Re: Great fighters we lost too soon.

Originally Posted by
Spicoli
It's weird when you think about it how so many have come, flourished and were lost prematurely. The ultimate loss of course being in or out of ring tragedy. But sometimes you look back and random names pop up like.."whatever happened to that guy". Often forced retirements, injury related or they just leave. Here one minute gone the next.
I remember a streaking spr Bantam Jemal Hinton in the early 90's. Managed a 22-0 build up, made top 10 and was basking in TV dates and had been with Kronk gym and trained under Emanual Steward from the very beginning after a top notch amateur career. Very skilled young fighter by all appearances. Seemingly his boxing future right there to go massive. And then right after his 21st b-day...he retired. Just stopped and dropped it all. Not one of those phony attention seeking "retirements" you see grown men do today. But done with it all. He gave an interview to livefight about 10 years ago "I began to lose the desire that was needed to be victorious in battle, and a few other things that happened made me realize I needed to retire. ... There was something taking place inside me, spiritually and mentally, and it was causing me to tire of boxing. It was causing me to become confused about the whole idea of training and beating people up. ... Retiring was the bravest, most stand up decision I'd ever made, my feelings about boxing were changing and for the first time in my life I felt free." Seems waters ran very deep with Hinton. Tragically he passed too young as well early 50's just last year in 2021.
Ernesto Magdalano was a top Lt hvy who lost to champion Henry Maske of Germany. He returned the next year in 95' with 3 solid wins at the age of 31 and lining up another shot. Just three days after defeating Roman Santos on New Year's Eve he and his family were driving when their vehicle was struck by a kid fleeing from police at well over 90mph. Magdalano was thrown from the car suffering head injuries and died at the scene.
Masao Ohba of Japan was lost at the early age of just 23 years old similarly to Sanchez. He was the reigning wba Flyweight champ coming off his 5th successful defense in 73' with intentions of moving up a division. A few weeks after his fight he was cruising in his new Corvette on his way to the gym when he lost control jumping a medium and colliding with a parked trailer truck.
Have to say Mitch Halpern too. No not a fighter but probably one of the better young referees of his time who was 3rd person in huge fights like Tyson-Holyfield I, Barrera- Morales I, Trinidad-De La Hoya, Holyfield-Moorer II on and on. Tragically took his own life in 2000 at just 33 and it shocked everyone close to the sport. Here one minute gone the next. You just never know man. And former Middleweight champ Marcel Cerdan killed in a plane crash when returning to the US for rematch with Jake LaMotta in 1949. Got a bit screwed in first fight after suffering bad shoulder injury after LaMotta dumped him on the canvas in the very first round and was one handed until corner waved it in 10th.
excellent post. frankie gomez is a recent fighter who just upped & left. his last fight was at age twenty four, a decision over mauricio herrera. frankie was twenty one & zero with thirteen knockouts & was seen as a highly regarded prospect
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