 

Armstrong always the first that comes to mind here, Archie Moore anyone? Eusebio Pedroza?

 

Im sure Armstrong & Arguello were 2.

B-Hop also lost his 1st pro bout.

 

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Fritzie Zivic yet; I mean, by the end of his career, he had 65 losses! Still, he fought and beat a lot of the great lightweights, welterweights, and even middleweights of the time, taking the title from Henry Armstrong.

Deserves a mention, however dirty he was.

 

Manny Pacquiao, Wilfredo Vasquez, Gerald McClennan

 

Yeah Zivic is a great choice, he held his own with (winning and losing) some of the best guys of that era, who actually are some of the finest ever.

 

that all time exciting great Johnny Nelson

didnt know Gavilan lost his debut intresting

Arguello and Armstrong are the definitive picks

 

He didn't.

 

Wasn't Cuevas undefeated when he fought Hearns???????? I MUST be wrong........or am I? Can't be ****ed to look on boxrec

As mentioned by Pater, the legendary Johnny Nelson! I think he was 0-6 at one point :rofl