Fighters who should have made it...but didnt

[manno]

John feelers had everything needed to be world champion, EVERYTHING, people will come back and say he lacked power, not true, I've sparred many a round with him and he's not a banger but hits decent, the one talent John Fewkes didn't have was discipline and that is a skill and a talent, to get up and train when you can't be bothered, to eat the boring things and make the sacrifices, these are what I call the un sexy talents, forget looking great on the pads and bags, having the talent to do the hard miles, this is no way a pop at john he's a top lad but he is the one fighter that came straight into my head when I saw this thread

yeh was in the gym when John first came in wi his dad, probably up until he boxed Selkirk. Thing is even though he were only 50/50 amateur he beat some top kids and win or lose he always looked class, was just gathering experience really. When he boxed Selkirk he was the best kid on view IMO on a finals that included brook,smedley n khan. I know what your saying about punchin re to sparring but I think if he'd have a more spiteful dig in fights he could have boxed at a higher wt anyway. Strangely always looked full of running when he boxed apart from the gethin n miles fight where although a cracker he kept lookin for a breather. Good shout tho Curtis... And probably the polar opposite to you!!

[stevieb_8006]

There was a Mexican that golden boy signed who was gonna be the next big thing. Light welter. Bojado or something like that. Was being groomed as the next ODLH. He just couldn't be arsed to live the life. I think Jessie James leija beat him.

[Broomhall]

Also allegedly I think signed a kid from Pakistan who was world amateur champ..Haider Ali, something like that?

[misterpunch]

dave waller very good am from many years ago
Vernon sollas had bags of talent
dave needham looked set for a good career once upon a time

I know, its all a long time ago

[Loftgroov]

Gary Stretch - gave Eubank a hard enough time, and was ahead on the cards.

[Deserter]

There was a Mexican that golden boy signed who was gonna be the next big thing. Light welter. Bojado or something like that. Was being groomed as the next ODLH. He just couldn't be arsed to live the life. I think Jessie James leija beat him.

http://www.secondsout.com/columns/thoma ... -stumbles1

[Broomhall]

dave waller very good am from many years ago
Vernon sollas had bags of talent
dave needham looked set for a good career once upon a time

I know, its all a long time ago

Vernon sollas! My favourite fighter as a teenager. Had so much talent but just used to fall apart when it got tough. Doing well in business now I think. Needham was good, I also remember a good scouser called joey singleton who could have done better.

[misterpunch]

I remember singleton's face as a mass of claret in one ABA final - his nose was all over the place - he still might have won though

[The Law]

I hope Selkirk does not fall in to this category in the future.

[stujones]

When you think Neville Brown outclassed a game Sam Soliman all those years ago you have to wonder how he didn't win a world title at Middleweight.

[grub]

When you think Neville Brown outclassed a game Sam Soliman all those years ago you have to wonder how he didn't win a world title at Middleweight.

Soliman stopped Brown in the 9th. Brown retired after that.

[Broomhall]

When you think Neville Brown outclassed a game Sam Soliman all those years ago you have to wonder how he didn't win a world title at Middleweight.

Neville was such a good amateur as well. I think unlucky to get overlooked for one of the big games. He was another fighter that often seemed to fall apart later in fights. I dont know if it was confidence, or stamina.

[TheGoods]

Bernard 'Superbad' Mays. Quite simply the greatest fighter you never saw. In the amateurs there were good fighters, there were great fighters... Then there was Mays. He was FRIGHTENING.

[palooka]

Bernard 'Superbad' Mays. Quite simply the greatest fighter you never saw. In the amateurs there were good fighters, there were great fighters... Then there was Mays. He was FRIGHTENING.

Tell us more, I've read his name before but don't know a lot about him. Was he similar to Ricky Womak?

[stevedoc]

there was a amateur fighter when i was younger that lived on my road called roy conors that beat everyone michael watson, nigel benn ,shawn o'sullivan who won gold at the world's and silver at the 84 olympics . he told me lost his first 5 fights then went on a run of over 100 wins in a row winning all the school boys and senior ABA and boxed for england ....... not bad for a guy that i had never heard of till i met him .

[Anzi]

Kirtland Laing "the gifted one " What a talent he was, but did not live the life, he beat a prime Roberto Duran, afterwards his Manager's phone never stopped ringing with offers, but Kirtland was nowhere to be found for months, It was his time to break into the big time but he went missing : http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 5247,d.ZGU

[dragons]

Tony Sibson

[dragons]

Mark Breland was World Champion but lost his way if I remember rightly.

[SamWise72]

I think British fight fans can overrate Herol Graham. He was a superb boxer, but he was never going to be a world champion if he couldn't beat Sumbu Kalambay.

Why not,Kalambay turned out to be a very good champion,and not beating him was no disgrace,look who Graham fought after that,3 champions and almost beat them all.Against McCallum,he was a point away from a draw if i remember right,and that was because he threw Mike over,then he was outboxing and outpunching one of the biggest punchers in history,after that he was old and past it against Brewer,but was still ahead.

Also, there's a big difference between challenging Doug DeWitt and facing Mike McCallum to win yourself a 'world' title.

He had a bad night and didn't fight like himself in the first Kalambay fight; in his book, he puts that down to a change of trainer and a relationship breakup. In the second, he was straight up robbed, he won that fight. For me, he edged the McCallum fight too, and anyone who can even run McCallum close is definitely world class.

[Crease]

Eamon Magee
Ray Close
Damaen Kelly

[JimJim2009]

The thing about Herol losing his unbeaten record vs Sumbu Kalamby was, he'd just split from Ingle, and signed with Barney Eastwood who brought in a trainer to make Herol more aggressive. Biggest disaster in his life. If Herol had remained with Brendan, and boxed his usual style, he'd have won. I've seen the fight a few times over the years and its heart-breaking. I recall hearing that Brendan watched it with tears running down his face. All that work, all that talent...

[stevedoc]

The thing about Herol losing his unbeaten record vs Sumbu Kalamby was, he'd just split from Ingle, and signed with Barney Eastwood who brought in a trainer to make Herol more aggressive. Biggest disaster in his life. If Herol had remained with Brendan, and boxed his usual style, he'd have won. I've seen the fight a few times over the years and its heart-breaking. I recall hearing that Brendan watched it with tears running down his face. All that work, all that talent...

[lefty]

I cant be arsed to look through the whole thread but has Audley been mentioned?

[littlepug]

Thought pat barret was gonna rule the world at one point but just seemed to lose his way.

[polecateddy]

Aaron Davis was it who used to upset decent fighters but had years between fights. On the UK front Dean Francis, who probably should have had a supermiddle title but for his bad shoulder.