When undefeated fighters loose for the first time

[Chino]

What fighters out there who were undefeated and dominating started going downhill right after their first loss?
The first one that comes to mind is Naseem Hamed. The guy seemed incincible. He had KO power in his punches, a sneaky defense, good feet, etc. But after his first loss he went downill even with a journeyman and now he's nowhere to be found.
Now I think about Cotto. He lost but not on a decision or questionable split descicion but by a brutal TKO. I wonder if he will start going downhill after this or not.
I guess some fighters loose inspiration, get intimidated, loose concentration, etc. after their first loss after a long time of dominating fights.

[Thread Stealer]

Meldrick Taylor was still good after Chavez, but not quite what he once was, and considered done by late 1992.

Fernando Vargas, likewise for Taylor, was still good after his first loss, but not quite the same after Trinidad. Both Taylor and Vargas took too much punishment in general, and had rather fast declines.

Donald Curry.

[truth32]

what i think about the situation is when your up and coming you get to pick and choose your fights but when you get to a surtain level you only fight the best and cotto is now to the point where he is only gonna fight the best so now is where we see how good cotto really is he never beat anyone great only good fighters margo isn't a great fighter but i must say he is great at what he does cottos claime to fame was a old mosley and zab who has alot of talent but not much focus

[Chino]

Meldrick Taylor was still good after Chavez, but not quite what he once was, and considered done by late 1992.

ThreadStealer,
I forgot about him, you're right. After Chavez he won a few more fights by decision and then lost to Terri Norris, Crisanto España, later on against Chavez and that was it. Downhill.

what i think about the situation is when your up and coming you get to pick and choose your fights but when you get to a certain level you only fight the best and cotto is now to the point where he is only gonna fight the best so now is where we see how good cotto really is he never beat anyone great only good fighters margo isn't a great fighter but i must say he is great at what he does cottos claime to fame was a old mosley and zab who has alot of talent but not much focus

Truth32,
Interesting point because some people would see him beating Alfonso Gomez as one of his greatest accomplishments. I'll say Judah and Mosley have been the biggest names in his resume so far, and still, can we say Judah and Mosley were at their primes? Cotto fights a guy in his prime (Margarito) and look what happened. Even with guys who were not in their primes or that were journeymen would still cut, rock, and expose Cotto.

[truth32]

Interesting point because some people would see him beating Alfonso Gomez as one of his greatest accomplishments. I'll say Judah and Mosley have been the biggest names in his resume so far, and still, can we say Judah and Mosley were at their primes? Cotto fights a guy in his prime (Margarito) and look what happened. Even with guys who were not in their primes or that were journeymen would still cut, rock, and expose Cotto.


yea some people would say that but come on didnt gomez beat gatti to get the cotto fight pbf spank him in 2004 and they he was washed up then

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Michael Nunn

[THE THIRD MAN]

What fighters out there who were undefeated and dominating started going downhill right after their first loss?
The first one that comes to mind is Naseem Hamed. The guy seemed incincible. He had KO power in his punches, a sneaky defense, good feet, etc. But after his first loss he went downill even with a journeyman and now he's nowhere to be found.
Now I think about Cotto. He lost but not on a decision or questionable split descicion but by a brutal TKO. I wonder if he will start going downhill after this or not.
I guess some fighters loose inspiration, get intimidated, loose concentration, etc. after their first loss after a long time of dominating fights.

I don't know about Hamed going downhill, he wimped out and retired before that could happen, he lost one fight and cried all the way back home realising he was not the fighter he thought he was, any rematch with Barrera or a fight with Morales would have proved that. Hamed did not have the bottle to try and find out and that is just simply weak.

[El Kabong]

Fernando Vargas
David Reid
Acelino Freitas
Gerry Cooney

[boozeboxer]

Jeff lacy.

[boozeboxer]

Panchito Bajodo

[El Kabong]

Domonick Guinn
Michael Grant
Mike Tyson

[Markusdarkus]

What fighters out there who were undefeated and dominating started going downhill right after their first loss?
The first one that comes to mind is Naseem Hamed. The guy seemed incincible. He had KO power in his punches, a sneaky defense, good feet, etc. But after his first loss he went downill even with a journeyman and now he's nowhere to be found.
Now I think about Cotto. He lost but not on a decision or questionable split descicion but by a brutal TKO. I wonder if he will start going downhill after this or not.
I guess some fighters loose inspiration, get intimidated, loose concentration, etc. after their first loss after a long time of dominating fights.

Hamed was going way down hill before Barerra.

As for first loss i dont think so, Lewis, Pacuaio, Hopkins all became great after losing.

[Chino]

Good point Marcus on the fighters that lost and came back even better. Maybe we should start a threat like that.
When do you think Hamed started going downhill?

[Thread Stealer]

Hamed was said to have been pretty lazy and complacent in training. He never should've left Brendan Ingle. I don't think much of Oscar Suarez.

Still, even when he was supposed to be around his peak, Manuel Medina was catching him with shots throughout the fight. You can only do so much defensively when your technique is THAT bizarre.

I'm not sure if he ever would've beaten Marco Antonio Barrera though. Probably not.