Fighters/Champions that could have been great!

[ykdadamaja]

Have you ever wondered what happened to some of the former past-champions or fighters? Guys who had it all in them but just never could have pulled it out?

Here are a few guys I felt that could have been more than what they were and what their legacy ended up to be:

1. Mark Breland. If there was anyone in that 1980's pack that could have separated himself in the Welterweight division it was Breland. He could have OWNED the mid-80's and could have been respectable if not owned the later part of the 1980's and possibly could have done well in the early 90's, at least 90 to 92. He just could not separate himself and win out at any time of his career against good guys!

We will always put that 1980's welterweight division as a division deep with talent, with the likes of Donald Curry, Aaron Davis, Marlon Starling, Milton McCrory and Lloyd Honeyghan, he could have beaten them all if he had the spirit inside to get up and fight hard for 3 minutes of every round.

2. Victor Ortiz. Now, I know you are probably gonna laugh your ass off at me. But, the Ortiz that beat Berto, that was beating Maidana before he gave up (and probably is part of the reason why he underwhelmed) and was giving a great fight to Mayweather Jr., had all of the tools to be better than what he was/is. He had it. He just could not get his mind right and remember that fighting is more than just quick hands and a good punch. It's also more than just athleticism... you have to have heart and fight through the pain, and in some instances and in particular with the Mayweather incident, fight through the shame of being clocked and put on the floor on the biggest stage possible.

3. David Tua. The Tua-man could have been a LEGEND. If only he had more than a left hook, and only if he had used more than a left hook against Lewis, we would be having different conversations on the greatness that could have been David Tua. He had it. He just failed to rise.

Anyone on your list that could have been better than what they were?

[Master]

Ortiz? GTFOH

I thought the thread was about fighters that were exceptional but not called greats like McCallum, Benitez, Martinez or Vargas.

[ykdadamaja]

Ortiz? GTFOH

I thought the thread was about fighters that were exceptional but not called greats like McCallum, Benitez, Martinez or Vargas.

lololol....

[Bill Paxtom]

Mark Breland

Trained as hard as anyone. He just didn't have the strength to deal with some guys.

He had both Heart and Spirit, but the chin was always suspect.
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David Tua

Tremendous puncher with untold power. But, his opponents had to be 'selected', as he
worked from both a Height and Reach disadvantage.

If all of his bouts were held in a Telephone Booth, he goes undefeated in his career.

[No Contest]

Gerald McClellan

Salvador Sanchez. He was great, but imagine how great he could have been...died at 23.
Harry Simon...maybe.

Edwin Valero...yeah I know I'm on a tragic role...

The President...
Naseem Hamed...

[Dark Lord Al]

Yes Ike had a strong chin , speed , work rate , power , I would have loved him to have a shot at the title.
But he was also a basket case.

[TitoFan]

Ortiz? GTFOH

I thought the thread was about fighters that were exceptional but not called greats like McCallum, Benitez, Martinez or Vargas.

Benitez WAS great and thus does not belong on this thread.

[X]

Tony Ayala jar could have been a great fighter, I think Johnny Tapia could have been greater and so could Mike Tyson!

[mikeeod]

Great call on Breland, and I think you can add Howard Davis for many of the same reasons. Tua is that guy who either looks like a monster vs a chin you guy with no defense, or a passive guy who is afraid to let his hands go vs slick guys or tall boxers. The exception was Tuas war with Ibeabuchi. I would've loved to have seen Ike vs Lennox but part of me feels that Lennox would unnerve Ike like he did other guys who were unstable (Golota, Tyson and Oliver McCall in the rematch).

The one guy I was POSITIVE would be great was Gabe Ruelas. Killing Garcia in the ring ruined him mentally and he could never recover. I felt he had all the tools to win when he was in his prime. Always thought Oscar and Kostya would have ended their careers a little higher/better than they did.

Oba Carr, Angel Manfredy, Ed Hopson and Gerald McLellan were all guys who I thought would do great things. GMan was on his way before the injury, but the others just never really fulfilled the potential I saw in them.

Ricardo Williams, Francisco Bojado, Broner and Ortiz were all fighters that I never understood the hype for. Each fizzled out as I expected, pretty much right on schedule that I expected them to.

[TitoFan]

Cintron had the physical tools. Unfortunately the mental part wasn't there consistently.
We did see flashes of brilliance like when he brutally KTFO'ed Walter Matthysse.
He had power, athleticism... but lacked the mental fortitude to put it all together.