Alex Leapai was 1-1-2 after 4 fights

[deadpan]

And 2-2-2 after 6.

Can anyone think of a future HW world title challenger who started their careers so ignominiously?

[Taansend]

Pete Rademacher hadn't won a SINGLE fight before challenging for the world heavyweight title

[Boxing Prospect]

And 2-2-2 after 6.

Can anyone think of a future HW world title challenger who started their careers so ignominiously?

At Heavyweight Mike Weaver started 1-3 and later went to 6-6

Not at Heavyweight but
Francisco Quiroz started 6-0...then dropped to 6-10-0-1, he later won the WBA World light flyweight title
Manny Melchor was 0-3 and later 1-6-2...then later went on to win the IBF minimumweight title

[The Law]

Johnny Nelson was 0-3 at the beginning of his career.

[Old bones Ian]

Red Burman who challenged Joe Louis was 1-3 in his first 4 fights
Jack Roper was 0-2-2, even our own Tommy Farr was 4-3-4-1 in his first 12 fights.

[jessi]

Johnny Nelson was 0-3 at the beginning of his career.

Didn't he lose his first 9 as an amateur ?

[forcefraser]

Leapai will not be a world champ....

I think Hopkins lost his first fight.

[Datsue]

Leapai will not be a world champ....

I think Hopkins lost his first fight.

He did. As did Juan Manuel Márquez.

[Anzi]

Pete Rademacher hadn't won a SINGLE fight before challenging for the world heavyweight title

He was 1956 heavyweight OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, fought and lost to Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight pro world title, on his debut, would you believe it, was knocked down 6 times, but managed to put Paterson on the floor once. Years later they tried to make Mohammed Ali v the Cuban Amateur Stevenson for the world title, it never came off.