worst or luckiest fighter to win a world title- and why?

[mahatma]

seeing as we've had the thread of the best to never win what about those that did, could be british or foreign, im sure theres one that u think how was he ever champion of the world or he was a lucky so and so

[reggaereggae]

Lucky - Luis Santana (surely only fighter to win two title fights coming out on a stretcher). Steve Robinson (good journeyman who beat only British class fighters), Tommy Hart, Jess WIllard (Johnson was shot),

[hurlock]

wasnt alex arthur given a title.

willie jorrin.( luckiest)

vito auntefermo.( worst)

[reggaereggae]

wasnt alex arthur given a title.

willie jorrin.( luckiest)

vito auntefermo.( worst)

vito auntefermo the worst????? You're smoing crack...far from the best but lasted 15 rounds with Marvin Hagler.

There must be loads of early cruiser champs that were awful.

ALso what about Murray Sutherland and Barry Michael.In-Chul Baek.....

[hurlock]

tough as nail's but he was dreadfull you pipe head :!:

bruce seldon.

[m1kee50]

I've always had a soft spot for the Steve Robinson story though, McRae goes into it a bit in Dark Trade, sounds like he wasn't given a fair go of it.

[boxer70]

Jorge Vaca

[Deserter]

Lucky - Luis Santana (surely only fighter to win two title fights coming out on a stretcher)

Was the very first one that sprang to my mind as well!
I'd throw Stevie Cruz into the mix somewhere as he'd never have beaten Barry Mac is that fight had been anywhere other than in an open air ring in Vegas in the day...
Also depends on what point you'd regard the WBO as legitimate (if ever), as if you'd accept it from inception you'd have to talk about a plethora of their 'champions' such as Paul Weir....

[reggaereggae]

tough as nail's but he was dreadfull you pipe head :!:

bruce seldon.

HArdly the worst though was he?

Francesco Damiani.

[mickey1975]

Silky Jones

[Jeff Thomas]

Silky could box IMO.

Carlos Maussa. I reckon I could take him in a four rounder

[rob h]

Carlos Maussa

[bigjack]

J B WILLIAMSON lost his wbc title to dennis andries

[oliverfennell]

Lucky - Luis Santana (surely only fighter to win two title fights coming out on a stretcher). Steve Robinson (good journeyman who beat only British class fighters), Tommy Hart, Jess WIllard (Johnson was shot),

Luis Santana will always remain the answer to this question. Didn't deserve the shot in the first place, won the title on a DQ and then retained it on a DQ. As reggaereggae said, left the ring on a stretcher both times, and probably a dose of overacting in both instances helped secure the "victories".

When we're talking about "lucky" title winners, I don't think anybody is more qualified. In virtually every other incidence - even the ones who landed "lucky punches" or were considered undeserving challengers, or caught the champs at the 'right time" - they still had to legitimately beat the man in question. Santana didn't do that. It wasn't his fault that Norris fouled him, of course, and I don't bedgrudge him the results, but definitely he is the all-time "luckiest" winner - and successful retainer - of a major world title.

I think it's a tad unfair to say Robinson "only" beat British-class fighters. He proved himself a worthy titleholder over the course of time, but what often gets forgotten about Robinson is that he was ABSOLUTELY unqualified and undeserving as a title shot of any kind above Welsh level, let alone a major world belt! That he went on to win it doesn't change that. Nice story, yes, but had he lost to Davison the focus would have been on how on earth a 13-9-1 nobody was fighting for the belt in the first place.

[stujones]

Eric Aiken was pretty shocking also.

[oliverfennell]

Eric Aiken was pretty shocking also.

Good call.

Esham Pickering will forever curse that he got injured when set to fight him.

[Captain Hook]

Carlos Maussa, Michael Bentt and Bruce Seldon...

[oliverfennell]

Carlos Maussa, Michael Bentt and Bruce Seldon...

Why were Maussa and Bentt "lucky"? They had to beat the defending champs, and did so legitimately.

Seldon did benefit from easy matchmaking for a vacant title, but Maussa and Bentt did what they had to do.

[orbtastic]

Darrin Van Horn & Iran Barkley are two of the biggest overachievers in boxing.

Corey Spinks has to be one of the worst belt holders in recent years, maybe Verno Phillips (I think he's held more than one title).

[Raff The Frenchman]

Stephano Zoff, Takanori Hatakeyama, Mehdi Sahnoune

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Jorge Vaca, Luis Santana and that fornicating cheat Margarito!

[stujones]

Eric Aiken was pretty shocking also.

Good call.

Esham Pickering will forever curse that he got injured when set to fight him.

Wasn't Pickering supposed to fight Parrera (the guy who Aiken beat). He was a better fighter, not much, but better.

[Glyn Leach]

How can anyone compare with Luis Santana, the man's a legend! Terry Norris has got a few choice things to say about him in the next BM (in the shops Thursday folks, order your copy now etc - or not, whatever). Good interview though

[Roco]

Steve Robinson (good journeyman who beat only British class fighters)

I wouldn't call Hoko, Duke and Mcmillian british class fighters. I think they were better than that. However, I do agree that Robinson over achieved considering his ability.

[oliverfennell]

Eric Aiken was pretty shocking also.

Good call.

Esham Pickering will forever curse that he got injured when set to fight him.

Wasn't Pickering supposed to fight Parrera (the guy who Aiken beat). He was a better fighter, not much, but better.

Yeah, you're right. Pickering was supposed to fight Pereira the night Pereira lost to Aiken. That's what I was thinking of - that Pickering must be kicking himself for missing out in that particular fight on that particular night.