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I've heard a lot about guys who have had amazing amateur careers, won Olympic medals and other championships, but just didn't make the transition to professional very well and fell far short of their potential.
What about vice versa? Does anyone know of any fighters who had bad or average amateur careers but went on to be great in the pros?
chris eubankQuote:
Originally Posted by Beanflicker
A lot of great fighters from other countries had no amateur career at all because the amateur scene in Southern and Central America is nowhere near as developed as it is in the US and throughout Europe. Hopkins had no amateur career, only boxed in prison and was the middleweight champ but I have heard that he only fought a handful of times while in there.
Damn thats right I forgot about B-Hop. I doubt I'll find any better examples than him.Quote:
Originally Posted by amat
Thanks for the replies guys
Chris Eubank was never a great fighter. Eubank and the word "great" do not go together. I doesn't matter how much the UK fans pump him up to be. It's just not true. Wins over club fighters Michael Watson and Thulani Malinga (a fucking gift) are not great accomplishments. Hell the man in all reality loss twice to Ray Close. But was given a gift draw and gift win over him. Just cuz he's foolish enough to think he is, Eubank is not great. Far from it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ICE COLD BOXING
Violent demise you dont think your taking the wording just a bit too literally?
Cotto was a pretty ordinary amateur wasnt he?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis
cotto is far from great, as well
7 months from today, and you won't even remember the name "Miguel Cotto."
Judah is gonna trash the prospect, bet the house on it ;)
Yes I know point taken. But if only GREAT fighters are eligible for discussion its a pretty short and sweet thread isnt it?
salvador sanchez ??
Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis
agreed.......
there are very few fighters todat that have the potential of being "great"
Cotto was on the PR olympic team if I am not mistaken.Winky Wrights amatuer career wasnt spectacular.
Winky won the golden gloves, and wasn't eligible for the olympics or he would have been to old so he joined the pro's early, but from all I've heard he was a very good amateur.
I know he is not great but Welsh feather weight Steve Robinson had only a few amuture fights and went on to win and defend the wbo belt against a few decent fighters before he lost to Naz.
I just remembered Hasim Rahman. Far from being anywhere close to great, but from what I heard he only had a handful of amateur fights before going pro. He started boxing real late from what I remember.
Yea winky only won the florida golden gloves he never won any national golden glove tournys,and I think he would have had to beat DLH that year to make the olympic team if I am remembering correct.Paul Williams doesnt have a major amatuer background...he says that he had around 30 fights.
Roberto Duran was 13-3 i believe as an amateur,
Julio Caesar Chavez didnt have any amateur experince i dont think
and his JCC Jr. definately doesnt
Maybe. But it says what it says.Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis
Seriously tho...... Judah's best chance is to aim for Miguel's nuts, and then rabbit punch him when he bends over. Oh wait... it didn't work against Mayweather, did it.Quote:
Originally Posted by frozensolid_702
;D
I doubt many all time greats managed it without amatuer experience. I know Johnny Nelson lost his first 3 pro fights and ended up a world champ.
Thats about as bad a start as you can get.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bilbo
And both Marquez Brother lost their debutsQuote:
Originally Posted by BoomBoom
Michael Watson a club fighter ? He Ko'ed Nigel Benn who was world class, so going by your logic i guess both Benn and Gerald Mcclelan were club fighters too eh ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent Demise
as did Calzaghe and James ToneyQuote:
Originally Posted by BoomBoom
Rocky Marciano had two so-called 'amateur' bouts, I believe.
He was disqualified on both for persistent fouling, and it is fair to say he was heading for defeats as his style was particularly unsuited to amateur 3 rounders.
I would have thought he is the best example of this yet?
I thought rocky was 11-3 as an amateur? Either way he is a good example
Kelly oliver..Three time aba campion.. Only made cruiserweight wbo intercontinental champ...
Also..For me..Clazaghe.. He won the aba's two times wasnt it?.. But hasnt fought the competition he should have..He should have been huge way before now
Calzaghe had a steller amatuer record. I believe he was the only man in British history to win 3 ABA titles at 3 different weights.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tito_BHB
It's struck me that possibly the best current example is Anthony Mundine.
I'm not sure if he boxed as an amatuer but he was a top Aussie Rules football player before he turned pro in his twenties. He may not have had any amatuer experience at all, does anyone know? Where's Snakey?
im not sure about his amateur career exactly but im sure kermit cintron didnt have much of an amateur career, as he was a pretty good wrestler in college or some other sport, not sure the exact facts but heard the commentators menton it on one of his fights