Your favourite fighters...who weren't that good!

Aaah, good stuff Noel. My lad's best mate has a similar story. From the Smoke but lives here now and is still a Spurs fan. I took him to his very first game this just a few weeks ago- the 1-1 Harry Kane theatrics match (in our end of course)- and yes i remember the 1-4 mauling, a fine Spurs side...there was just one a bit better at the time ;-)

 

Excellent pick! Liston always said Dejohn was the second hardest hitter he'd ever faced after Williams which surprised me. I'd have assumed it was Valdez.

 

Let me put a vote in for local Indianapolis star middleweight "Slammin'" Sammy NeSmith from the late 70's. Very popular in my neck of the woods and got to see him train at the Indianapolis PAL gym a couple of times. Super big puncher who was only mediocre in the stamina and whiskers departments. There used to be some footage of his war with Frank "The Animal" Fletcher out there that seems to have disappeared.
His career highlight was seen by almost no one. He came from way behind to knock out Ronnie Harris and win the NABF Middleweight title. I actually listened to it live on WIBC 1070 at the time and NeSmith was losing every round and was hurt in the corner and ready to go before unleashing a Hail Mary shot and knocking Harris out cold. They showed the highlights on the local news that night and NeSmith looked like he was ready to fall over before throwing a hook from the floor and wiping Harris completely out coming in for the finish. You could not have scripted a more dramatic finish. Nesmith died a few years back. Heard he finished up life back in New Jersey working in sanitation. Very loved locally as a really nice and humble guy. Wish he would've reached a higher plateau.

 

I enjoyed some fighters who were on network television for a while but didn't make it ... John Collins who was destroyed by Tony Gibson, Robin Blake, a tough guy who fell short of championship level, Randy Shields as well, talented but not championship class , Frank Fletcher who was fun and tough , Johnny Du Ploy, Johnny Verderosa ... the list goes on and on ..

 

Julian Letterlough
Gatti
Ward
Darnell Wilson
Augustus
Two Ton Galento
Mike Mallo
Buck Smith
Harold Brazier
Jorge Castro
Ebo Elder
Jamaal Terrell Woods
Vinny Madelone

 

Michael Gomez. A fringe world contender always a tough nights work for anyone and an amazing back story.

They were going to make a film about him only made the trailer in the end.

His best performance was going to Scotland and stopping a prime Alex Arthur in 5 rounds in front of his own fans.

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Maurice Harris, when he was on and not going to sleep he was really good.

 

I have posted on here several times how much i loved Wally Swift Jnr.Always gave 100% and seems to be forgotten by almost all except the real boxing fans.Wherever you are Wally hope you are well and thanks for the memories

 

Another guy I liked was Kelvin Concrete Davis. He was a 5'7 cruiserweight that would fight on Friday night fights a lot back in the day. Super aggressive with a kill or be killed mentality. Verno Phillips also comes to mind. Solid fighter that played spoiler a lot.

 

Michael Katsidis. Blocked punches with his face and put it all on the line…I rooted for him every time.

 

I remember Slammin’ Sammy. I think he was in the same stable as Wilbert “Vampire” Johnson and Harold Brazier … or at least Pete Susens, who repped and match-made for many Midwestern fighters, had something to do with all of them.

The backdrop of the Frank Fletcher fight is this: ESPN held tournaments in a number of weights. Some were rising prospects, others were journeymen who had some upside. That’s how Frank got discovered after a so-so start to his career. He knocked out Caveman Lee and beat another guy or two to win the ESPN tournament.

The prize for winning was a payday (I think $10k if I remember correctly) that came with a TV main event against a ranked contender. Well Frank’s contender was Nesmith, probably because he wasn’t tied up with a rival promoter and because how could two sluggers not make for a good fight? Well, Frank showed he was indeed the real deal in beating Sammy, and went on to rise up the ranks (but never quite get that title shot).

 

Nice choice and what a fight Gomez vs Arthur was- one of the best of the past 20 years.

 

A fighter doesn't have to be great for me to be a fan. In fact, greatness often detracts from my interest. It's clinical. I like flaws, I like blind spots, it's way more interesting. Sugar Ray Robinson bores the **** out of me.


Harry Arroyo
Ray Mancini
Bobby Chacon
Harold Brazier
Robin Blake
Arturo Gatti
Eric Holland
Jesse James Hughes
Buster Drayton
Gaspar Ortega

Etc., etc. I do hate listing guys like this as non-great because at the end of the day they are remembered, and talked about quite a bit here. What else constitutes greatness, and who decides that anyway?