Who is the most underated fighter on this forum

The multiple mentions of Ray Leonard proves he isn't the most underrated. Not by a long shot. A really underrated fighter would be someone like Frankie Genaro, Sammy Mandell or Fidel LaBarba.

 

I'm not so sure that I've made that same observation myself. Frankly, I think McCallum is rarely talked about here, and in fact was underrated even during his time. Mike was a tremendously talented fighter, who had the misfortune of lurking in the shadows of Hagler, Hearns, Duran and Leonard. Later, he would be overshadowed by Toney, Nunn and Jones Jr.

 

Leonard certainly does not get mentioned enough on this forum. Tyson also gets overlooked or is not given enough respect. Granted, after his return from prison his career ranged from medicore to pitiful but people forget how dominate he was during his prime. His impact on the sport during the 1980s was immense. From what I have been gathering Maxie Rosenbloom. He is almost never mentioned here, other than the occassional sarcastic comment regarding his lack of power. However his record is impressive.

 

Ray Leonard is nowhere near the most underrated because, although he has critics, he also has people to defend him - plenty of them. At least he's getting recognition. When do you ever hear Frankie Genaro mentioned?

 

Curry was rated as pound for pound the best fighter on the planet during the mid 80's. His whole style and technique was sublime on the eye. Coming back from adversity was a weakness, as he was as good as finished after his career setback defeats to Honeyghan and McCallum.

Personal pride was Curry's downfall as he openly admitted to his manager and team that being one of only two undisputed champions in boxing at the time meant so much to him, the other of course being Hagler. He simply hung around at welterweight for too long battling the scales, and payed the price for doing so.

Curry was battling with the scales for much longer than people think, rumour has it as far back as 1982.

 

You know, I've heard all these names mentioned here on this forum. The real underrated guys haven't been mentioned at all, or only in passing, the ilk of which Manassa has mentioned.


Guys like Don Jordan, Beau Jack, Mando Ramos, Sugar Ramos, Art Hafey, Rodolfo Gonzalez, John Henry Lewis, Vito Antuofermo, etc. etc.......

 

Mike Tyson is one of the most overrated.

 

But we'd be here all day if we counted those guys and the likes of Eddie Perkins, Antonio Esparragoza, Kevin Finnegan, ad infinitum.

 

Don't understand the call for Antuofermo being underrated. He was undisputed middleweight champion...a huge over-achievement if you ask me.

 

..........And wouldn't that be great.

 

Ha ha, yeah, come to think of it, it would. But only if we concentrated on a few names. What would happen is that each poster will just throw out four or five names and that'd be it.

Ok, we'll start with one- Vito Antuofermo.

 

.........All right........

Vito gets underrated here insideously. All anyone has to say about him is that he had bad eyebrows and was a plodding mauler, there to be hit.

For a guy with so little skills, his track record is pretty good. Wins against Briscoe, Dagge, Griffith, Moyer, and Cyclone Hart are nothing to sneeze at, yet he's poo-pooed here as the guy someody beat. Patently unfair.

 

He does have some good names on his CV, the Hagler draw being the highlight. But Benny and Emile were a bit faded and most of the half decent fighters Hart fought beat him. The Dagge away win was impressive- but in turn Vito was mashed by Hope, outclassed in the Minter rematch. I think he did well enough by becoming champ, without going overboard.