Fighters you love in the ring, hate outside of it.

[tagjohnson]

Tony Ayala Jr, one of the most exciting fighters I have ever watched. Beat/Sexually assaulted or attempted to sexually assault three women before turning 21.

[magwitch]

I used to dislike all of the Walsh brothers from Norfolk, England, yet the more I read about them and see them interviewed the more I like them.
Michael Walsh’s fight with Paul Appleby was a classic and his interview after nothing but class. Going back a bit mind..

[Syntax Error]

Pat Barrett - Loved watching him fight, but he was a nincompoop out of the ring.

Used to go round Manchester back in the day with his 'man dem' as if he owned the place!

Also, once saw him ringside at a fight in Liverpool & this young boy came up to him & asked him for an autograph; Barrett snatched the piece of paper off the kid, made no eye contact nor even spoke to the lad, scribbled his autograph & handed it back to the kid with no acknowledgement whatsoever.

Totally ignorant.

[Tuan_Jim]

Pat Barrett - Loved watching him fight, but he was a nincompoop out of the ring.

Used to go round Manchester back in the day with his 'man dem' as f he owned the place!

Also, once saw him ringside at a fight in Liverpool & this young boy came up to him & asked him for an autograph; Barrett snatched the piece of paper off the kid, made no eye contact nor even spoke to the lad, scribbled his autograph & handed it back to the kid with no acknowledgement whatsoever.

Totally ignorant.

He does sound unpleasant. Terrifying puncher, but didn't accomplish as much as you'd hope. Thought he would appreciate a bit of recognition, apparently not.

[Keko]

Carloz Monzon,Bernard Hopkins,James Tooney,Roberto Duran were excellent boxer but not me too sympathetic

[Bodyshot3]

There seem to be lots of ancedotes circulating that Lennox Lewis was not the most 'giving' or 'friendliest' and somewhat aloof and arrogant.

I'd like to give Lennox the benefit of the doubt and often sensed from his interviews and interests that he was not that in love with the business had a very clear exit plan, liked his privacy and wanted to pursue other things.

Would it be going too far to say that Lennox understood the value of boxing (and his ability) and made the commitment but without really ever embracing the sport and the champion status that went with it?

[Syntax Error]

There seem to be lots of ancedotes circulating that Lennox Lewis was not the most 'giving' or 'friendliest' and somewhat aloof and arrogant.

I'd like to give Lennox the benefit of the doubt and often sensed from his interviews and interests that he was not that in love with the business had a very clear exit plan, liked his privacy and wanted to pursue other things.

Would it be going too far to say that Lennox understood the value of boxing (and his ability) and made the commitment but without really ever embracing the sport and the champion status that went with it?

I once met Lennox Lewis in Brixton on the eve of his fight with Ruddock.

He was being driven through the area in a Mercedes & stopped at some traffic lights & he got mobbed.

He got out & spoke to folk & I managed to shake his hand & told him to make sure he beats Ruddock.

He calmly rubbed his Right fist & said, " no, worries, I'll take care of him!"

He turned out to be 100% correct.

He was really nice & personable when I met him.

[keithmoonhangover]

Hamed was a great watch for a few years - kind of set the British scene on fire with that style - but he was by all accounts a bit of a jerk outside the ring and especially when he got behind the wheel of a supercar.

I think Joe Calzaghe's book 'No Ordinary Joe' has the story of Naz teasing and generally belittling Carl Thompson on a trip over to the US and the mild-mannered Thompson finally snapping and telling Hamed to shut-up or he was going to get involved in a fight he would not want or like.

Strangely, I was never taken with Eubank Sr and was a big Nigel Benn fan. But I met Chris a couple of times in Brighton and he was an absolute gent of the first order and generous with his time. His fashion sense has always been 'alternative' and borderline oddball...but he was very approachable and made an effort.

I've met Naz and talked to him at length. He is one the most polite, genuine and honest people I've ever met.