Most "promising" fighter who never really blossomed?

[Master]

For me its Michael Nunn, though perhaps "never blossomed" is not the right phrase. He blossomed then suddenly disappeared, it seems.

But for a very brief shining moment he appeared to have arrived. It was around 1988 and I recall the NYTimes Magazine doing a piece on him entitled "The fighter the great ones don't want to fight"...in reference to SRL, Hearns, Duran, and Hagler.

I don't think its an exaggeration to say he occupied a space similar to RJJ: a big, fast, unorthodox, hard-to-hit and hard-hitting MW with 1-punch KO power. Would've loved to havr seen him develop and fight those greats and RJJ too. But I guess J.Toney should get his due here. Nunn was really something to behold.

I put Nunn in the same category as Mark Breland, great, awesome amateurs who didnt have the best punch resistance that you need in the pro's. Superb boxers that couldnt take the best shots.

Nunn was a quality fighter, could have been a great, which is where he should have headed. Drug addiction held him back as well as James Toney.

[brocktonblockbust]

DAVID THE AMERICAN DREAM REID, DEFINITELY DISAPPOINTING.
MARK BRELAND
CHRIS ARREOLA
how about Larry Donald? He was supposed tyo be the cheese, havent heard or seen much of him at all.
Can we count Michael Spinks? Even Leon Spinks was a disappointment after losing to ali. He just kept getting ktfo....

[BIG H]

I haven't read the thread, so he has probably already been mentioned....

Kirkland Laing

[Violent Demise]

DAVID THE AMERICAN DREAM REID, DEFINITELY DISAPPOINTING.
MARK BRELAND
CHRIS ARREOLA
how about Larry Donald? He was supposed tyo be the cheese, havent heard or seen much of him at all.
Can we count Michael Spinks? Even Leon Spinks was a disappointment after losing to ali. He just kept getting ktfo....

It's common for him to be called a disappointment or under-achiever. But those that possess true knowledge of the sport know those are inaccurate labels. In reality Reid was an over-achiever. How far is a one-eye fighter suppose to go? He won a title and made a couple of millions. Good enough for me

[Pavlik]

Sanabria outpoints Juarez | RingTV

Juarez, a timid monster. A waste of talent

[antimoron]

how about overweight Guzman.. the one who breaks scale limit... more on talking but can't walk the walk..

[X]

I really dont agree with people who talk about people like Mark Breland and (bloody hell!) Don Curry. World class performares who won 'world' titles.

How about:

Duane Bobick
Howard Davis Jr
Gerry Cooney
Michael Grant
Jorge Gonzales