Pretender or contender?

kick asner · Post by **kick asner** » 15 Oct 2005, 18:33

Here are some fighters who had enjoyed a bit of hype but were yet to prove weather they were a pretender or contender. They where all undefeted and untested and were being tested for the first time. The one thing they all shared in common is that they met with the same fate and never recoverd. Their career was seemingly done in by one fight were afterwards they either dissapeared, or stumbled along in obscurity.

Rodolfo Gonzales verses Claude Noel
On paper this looked like a sure thing. The power punching Gonzales against glass jaw Cluade Noel. Not since the day of the headline Dewey defeats Truman have so many people been prematurely confident of victory. Gonzales sleepwalked through fifteen dismal rounds to come out on the short end of a decsision.

Duane Bobick verses Ken Norton
Duane Bobick took his gaudy thirty eight and zero record into the ring against Ken Norton. Fifty eight seconds later you had people giving testomonials like, I went to reach in my wallet to pay for my beer and looked up and the fight was over.

Mark Holmes verses John Collins
A second round knockout sent Holmes packing for pretenderville.

Howard Davis verses Jim Watt
Howard demonstrated his inability to win the big one.

Mike Quarry verses Bob foster
Quarry tried to fight on after loosing his title shot but like the others he could never truly recover.

If anyone else has any other examples of fighters being done in by a single fight feel free to share.

meade95 · Post by **meade95** » 15 Oct 2005, 18:53

I'd throw in there M. Grant Vs Lennox Lewis - Grant was all hype and after being blown out by Lewis....he met the same fate a few other times soon after -

wlvrne · Post by **wlvrne** » 15 Oct 2005, 20:23

Add King Solomon to that list. He was 5-1-3 when he fought and beat Arturo Gatti who was 6-0 then. He fought ony four years, from '88-'92 then dropped off the radar. Gatti was his last fight.
I've always wondered what happened to him.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 15 Oct 2005, 22:18

Don't rip me for dropping Cooney's name in this slot.
Hamed could fit in here pretty sweetly.
Most Recently Peters, but he has plenty of time to reconstitute and get his crediblity back.

On a very long and strange track I think Joe Calzaghe could end up in this heap even though it would be a strange story. I mean I feel he grabbed the belt and sat on it in a way that has no equal. He may never have that "moment" of exposure, but if he does not do something dramatic it seems to me his whole career is his "moment" of exposure.

ferocity · Post by **ferocity** » 15 Oct 2005, 23:42

Calzaghe at one time was the legit supermiddle weight, but now thats steadily going to Lacy.

Calzaghe has a chance to prove his metal -win or lose- against Lacy.

kick asner · Post by **kick asner** » 16 Oct 2005, 07:57

I would say that Cooney fits the criteria quite nicely. Can chalk him up as a legit pretender right along with the likes of Duane Bobick.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 16 Oct 2005, 08:28

Ferocity if he will put the title on the line with anyone legit he will escape this fate. But he needs to step up to the plate.