Worst career slides from great fights?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by babaluma, Sep 30, 2012.


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  1. babaluma

    babaluma Member Full Member

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    Ermm I meant "great fighters" not "fights" in the title!....I am thinking of a long losing streak after a great career, due to either fighting too long for the money or in a deluded belief they will get back to the top when clearly past their best. Jimmy Young, Ezzard Charles and Matthew Saad Muhammad spring to mind for me.
     
    babaluma, Sep 30, 2012
    babaluma, Sep 30, 2012
    #1
  2. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Joe Frazier from after the FOTC onwards.
     
    red cobra, Sep 30, 2012
    red cobra, Sep 30, 2012
    #2
  3. BillB

    BillB Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali stayed around too long.

    Two or three of the fights he "won", he shouldn't have.
     
    BillB, Sep 30, 2012
    BillB, Sep 30, 2012
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  4. futurechamp10

    futurechamp10 Active Member Full Member

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    Obvious answer - Roy jones

    Top of the world to well, where he is now

    Sad really
     
    futurechamp10, Sep 30, 2012
    futurechamp10, Sep 30, 2012
    #4
  5. luke

    luke Well-Known Member Full Member

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    roy jones,
     
    luke, Sep 30, 2012
    luke, Sep 30, 2012
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  6. 1Kolijn

    1Kolijn Well-Known Member Full Member

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    RJJ, Holyfield and recently Mosley
     
    1Kolijn, Sep 30, 2012
    1Kolijn, Sep 30, 2012
    #6
  7. carlos200587

    carlos200587 Active Member Full Member

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    meldrick taylor after chavez
     
    carlos200587, Sep 30, 2012
    carlos200587, Sep 30, 2012
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  8. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    You really call Young and Muhammad '"great fighters"'?

    Charles is a fair call, although post Marciano he was getting up in age after a 'hard' career.

    I would add Evander Holyfield. He went from two tough fights with a prime Lewis, to struggling with Ruiz and never really rebounding.
     
    TBooze, Sep 30, 2012
    TBooze, Sep 30, 2012
    #8
  9. babaluma

    babaluma Member Full Member

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    Mar 29, 2012
    OK maybe I should have said "respected" fighters? I just meant fighters who were highly rated and then went on to lose fights they would not have done in their prime.
     
    babaluma, Sep 30, 2012
    babaluma, Sep 30, 2012
    #9
  10. Jacquot

    Jacquot Cruiserweight Paper Champ Full Member

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    Quite a few people stuck around for a lot of late career losses. Livingstone Bramble had a ton of them. Iran Barkley. Saad Muhammad absolutely.
     
    Jacquot, Sep 30, 2012
    Jacquot, Sep 30, 2012
    #10
  11. doug.ie

    doug.ie 'Classic Boxing Society' Full Member

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    sugar ray robinson too obvious ?
     
    doug.ie, Sep 30, 2012
    doug.ie, Sep 30, 2012
    #11
  12. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Robinson was in his late 30s/40s when he 'slid'. Thus I think that he deserves any benefit of the doubt.
     
    TBooze, Sep 30, 2012
    TBooze, Sep 30, 2012
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  13. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    Has to be Roy Jones. In a matter of months he went from superman to journey man.

    He should have stayed at hw. Lewis and Vitali were on the verge of retiring. Tyson and Holy where ripe for the picking and a fight with Byrd in 05 would have been 50/50 and a great way to go out. Could have established a top ten legacy.

    Instead we have people questioning just how good he ever was. I personally am convinced it was the weight loss and that was visible against Tarver first time out, he didn't have it as a lhw any more.
     
    lufcrazy, Sep 30, 2012
    lufcrazy, Sep 30, 2012
    #13
  14. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I think Ken Norton is another example that comes to mind. He went on a great run from 1975 to 1978, and gave Holmes a terrific battle. In 1979 however, he fell down a steep slope and fast.
     
    mr. magoo, Sep 30, 2012
    mr. magoo, Sep 30, 2012
    #14
  15. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Agreed, Jones fell off the face of the earth about as fast as anyone I can think of. Not sure if wins over John Ruiz, Chris Byrd and aged versions of Tyson and Holy would have left him with a top 10 spot though. I think beating ruiz, then sticking to only one fight with Tarver, then calling it quits would have been enough.
     
    mr. magoo, Sep 30, 2012
    mr. magoo, Sep 30, 2012
    #15
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