Who's British boxing's biggest waste of talent?

DavidPayne · Post by **DavidPayne** » 22 Aug 2005, 06:21

Kirkland Lang is a clear winner to me.

I dont think Colin McMillan quite got the breaks at the right time either.

Naseem Hamed, should have done more with his talent, power and profile.

Calzaghe should have been the most popular fighter Britian ever produced, he took up the torch from the Eubank, Benn, COllins, Watson era and was goodlooking, had a TV style, big backing and was unbeaten.

He's gone down a very dark, secluded cul-de-sac since.

Howard Eastman - can fight but elects not to when he has a champion in front of him and is now finished at top level.

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 22 Aug 2005, 06:47

Laing would be my choice too.

for some reason in the wasted talent category, I can't help thinking about Pat Barrett.

It may just be the hazy recollection of times past, but I think he had much more than his career showed or, perhaps, I am just imagineering it.

Last heard he was arrested for having an unlicenced gun. Not sure if he did time. Great shame.

Slapsie

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » 22 Aug 2005, 11:51

John Conteh Boxings George Best.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 22 Aug 2005, 12:13

mercman wrote:Agree with Silkov about John Conteh. However, it does seem slightly harsh to categorise him as 'waste of talent' since Conteh actually won a World Title unlike others such as Laing. Nontheless I think Conteh certainly had the talent to have achieved more in his career and his prime was much shorter than it should have been: cut short by a range of 'night time activities and gentleman's pursuits'.

I remember he was a big star in the 70s, always in the newspapers and on TV. Boxers had a much higher profile in those days, he was doing TV advertisements and had loads of women chasing him. Young, rich, famous, athletic and handsome, in some ways its no surprise Conteh went off the rails a bit....

I think Conteh himself would agree that he could have done more with his talent, as it is he still accomplished a lot. I remember what a great fight he gave Saad Muhammad in their first bout when everyone thought Conteh was through and this was when he had a bad right-hand and was fighting almost one-handed. Conteh had the talent to hold the title for a good few years. At one point there was even talk of him moving up to challenge Ali for the Heavyweight title.

Totybear · Post by **Totybear** » 22 Aug 2005, 12:56

silkov wrote:
Totybear wrote:
steve689 wrote:What about Kirland Laing?
Saw Kirkland about 6 weeks ago in Mare Street. 10 am nursing a can of tramps treacle! Thick beard but at least still alive after his bad fall.

Only recognised him at first cos of the "ten to two" feet. What a monumental waste :( :(
What does 'ten to two feet' mean?... :x .
I agree with Laing being a waste of talent sadly.... he had boxing skills to rival Leonard and Benitez... the only flaws were his temprement and chin... which sort of goes together I think.
John Conteh also comes to mind, ...won the world title but gave it away and dissapated his skills in partying and highlife etc...

Get out a couple of old tapes of Kirk and look at his feet

Totybear · Post by **Totybear** » 22 Aug 2005, 13:02

Totybear wrote:
silkov wrote:
Totybear wrote: Saw Kirkland about 6 weeks ago in Mare Street. 10 am nursing a can of tramps treacle! Thick beard but at least still alive after his bad fall.

Only recognised him at first cos of the "ten to two" feet. What a monumental waste :( :(
What does 'ten to two feet' mean?... :x .
I agree with Laing being a waste of talent sadly.... he had boxing skills to rival Leonard and Benitez... the only flaws were his temprement and chin... which sort of goes together I think.
John Conteh also comes to mind, ...won the world title but gave it away and dissapated his skills in partying and highlife etc...
Get out a couple of old tapes of Kirk and look at his feet

Sorry, knocked the mouse by accident

Meant to say look at his feet and imagine a clock on the floor. The position for kirk is always between ten to two and quarter to three. Not meant to be disrespectful just a way of recognising him, I personally have only met 2 other people with the same stance and walk.

The point was, it is more of a waste of a man than a fighter. If you knew what "tramps treacle" is i.e. special brew, kestrel super duper and the like. The guy looks like a tramp, living rough and that is such a shame given what he could have accomplished

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 22 Aug 2005, 13:05

Would anyone else put Herbie Hide in a similar bracket to those mentioned. Sure I think his chin would always let him down at world level (and only two fighters he faced at that level). He was managed/matched very well winning two world titles without fighting a domestic top 5 fighter.

But I cannot help thinking why is it now, at 33, has he finally decided to drop down in wait. Who knows what he would have done at Cruiserweight in his youth. Therefore, I come to the conclusion that he has wasted his talented - although at the same time it could be argued that his management made him achieve far above his station.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 22 Aug 2005, 13:12

stujones wrote:Would anyone else put Herbie Hide in a similar bracket to those mentioned. Sure I think his chin would always let him down at world level (and only two fighters he faced at that level). He was managed/matched very well winning two world titles without fighting a domestic top 5 fighter.

But I cannot help thinking why is it now, at 33, has he finally decided to drop down in wait. Who knows what he would have done at Cruiserweight in his youth. Therefore, I come to the conclusion that he has wasted his talented - although at the same time it could be argued that his management made him achieve far above his station.

Not quite I think, he had some talent but a flawed temprement and glass chin... only shrewd management got him his 'titles' in the forst place and he has always fallen apart every time he's faced a halfdecent opponent.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 22 Aug 2005, 13:16

Totybear wrote:
Totybear wrote:
silkov wrote: What does 'ten to two feet' mean?... :x .
I agree with Laing being a waste of talent sadly.... he had boxing skills to rival Leonard and Benitez... the only flaws were his temprement and chin... which sort of goes together I think.
John Conteh also comes to mind, ...won the world title but gave it away and dissapated his skills in partying and highlife etc...
Get out a couple of old tapes of Kirk and look at his feet
Sorry, knocked the mouse by accident

Meant to say look at his feet and imagine a clock on the floor. The position for kirk is always between ten to two and quarter to three. Not meant to be disrespectful just a way of recognising him, I personally have only met 2 other people with the same stance and walk.

The point was, it is more of a waste of a man than a fighter. If you knew what "tramps treacle" is i.e. special brew, kestrel super duper and the like. The guy looks like a tramp, living rough and that is such a shame given what he could have accomplished

I know what you mean now... I've noticed that. I remember reading an interview with Laing in the 80s where he says that he was unable to walk until he was about 4 or 5.... I can't remember why, ...perhaps this is connected to his unusual stance.
Aside from him having been a great fighter its a shame thats he's wasting the rest of his life on the special brew....

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 26 Aug 2005, 12:04

Lennox Lewis.

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 27 Aug 2005, 01:50

DG. wrote:Lennox Lewis.

Whatchoo talkin bout, Willis???

Rory McCloskey · Post by **Rory McCloskey** » 27 Aug 2005, 03:07

how about audley...i might get critisized for this but the man is either 33-34 and he has yet to step up to a great fighter. but he has a name for himself thanks to lewis and he hasnt done anything with it.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 27 Aug 2005, 12:26

Rory McCloskey wrote:how about audley...i might get critisized for this but the man is either 33-34 and he has yet to step up to a great fighter. but he has a name for himself thanks to lewis and he hasnt done anything with it.

Two points.

1) How much talent does he have? I know he won the Olympics and I shouldn't say this but after getting a rediculously lucky refereeing decision in round 1 he had it very easy from then on. It was possibly one of the easiest gold medals to win in the games (with the exception of the USA basketball team!) and thats why they nearly scrapped the category for Athens. Still so many questions to be asked and perhaps he cannot back them up, therefore not a waste of talent.

2) With his career not over, its hard to really call him a waster yet. It hasn't been a good start we all know, but if he ends it with a world title win then all the critics will shut up.

But yes, definately one to consider for future.

DA_SERGEANT_WRIGHT · Post by **DA_SERGEANT_WRIGHT** » 27 Aug 2005, 13:03

NAZ HAMED AFTER HIS WIFE CAME ALONG AN HE SPLIT FROM INGLE TO GO TO THAT 2ND RATE OSCAR SUAREZ HE WAS A WASTE OF TALENT EVEN AFTER BAREARA HE WAS ONLY 27-28 HE STILL HAD 2-3 YEARS LEFT BUT HE WALKED AWAY HE IS STILL MY CHILD HOOD HEROE

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 27 Aug 2005, 13:38

DA_SERGEANT_WRIGHT wrote:NAZ HAMED AFTER HIS WIFE CAME ALONG AN HE SPLIT FROM INGLE TO GO TO THAT 2ND RATE OSCAR SUAREZ HE WAS A WASTE OF TALENT EVEN AFTER BAREARA HE WAS ONLY 27-28 HE STILL HAD 2-3 YEARS LEFT BUT HE WALKED AWAY HE IS STILL MY CHILD HOOD HEROE

Do you think his wife had anything to do with his downfall? Do you think she had some influence on his decisions?

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 22 Sep 2005, 11:09

stujones wrote:
DA_SERGEANT_WRIGHT wrote:NAZ HAMED AFTER HIS WIFE CAME ALONG AN HE SPLIT FROM INGLE TO GO TO THAT 2ND RATE OSCAR SUAREZ HE WAS A WASTE OF TALENT EVEN AFTER BAREARA HE WAS ONLY 27-28 HE STILL HAD 2-3 YEARS LEFT BUT HE WALKED AWAY HE IS STILL MY CHILD HOOD HEROE
Do you think his wife had anything to do with his downfall? Do you think she had some influence on his decisions?

I know for a FACT that she f-cked him good and proper..

In the bedroom - of course!

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 22 Sep 2005, 14:00

Rory McCloskey wrote:how about audley...i might get critisized for this but the man is either 33-34 and he has yet to step up to a great fighter. but he has a name for himself thanks to lewis and he hasnt done anything with it.

You are quite right about Audley "I'll be British Champ within 5 fights" Harrison!!!

He talks a good fight; he just just fight very often!!!!

Even now, it's September & he's only had 2 fights (which for him is busy

) so far this year!!!!!

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 22 Sep 2005, 14:07

No one becomes British champ in 5 fights though so he could of been on a confidence high after winning gold.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 22 Sep 2005, 14:29

boxingchat wrote:Mick Hennessey is a waste of talent. He would have made a great Clown!
Could have been in Punch and Judy with Frank Maloney!

Isn't Maloney part of SN? Doesn't Warren like Maloney?

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 22 Sep 2005, 14:34

DA_SERGEANT_WRIGHT wrote:NAZ HAMED AFTER HIS WIFE CAME ALONG AN HE SPLIT FROM INGLE TO GO TO THAT 2ND RATE OSCAR SUAREZ HE WAS A WASTE OF TALENT EVEN AFTER BAREARA HE WAS ONLY 27-28 HE STILL HAD 2-3 YEARS LEFT BUT HE WALKED AWAY HE IS STILL MY CHILD HOOD HEROE

Yep if Hamed kept his '95 form and improved he would of wiped the floor with Barrera and Morales imo and maybe had a super-super fight with Mayweather

ABA Boxing · Post by **ABA Boxing** » 23 Sep 2005, 04:19

Howard Eastman

I always thought Eastman has what it takes to be the best, but he just cant push himself to do the job in the title fights! He ends the fight looking like he could do another 12 rounds.

He has the power & skill, just not the motivation to be the best.

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 23 Sep 2005, 04:52

I'd probably go along with Naz also, he promised the fans that he would become a legend but sadly he cut his career short :(