Fighters Who Got Big Fights By Fighting Weak Opponents.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'm starting this thread in the hope that we can all just get along like grown ups.

I'm gonna start us off with Vaughn Bean.

He has a career record of 45-6.

He got a shot at Michael Moorer when his career best win was at that time against Ron McCarthy, who was then 7-6-1.

He earned his second world title shot against Evander Holyfield by beating Kimmuel Odum.

After that he went on a winning streak against legends like Kenny Craven and Terry Porter, he earned a fight with Vitali Klitschko.

Later in his career he fought Tony Thompson, Yanqui Diaz and Alexander Dimitrenko.

During his whole career, he only beat 6 guys that were coming off a win.

[Controversial]

Too many to list. Pete Rademacher getting a world title shot in his pro debut takes some beating. Tim Tomashek fighting for the WBO title against Tommy Morrison another poor one.

[Nile4000]

Tony Tucker.

[MEISINGER]

Tony Tucker.

i don't think tucker falls into this category
though his resume pre-tyson was not great it wasn't bad

[Controversial]

Tony Tucker.

i don't think tucker falls into this category
though his resume pre-tyson was not great it wasn't bad

I agree, not really in the same category as some. at least he was undefeated and had beat a couple of names. He was also a fairly decent fighter.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Ummm, Pete McNeeley?

[HomicideHenry]

Bobby Hitz, Everett Martin, Ross Puritty, etc. the list is endless, most anyone who was a journeyman or third tier opponent has fought guys where it wasn't warranted.

[keithmoonhangover]

Bobby Hitz, Everett Martin, Ross Puritty, etc. the list is endless, most anyone who was a journeyman or third tier opponent has fought guys where it wasn't warranted.

Yeah, but Vaughan Bean got two world title shots, the same couldn't be said of the others. Just wondering if there are any other good examples.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Alfredo Evangelista & Roberto Castanon were two fighters that always popped up in title fights. I don;t recall either of them winning anything significant to get there.

[SenorPipino]

Chavez Jr.

[HomicideHenry]

Bobby Hitz, Everett Martin, Ross Puritty, etc. the list is endless, most anyone who was a journeyman or third tier opponent has fought guys where it wasn't warranted.

Yeah, but Vaughan Bean got two world title shots, the same couldn't be said of the others. Just wondering if there are any other good examples.

Maurice Hope, in the late 1970s or early 1980s, fought "Irish" Mike Baker who was essentially a clubfighter in defense of the world championship. Tom McNeeley also got a shot, and he essentially beat up locals in venues up and down the seaboard. I think one great example from the past would have been "The Kentucky Rosebud" Walter Edgerton who was a journeyman at best, and he got a shot on the benefit that he kayoed the then champion (Kid Chocolate, or, George Dixon?) in an exhibition match. Another man from the bygone eras who reguarly fought world class all-time greats was Joe Grimm, who was a freak of nature in the sense he wasn't kayoed by the likes of Fitzsimmons, Blackburn, Johnson, Burns, Langford, Jeanette, etc. and he was a mediocre talent at best. Probably in the last 20-30 years, best example maybe that of Scott Frank whose title shot with Holmes came on the basis that he won a decision over a coked out, 40'ish Chuck Wepner.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Bobby Hitz, Everett Martin, Ross Puritty, etc. the list is endless, most anyone who was a journeyman or third tier opponent has fought guys where it wasn't warranted.

Yeah, but Vaughan Bean got two world title shots, the same couldn't be said of the others. Just wondering if there are any other good examples.

Maurice Hope, in the late 1970s or early 1980s, fought "Irish" Mike Baker who was essentially a clubfighter in defense of the world championship.

I saw Mike Baker lose to Alvin Anderson in the Main Event of my first live fight card. I always liked Hope, he was a very good fighter.

[si7dog7]

have a look at who Maurice Hope fought and bested before that

[SaadOffTheDeck]

have a look at who Maurice Hope fought and bested before that

I was going to correct that too, but I believe he was talking about Baker. It was just a poorly constructed sentence.

[si7dog7]

i am sorry if that is the case
no harm done

we are just train spotters I suppose

[HomicideHenry]

I was referring to Baker being as a guy who fought either weak or average opponents and getting the shot at Hope; wasn't referring to Hope as being in that category. Hope was one of the better fighters of his time, imho.

[si7dog7]

I was referring to Baker being as a guy who fought either weak or average opponents and getting the shot at Hope; wasn't referring to Hope as being in that category. Hope was one of the better fighters of his time, imho.

i apolgise
and I agree sir Baker beat a couple of pro novices before he was given a shot at Hope

[Rover]

Rafael Lovera, who fought for a world title in his pro debut v. Luis Estaba.

[Rover]

How about Jay Bell, who beat no one of note but somehow got a #8 ranking by the WBC and was taken out by a classic body shot from McClellan in 30 seconds.

[Rover]

Alvaro Rojas with his title shot against Duran.

[Nile4000]

Scott Frank
Marvis Frazier.
Carl Williams.

[Rover]

Michael Bentt.
Sure took advantage of it, though.

[Rover]

Neon Leon, though he too made the most of it.

[IKSRTFO]

Jeff Lacy
Andre Berto

[Ambling Alp II]

David Telasco
Glen Kelly
Richard Hall