With recent threads about undeserving challengers and cherry-picking champions, it got me to thinking. How many fighters can you name that truly made you think, 'WTF?' because he took such a beating/outclassing in his previous fight and yet, was given a shot at the title? I don't mean like a Foreman-Norton because Norton was very competitve in his previous bout with Ali despite the loss. I also give a pass to champions who took a licking losing their title and getting a rematch because of rematch clauses and such. I came up with a few -Al McCoy - lost his last 2 fights, both to light heavies before Joe Louis gave him a title shot. Mccoy weighed about 180 and in the first loss he lost to Solly Kreiger. It was written, "Forget about Al McCoy as a light heavyweight challenger after his loss to the washed up Solly Kreiger." Next he lost to Billy Conn, who weighed about 172 and it was stated that Conn, winning a unanimous decision, turned McCoy into a punching bag in the last two rounds. -Jimmy Garcia - is completely outclassed by Genero Hernandez, losing a wide unanimous decision and is rewarded by a title shot against Gabriel Ruelas in their tragic fight. -Jimmy Robertson - has already lost 2 of his last 3 fights when he takes on Ben Villaflor, who walks away with a unanimous decision. I have a magazine laying around somewhere that describes it as a real thumping, yet, Jimmy is given the title shot against Roberto Duran. -Abe Simon - probably the most amazing example of the WTF principle one could imagine. Has his arse absolutely handed to him by Lem Franklin who KOs him in 5. But not just stopping him. Lem gives him one good going over, dropping him in every round leading up to the 5th. And Joe's management rewards Simon with a shot at the title. Poor Lem, on the outside looking in. -Jersey Joe Walcott (maybe) - don't know enough about the second Charles - Walcott fight but by the scores, Charles did seem to have him truly outclassed as well as dropping him along the way. Also, Walcott lost his previous fight to Rex Layne. But that didn't stop the 3rd fight with Charles and his title-winning fight. I'm old school. I think a fighter getting a title shot should at least look deserving in some way. Losses bug me, even competitive ones, but to give a fighter a shot via getting his arse kicked, really sticks in the old craw. I'm sure there are more examples out there.
