Fighters who were never the same after losing once

[brocktonblockbust]

Some highly-touted fighters who were hyped for a long while----sometimes the hype was so obviously ordered by the marketeers and promoters it was laughable---wound up, after being fed a string of tomato cans (at times with undefeated records to boot), in line for a title shot or atleast for a shot at moving into a #1 or #2 ranking in their divisions, ONLY TO SUDDENLY VAPORIZE AND DISAPPEAR FROM BOXING VIRTUALLY FOREVER, AFTER LOSING "UNEXPECTEDLY" AND IN A QUITE THOROUGH AND DISAPPOINTING WAY.

It's like that bully phenomenon, when the bully finally loses, or the Big Bad Guy finally gets an ass-kicking---HE IS NEVER THE SAME AND WILL NEVER COMMAND THE SAME TERROR HE ONCE ALLEGEDLY COMMANDED.

Fernando Vargas, after that humiliating loss to Oscar, in which the big bad Steroided-Up Fernando was roughing up the Golden Boy for most of the fight, virtually disappeared from boxing, and could not come to terms with his big macho image having dried up and withered in the sun.

David Reid, after being touted as the next Sugar Ray, was never ever the same after that sudden and "unexpected" loss to Tito Trinidad, and has he ever fought again since that day? I'll go to Boxing Records and check in a minute, but I would be surprised if he did put on the gloves again.

Big Bad Courage Tschabalala, whose overhand rights were being compared in their devastating effects to Earnie Shavers', turned out to be quite the pansy, after his ass-whipping by Darryl Wilson and Bryan Scott.

Iron Mike Tyson was saying "Owww!" on his stool with that big balloon on his eye, and was never the Big Bad Mike after that night in Tokyo when someone stood up to the bully and put on a stellar show.


How many fighters have we seen experience this? Many, indeed. They were considered big and bad and ugly, and fighters quivered in their boots just to imagine stepping into the ring with them.

But once that aura of invincibility has been shattered, they are never the same. Sometimes, they even disappear forever, or, at best, go on to fight a few more times against guys we never heard of with 20-15 records, and then retire. It's kind of sad.

It takes a true great like Ali to come back from big losses and hang in the boxing game as a real contender or champion. It is not just the doubts about one's physical abilities that could end the careers, but mentally the fighters aren't the same after having been so hyped and touted, though untested hitherto, and then losing utterly.

I do suspect that Miguel Cotto will never be the same after that "unexpected" loss to Margarito. I don't believe he will be back in the same contention as he once enjoyed. That loss was more of a psychological trouncing, one that he had never experienced before. The guy just took 2 knees, and showed he was spent. Couldnt even stand up to fight. He has to wonder about his stamina, his willingness to stand and fight to the end, like Norton and Holmes did, like Frazier and Ali did.

I believe that will be all for Miguel Cotto.

[jamiebhoy]

Agree, Tyson was never the same once he lost his aura and the bully had been faced up to, although I do believe his heart had gone from the game around that time also.

Naz was never the same and only fought once after his first loss, again the aura he portrayed about being the best thing since sliced bread was gone.

The modern era has to blame in general as it's not acceptable to lose, in the 40's 50's and 60's it was acceptable to lose but as long as you went out trying. Nowaday it's straight to the scrapheap after one loss and mentally fighters find it hard to come back.

[Taeth]

Most notable one IMO is Meldrick Taylor after his lose to Julio Cesar Chavez.

[Spicoli]

Mugabi....Jirov (should have left Hvys alone)....in an odd way David Tua...Curry,Meldrick Taylor.....Shame really.Do we really know a fighter until they have to return from a loss ?

[jamiebhoy]

Mugabi....Jirov (should have left Hvys alone)....in an odd way David Tua...Curry,Meldrick Taylor.....Shame really.Do we really know a fighter until they have to return from a loss ?

Excellent call on Mugabi, never the same after Hagler dished out a return bully session to the "Beast" . Also Curry, he was just so shocked at losing his new SRL tag, give him his dues though he did try but as the thread says was never the same.

[Big Dick Whittington]

Fernando Vargas.Tito took his soul and I'm not one for 'what ifs' but i still say Fernando was turning it around untill a succession of low blows stole his legs .
That is still the best fight in living memory for me but the beating Fernando took at the end of such a gruelling fight and at such a young age , no way he could have recovered.

[Rican]

Fernando Vargas.Tito took his soul and I'm not one for 'what ifs' but i still say Fernando was turning it around untill a succession of low blows stole his legs .
That is still the best fight in living memory for me but the beating Fernando took at the end of such a gruelling fight and at such a young age , no way he could have recovered.

First of all, there was one low blow not a "succession." Second, the reason the fight went on so long was because after Vargas knockdown of Trinidad and Tito's subsequent low blow, Vargas thumbed Trinidad, severely limiting Tito's vision for the rest of the fight. That occurred in the fifth round, if I am not mistaken. Just check a video of the fight.

[scraptime]

Fernando Vargas.Tito took his soul and I'm not one for 'what ifs' but i still say Fernando was turning it around untill a succession of low blows stole his legs .
That is still the best fight in living memory for me but the beating Fernando took at the end of such a gruelling fight and at such a young age , no way he could have recovered.

First of all, there was one low blow not a "succession." Second, the reason the fight went on so long was because after Vargas knockdown of Trinidad and Tito's subsequent low blow, Vargas thumbed Trinidad, severely limiting Tito's vision for the rest of the fight. That occurred in the fifth round, if I am not mistaken. Just check a video of the fight.

Tito intentionally hit Vargas low after the knockdown to buy himself some time! Watch the fight without being biased and you will see that I am right.


Low blow!!!!!

[Taeth]

Fernando Vargas.Tito took his soul and I'm not one for 'what ifs' but i still say Fernando was turning it around untill a succession of low blows stole his legs .
That is still the best fight in living memory for me but the beating Fernando took at the end of such a gruelling fight and at such a young age , no way he could have recovered.

I think that's BS he fought with all the heart in the world against Oscar, its just Oscar was too good of a boxer for him.

[Mr140]

Never get why Vargas gets crap even after his loses he still went at it with all he had he was youngest guy win the lmw title i believe. Not only taht he had good wins including a win over Wright and there is no shame in losing to Mosley, Tito, and Oscar because he was competive to. He acompished alot i think and even after he lost he still fought with heart.

[Master]

Fernando Vargas.Tito took his soul and I'm not one for 'what ifs' but i still say Fernando was turning it around untill a succession of low blows stole his legs .
That is still the best fight in living memory for me but the beating Fernando took at the end of such a gruelling fight and at such a young age , no way he could have recovered.

I think that's BS he fought with all the heart in the world against Oscar, its just Oscar was too good of a boxer for him.

I believe the undefeated Vargas who fought Trinidad would have beaten ODH.

[TitoFan]

Fernando Vargas.Tito took his soul and I'm not one for 'what ifs' but i still say Fernando was turning it around untill a succession of low blows stole his legs .
That is still the best fight in living memory for me but the beating Fernando took at the end of such a gruelling fight and at such a young age , no way he could have recovered.

I think that's BS he fought with all the heart in the world against Oscar, its just Oscar was too good of a boxer for him.

Sorry. He may have "fought his heart out" against Oscar, but he wasn't the same fighter AFTER Tito. You may recall... he was floored quite easily and put on queer street by the lightly regarded Wilfredo Rivera (also from PR) in a fight shortly after the Tito fight. Had Wilfredo taken advantage of that knockdown, he'd have given Fernando his 2nd KO loss. So it was Tito who ruined Fernando, not Oscar.

[Spicoli]

Mugabi....Jirov (should have left Hvys alone)....in an odd way David Tua...Curry,Meldrick Taylor.....Shame really.Do we really know a fighter until they have to return from a loss ?

Excellent call on Mugabi, never the same after Hagler dished out a return bully session to the "Beast" . Also Curry, he was just so shocked at losing his new SRL tag, give him his dues though he did try but as the thread says was never the same.

It was as if his aura of invinsability desolved after that fight.He was all heart and fury there with Hagler and then fell apart next time out with Thomas.He rode his power to a title but never the same. Curry...man he had everything on his shoulders.The weight of the media and publics obsession with finding/creating the "next" this or that.We do it every generation it seems.He was no Leonard.

[leftylee]

Jeff Lacy comes to mind straight away.

[CutMeMick]

Michael Grant after Lennox
Bojado after Rubio
Zarate after Gomez
Naz after MAB
Garza after Meza
Moore after Duran