Thread: Guys we thought were bums but turned out great

You go first. Bwahaha..

OK. Uhhh.....

Deontay Wilder.

Fury



Hopkins had lost more than he'd won at one point in his career

Like the spell binder and letter man...I'm changing bum to burnt!

I never thought Cotto was burnt out after Pacuiao. A lot of fans, coaches and commentators stated it. Cotto proved he had gas in the tank

While I never thought Glencoffe was a bum, I didn't think he could beat Tarver, let alone RJJ. He was just a workhorse to me. After the Tarver fight, I began to see him as one of the best LHW of his era.

I didn't think much of Tarver when he lost to Harding or when he won the rematch. Loud mouth guy, that's it. But when he fought Montel Griffin...I thought it was a boxing lesson. Final seconds of the fight..Tarver fainted...one shot and dropped Griffin...without moving, stationary. I suspected then he could compete with RJJ. But before Griffin, Target imo was a loud mouth bum.

Froch is probably the biggest one for me, I didn't think he was going to be any good, let alone have the kind of career that he did.

Slim said it. Cotto and Coffee surprised me too.

Froch is also a great example.

Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

Froch is also a great example.

When Jermain Taylor dropped Froch.... Sitting on his bum, as if to contemplate it was now or never.
Excellent composure for Froch. I started taking Froch a bit serious.

still think wilder and broner are wimps...

Erik skogslund doing great,
I didn't like thurman at first, he really changed my views of him.

Johnny Nelson was shite but became a decent champion in the end.

Tyson Fury is a really good example. Some of his early defensive work was absolutely atrocious, but they brought him along at just the right pace, and I think the knockdown v Firtha really brought it home to him that you can't win with just attack.

I think that as much as I don't really like them, Derry Matthews and Ricky Burns have both achieved a whole lot more than their early careers might have suggested.

Sakio Bika came to my attention drawing with Beyer then losing to Calzaghe, and he always just seemed a rough, awkward back pain of a fighter, but I have to admit I'm impressed with what he went on to achieve.

Wouldn't say great but Pendleton has to get a nod. Steve Robison came in 14-9 and went on a decent run.

We will revive this topic in a few years and add Jorge Kahwagi

Bernard Hopkins really surprised me and his run especially after Roy Jones beat him is amazing.

Hopkins... JMM... Ron Lyle (yes, while he lost to Foreman and Ali, had it not been for them, Lyle would have been a legitimate champion even in the face of Frazier and Norton)...

Terence Crawford. I didn't give him much credit vs. Burns. I just didn't see it. But, maaaaaaannnnnnnn..... IS TC "SPECIAL", OR WHAT?!?!

I did not question Calzaghes skills at all.. But I didn't think he would own his division for over a decade.

Originally Posted by Vendettos

I did not question Calzaghes skills at all.. But I didn't think he would own his division for over a decade.

He probably would beat the current crop of fighters.