Which So Called Great Fighter Never Impressed You?

Hopkins
Ward
Floyd
Wlad K

 

I don't know how great he was but the guy who I couldn't stand to watch box was John Ruiz. The guy couldn't ever get knocked out and would just drag out ugly ugly fights. Never impressed me

 

1. Riddick Bowe. Don't think he's an ATG, just think he's championship level ala Anthony Joshua or Daniel Dubois. Extremely protected fighter with an incredibly well managed career who's management convinced people he was an ATG. Closer to a Wilder than Lennox Lewis.

His very slow feet ensured he'd struggle with every elite boxer he'd face and his horrid defence ensure he'd get knocked the **** out by every elite puncher he faced, the latter would of which his management was extremely concerned with. They saw him get beaten up so often in sparring they steered him clear of any serious competition which is why his resume is garbage.

100% of his reputation is based on him having a bad showing against the only fighter he matches up well with; Evander Holyfield. A cruiserweight who was dumb enough to ignore his obvious boxing based path to victory (until the rematch) and get into a slugging match whilst being outweighed by 30lbs. Bowe's punching power is also massively overrated because he has big muscles. He hits about as hard as Tyson Fury but people talk about him like he's Mike Tyson. I genuinely think he'd lose to almost every single top 15 heavyweight and then lose to any heavyweight that can punch, so Wilder, Joshua, Zhang, Shavers, Baer etc.

2. Carl Froch. Is similar to Bowe in that he's a swarmer with an all time great work rate but is one of the worst defensive fighters of all time. Unlike Bowe though he actually is a big puncher and also has an ATG chin. I do think he's Low Tier ATG to be fair but I feel he benefited from fighting in a new (and weak) division, even if it was the strongest iteration of said division. If SMW didn't exist and he had to fight at LHW, the likes of Adonis Stevenson, Sergey Kovalev and Artur Beterbiev would have destroyed him in his own era, let alone Dwight Qawi Muhammad, Michael Spinks, RJJ, Bob Foster, Langford, Charles, Moore, Patterson etc. He's just too hittable.

3. Canelo Alvarez. Career is a lot of smoke and mirrors. He is a low tier ATG who's Mexican fanbase gave him GOAT level A side privilege. Never in my life have I seen a fighter have catch-weight fights and rehydration clauses in their own weight class. A weak jab in combination with an inability to cut off the ring pretty much guaranteed he struggled with every single boxer he fought. Struggled with Lara, Trout and BJS, got dominated by Floyd and Bivol and lost to a massive underdog in Crawford. Those flaws + his stamina prevented him from getting higher. That and him falling in love with his power and abandoning his combination punching I think was a mistake.

I know his 2nd fight with GGG could be a win, loss or draw either way but I've literally not met a single person, Canelo fans included that believed he didn't lose to GGG in their first fight.

4. Lomachenko. Has the lowest Ring IQ : Skill Ratio of any fighter I've seen, constantly making huge tactical errors. Losses to two not even close to ATG fighters in Haney and Lopez is a very bad look. If Pacquiao can dominate MAB then there's no excuse for an alleged ATG in Lomachenko to lose to them.

 

Crazy talk.

 

I think Bowe is a clear level above AJ and Dubois .He has a shallow resume ,but on his night would be competitive with anybody .imo.
I'd pick Bowe to beat all those you named.
If his defence was so bad, how come he only has one loss on his record,and how come big punchers like Hide and Gonzales couldn't drop him let alone stop him?
I wouldn't call Bowe a swarmer either,he is a standup boxer /puncher.
You think Canelo struggled with Saunders? I don't, BJS won 2 rds at most.
Canelo 5'7" has gone up from light middle to light heavy,is it a surprise he isn't so successful at the higher weight?

I do think GGG won their 1st fight.
Froch is a super middle ,would it be a surprise if he coudn't beat all time great light heavies like those you listed?

 

I don't know if Ken Norton was ever classified as "great" but IMHO he was no more than a decent fighter at best. His style matched up well against a post-exile Muhammad Ali resulting in 3 very close decisions in their bouts that all could have gone his way. Norton's legacy is honestly based solely on those fights.

 

Well past his best his effort vs Holmes was pretty impressive in hindsight.

 

Barney Ross.

 

Cerdan is an interesting shout. Two handed power and a good body attack, with a distinctive upper body slip and counter with hooks style.


Beating Zale for the title puts him in the discussion as do 60+ KOs, I suppose - add in mattress sparring with Piaf and the way that he tragically died en route for the LaMotta rematch training camp, then there's probably a little bit of halo effect. I don't know if he comes to mind when I think of ATG as I suppose I think of him as European and possible even world great, but not necessarily ATG. Over 60 KOs and 4 losses, including heavily disputed one to LaMotta in over 100 fights isn't bad going.

I have never heard anyone credibly argue that Pernell wasn't great. In fact, he's probably better than most remember/credit him for.

 

Monzon for me. His record was amazing and he barely lost but I can't name a single outstanding attribute he had except for his ability to keep winning. Probably an aesthetic thing on my behalf to be honest but I think it's what the OP is asking? I certainly won't die on a hill saying he wasn't great. He clearly was but I've never enjoyed watching him.

 

I'm surprised at the Whitaker mention honestly.

He's one of those defensive fighters that stays in the pocket and masterfully befuddles and outboxes his opponents he's not a runner.

And when he was past his prime he come forward and brutally knocked out Hurtado showing a different side to him.

He also showed a great chin having his jaw broken by Tito and going the distance whilst again being way past his prime.

I'm surprised you don't appreciate him more.

And what top dawgs would run Whitaker out ? He was the top dawg of his era and his resume speaks for itself.

 

His fights with Holyfield

 

I'll definitely side with you there--Norton's performance against Homes was great. (Actually, outside the first Ali fight this might have been his best effort against any opponent!)

 

Holmes V Norton was one of THE greatest heavyweight title fights.