JourneyMen: The GateKeepers

[IamInuit]

Bert Cooper is a fav of mines.
Carl Williams, Tommy Morrison, Orlin Norris, Riddick Bowe,
Ray Mercer & he fought a G-damn hellatious scrap.
Evander got rocked BAD by him, Michael Moorer & he whooped each other for 5 rounds.

Undefeated Larry Donald, Chris Byrd, Fres Oquendo, Baby Joe Mesi... In order to get to the HW title, you had to go through the the GateKeeper: Smokin' Bert Cooper


Emanual Augustus- Undefeated Ivon Robinson & Leonard Dorin had to go through the drunken master .
Antonio Diaz fought him.
A young Money Mayweather said he was his toughest foe- 'till he fought Cotto. about a decade later. Future champ Jesus Chavez had to go through him.
Mickey Ward, Leavander Johnson, Alex Truillo & soon to be champ David Diaz. & Spolier for 37-1 ranked Carlos Wilfredo Vilches who lost to the drunken master.

Most recently Provodnokov and then undefeated 23-0 Vernon Paris also chose the Drunken Master to hone their skills.

Some fighters who have bad records aren't all tomato cans
Some have bad records because they are good enough to make it to the top, but not beat the top there.

Got to give credit to the fighters who gatekeep!

My top two: Smokin Cooper & the Drunken Master Augustus.
Honorable mentions to Reggie Strickland who fought everyone & their daddy, cousin & unlce!

Funny I was just talking to @Master about Simon Brown who was an overachieving gate keeper and how he ruined my day one evening in 1986 when he stopped O'Sullivan who did break his hand in the first round.

Then you have to go and bring up Bert Cooper who just 7 months later in Feb of 87 would destroy my world once again in his bruising of Willie Dewitt.

Augustus could have been so much more if not for his free spirit and crazy ways.


Good thread.

[SlimTrae]

@ BF, Freddie Pendleton, forgot about him.

For some reason Pendleton made me think of Angel Manfreddy. Not sure where he ranks: Journeyman, Underachiever or Overachiever.

He did beat Gatti, Jorge Paez, Ivan Robinson.

He could win the WBU belt, but not the big 3 ,WBC, IBF,WBA & the (WBO) was still trying to break through back then...I think?

Once he got to the WBC-green belt, he couldn't snatch it. Mayweather, then Stevie Johnston, Corrales all beat him

Then he turns around & beats undefeated Julio Diaz to get another title shot and Paul Spadafora defeats him.

I remember gettin' a few cold ones for an ESPN boxing night, My boy Angel Manfreddy about to take on someone named Courtney Burton...

Damn, Burton knocked him the F... out. Not sure where to put Angel at. Always great to watch him, but I could never figure out, why he never got one of the big belts.

@ Inuit- Interesting: O'Sullivan? Never seen that one, but I have watched quite a few of Simon Brown fights. I've always considered him a champ, considering he got the belt and defended it a few times against worthy names. Maurice Blocker IMO being his signature win. But I could see calling him an overachiever.

[Beanflicker]

I don't think Angel Manfredy was even close to being a journeyman. He was a champ and top ranked fighter for awhile.