Has anyone ever done the Ivan Drago method?

[Cannibal]

You know, a new guy coming onto the scene, who fast tracks himself on the backs of legends who hang around too long. His first two fights were a back out of retirement Apollo Creed and a supposedly past it Rocky Balboa. I was looking at the heavyweight scene and was imagining a scenario where if you had a good prospect and money to entice these guys into the ring, you could go.

1 - Riddick Bowe
2 - Andrew Golota
3 - Evander Holyfield
4 - Roy Jones Jr.
5 - James Toney

Instant marquee.

I was wondering if anyone has actually tried to build a career on a succession of top boxers on their way down at any point in boxing history and if anyone has a link to their record?

[josh fg]

You know, a new guy coming onto the scene, who fast tracks himself on the backs of legends who hang around too long. His first two fights were a back out of retirement Apollo Creed and a supposedly past it Rocky Balboa. I was looking at the heavyweight scene and was imagining a scenario where if you had a good prospect and money to entice these guys into the ring, you could go.

1 - Riddick Bowe
2 - Andrew Golota
3 - Evander Holyfield
4 - Roy Jones Jr.
5 - James Toney

Instant marquee.

I was wondering if anyone has actually tried to build a career on a succession of top boxers on their way down at any point in boxing history and if anyone has a link to their record?

Other than Bowe I doubt any of those guys would take a fight with someone who was on there first fight. I think someone who had an Olympic medle or like david haye did something in a different division that might happen.

[oliverfennell]

John Carlo fought and beat Leon Spinks on his debut and Tosca Petridis beat Iran Barkley in his second.

Neither of them became decent prospects, though.

[Carbo]

What about the Olympic champ who fought then world champion Floyd Patterson in his first pro fight?

[Spiker]

Rocky Balboa beat Drago and opened up a cut.

Balboa wasnt a real legend either even his trainer admited that his opponents were hand picked before he fought Clubber Lang.

I think Balboa may have had a better chance against Clubber the first time though had micky not had a heart attack in the locker room.

[josh fg]

Rocky Balboa beat Drago and opened up a cut.

Balboa wasnt a real legend either even his trainer admited that his opponents were hand picked before he fought Clubber Lang.

I think Balboa may have had a better chance against Clubber the first time though had micky not had a heart attack in the locker room.

erm... yes!

Dose Wladamir Klitschko put anyone else in mind of Ivan Drago?

[josh fg]

What about the Olympic champ who fought then world champion Floyd Patterson in his first pro fight?

that would be Pete Rademacher

[Autobarn]

Wouldn't be surprised if rookie light heavy Beibut Shumenov does something like this. He just beat Montell Griffin and the tough Epifanio Mendoza (after former IBF cruiser champ Kelvin Davis pulled out) in his 2nd year as a pro. He fights like a man in a hurry and is matched like one. Wouldn't be surprised if his promoter tries to get him a big, if faded name, if he can come up with the money that is next year.

[BigGar]

Drago was limited but so, so strong. Sheer willpower and an iron chin won Balboa the fight.

Great night for boxing and indeed the world. I mean he actually ended the Cold War in his post fight interview.

[Captain Hook]

Drago was limited but so, so strong. Sheer willpower and an iron chin won Balboa the fight.

Great night for boxing and indeed the world. I mean he actually ended the Cold War in his post fight interview.

Agreed, if he can change, we can all change..

I feel like a new man.....

[banjo]

I feel like a new man.....

Didn't know you were that sort Captain

[Exoddus]

Anyone got Rocky Balboa's record? I've been looking for it on boxrec for ages but can't find him. Were any of the hand picked fighters by mickey any good?

[banjo]

Anyone got Rocky Balboa's record? I've been looking for it on boxrec for ages but can't find him. Were any of the hand picked fighters by mickey any good?

They were good fighters but they weren't killers like Clubber Lang

[BigGar]

Mickey had to choose these fights. His job was to keep Rocky healthy and keep him winning cos the beating he got from Apollo should've killed him.

Often wonder if Rocky took any notice of ratings. Surely he'd have known that he was fighting a bunch of lower ranked contenders.

[Hagler2002]

Mickey had to choose these fights. His job was to keep Rocky healthy and keep him winning cos the beating he got from Apollo should've killed him.

Often wonder if Rocky took any notice of ratings. Surely he'd have known that he was fighting a bunch of lower ranked contenders.

Like Ricky & Joe did?

[jeej]

Mickey had to choose these fights. His job was to keep Rocky healthy and keep him winning cos the beating he got from Apollo should've killed him.

Often wonder if Rocky took any notice of ratings. Surely he'd have known that he was fighting a bunch of lower ranked contenders.

Like Ricky & Joe did?

i presume you mean ricky hatton? whatever you think of ricky he just destroyed the number 1 ranked contender in his division, i dont see a problem with that.

Yup, you cant really argue with that. Minus a P4P hall of famer, no-one has knocked Ricky off his perch. Sure his record may have been padded for a while and a tad drawn out, but like your man here just said, he demolished the supposed top guy in his weight division. What more you want from him? Gonna fight Manny next. But maybe after that he could fight a bear or tiger or something to appease some people?

[Hagler2002]

I'm on about before he fought Tszyu, whilst Warren was hand picking opponents

[m1kee50]

I'm on about before he fought Tszyu, whilst Warren was hand picking opponents

i think the mans just saying that he has come good now

[Hagler2002]

So what went on when he was fighting Ben Tackie, Dennis Pederson and Michael Stewart surely he should have been fighting the likes of Cotto and Mayweather?

Warren knew he was onto a good thing with that WBU belt making a fortune feeding Hatton mediocre fighters.

[Hagler2002]

I have no grievance, I'm pointing out a FACT that Hatton was under matched for several years as the fans would still turn out in their droves to see him fight regardless of the quality of opponent.

Now you're obviously a Hatton nut hugger if you cannot see this, Ricky himself did and that is why he split with Warren to go after the bigger fights.

[Hagler2002]

This is like pissing into the wind

[Autobarn]

Another Hatton thread.

Even after I gave an example of a guy who could move his career in a diluted version of the "Ivan Drago Method"!

[winkveron]

Anyone got Rocky Balboa's record? I've been looking for it on boxrec for ages but can't find him. Were any of the hand picked fighters by mickey any good?

No but if you watch the Rocky Balboa film it has his record on there, he lost something daft like 15 fights, must have been before he hit the big time!

[winkveron]

Rocky Balboa beat Drago and opened up a cut.

Balboa wasnt a real legend either even his trainer admited that his opponents were hand picked before he fought Clubber Lang.

I think Balboa may have had a better chance against Clubber the first time though had micky not had a heart attack in the locker room.

How can he not be a legend? 'If' (I know it's a big If!) a fighter today in real life did what he did everyone would be shouting from the rooftops. He drew with and then beat the champion of the world in his first big fights after fighting a load of bums, and they were brutal fights. If you take away the fight against the bums, he then came back after losing to Clubber Lang to avenge that defeat and then went into Drago's back yard to beat him on Xmas Day. I think that's a good legacy!

[banjo]

I thought he lost a split decision in Rocky