We spend many times having a pop at fighters for clear weak defences against guys who have no right to be there. From Carnera to Burns, they all get critics and rightly so! But in your opinion, who was the worst?
By no means terrible fighters, but for the amount of defences involved Hopkins' early-mid MW reign is pretty weak: Segundo Mercado Steve Frank Joe Lipsey William Bo James John David Jackson Glen Johnson Andrew Council Simon Brown Robert Allen Robert Allen Antwun Echols Syd Vanderpool Antwun Echols But I suppose the competition just really wasn't there for him until the MW tourney began.
The proliferation of titles over the years has limited the quality of title defences and there has definitely been a lacking in standards over my time of watching the sport. Actually, the near death of the sport in America has affected **** big time.
Calzaghe's early defences were absolutely abysmal. From beating an albeit faded Eubank he went on to the legendary Branco Sobot, then for the next six or so years he never faced two good fighters back to back. Hatton's WBU reign of terror was much the same. One minute he's fighting Magee, Phillips or Tackie - naturally bigger, if limited operators but still with some form..... then it's bums like Stephen Smith or Dennis Pedersen. I bet Morten Gamst Pedersen would have been a better opponent :-(
I think this one is hard to beat. I give you Artur Grigorian's WBO lightweight reign of terror: Antonio Rivera Gene Reed Raul Balbi David Armstrong Marcu Rudolph Georgio Campanella Oscar Cano Michael Clark Wilson Galli Sandro Casamonica Zoltan Kalocsai Antonio Pitaulua Angel Perez Aldo Rios Rocky Martinez (No, not the Ricky Burns opponent) Stefano Zoff Matt Zegan
The best fighting taxi drivers that continental Europe and Central America had to offer, he took them all on. Wish there were more like him these days.
Marco Rudolph beat Oscar De La Hoya in the world amateur championship finals 17-13. De La Hoya claims in his book that it was the worst loss of his boxing career and Rudolph actually "haunted his dreams". De la Hoya then went on to beat him in the olympic final 7-2 dropped Rudolph in the 3rd. So Rudolph had a gold and a bronze at the world amateur championships and a Silver at the Barcelona olympics. He actually beat Grigorian in the amateurs, he also beat Diego Corrales in the amateurs. It's a shame he couldn't have made a better transition to the pro game because he clearly had a bit of talent. Amateur record 207-28 Pro record 13-1 Can't say I know too much else about anyone else on that list.