They wasted their great potential - my top 5 list

[ValMar]

1. Solis
2. Helenius
3. Gamboa
4. Chavez Jr.
5. M. Garcia

Remark : I hope M. Garcia will be back. I doubt this for the rest.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Victor Ortiz

[littlepug]

Mike Pérez, Kelly pavlik

[gilgamesh]

Your list gives you away as somebody that hasn't followed Boxing long.

1. Tony Ayala Jr.
2. Ricky Womack
3. Ike Ibeabuchi (though his potential is often exaggerated he certainly had more in him than he ever had the chance to give)

Just a few examples

[gilgamesh]

Victor Ortiz

He had no heart. Potential or not you can't fix that.

[gilgamesh]

Mike Pérez, Kelly pavlik

Pavlik definitely gave away what could've been many more lucrative paydays by becoming a raging alcoholic off of one loss.

I'm not sure we've seen the last of Mike Perez yet.

[Impractical Poster]

Edwin Valero

[gilgamesh]

As for Chavez Jr. if anything I think he overachieved and did as much with his potential as he possibly could've. The only thing that could've kept him staying relevant is careful as hell matchmaking.

They should've taken advantage of Chavez Jr. vs Canelo when they had the chance. That would've been a megafight down in Mexico. Still would be big, but it doesn't look like Chavez Jr. is gonna return to prominence or regular activity anytime soon.

[Cent0089]

Edwin Valero

i cannot believe it is 6 years, time flies

[Kalan]

1. Solis
2. Helenius
3. Gamboa
4. Chavez Jr.
5. M. Garcia

Remark : I hope M. Garcia will be back. I doubt this for the rest.

Gamboa and Garcia had great potential ... But those others never did... For me, guys who could write their own ticket but seemed intent on tossing it up are: Tyson Fury... Mikey Garcia... Demetrius Andrade... Luis Ortiz... Billy Joe Saunders...Dmitry Pirog... and a lesser talent who doesn't make the most of it, Andre Dirrell.

[Impractical Poster]

Mikey is still going.

If you are going to mention Mikey, Ward should be mentioned as well.

[ValMar]

1. Solis
2. Helenius
3. Gamboa
4. Chavez Jr.
5. M. Garcia

Remark : I hope M. Garcia will be back. I doubt this for the rest.

Gamboa and Garcia had great potential ... But those others never did... For me, guys who could write their own ticket but seemed intent on tossing it up are: Tyson Fury... Mikey Garcia... Demetrius Andrade... Luis Ortiz... Billy Joe Saunders...Dmitry Pirog... and a lesser talent who doesn't make the most of it, Andre Dirrell.

Pirog ? To be blamed because of the injury ?

[Jip]

1. Solis
2. Helenius
3. Gamboa
4. Chavez Jr.
5. M. Garcia

Remark : I hope M. Garcia will be back. I doubt this for the rest.

good list....in no particular order

gamboa
boyado
judah
ibeabuchi
pavlik

[Kalan]

1. Solis
2. Helenius
3. Gamboa
4. Chavez Jr.
5. M. Garcia

Remark : I hope M. Garcia will be back. I doubt this for the rest.

Gamboa and Garcia had great potential ... But those others never did... For me, guys who could write their own ticket but seemed intent on tossing it up are: Tyson Fury... Mikey Garcia... Demetrius Andrade... Luis Ortiz... Billy Joe Saunders...Dmitry Pirog... and a lesser talent who doesn't make the most of it, Andre Dirrell.

Pirog ? To be blamed because of the injury ?

Willie Pep fought most of his career fights, 132 of 241, after he was crushed, and knocked cold in a plane accident, and spent 4 months in a body cast.. Doctors told him boxing was over for him.. How badly do you want to get back to it??? I think that's often the most important question.. If one doctor doesn't tell you what you need to hear, find one who will.. Now with really bad head injuries I can see doctors making a big deal out of it.. Rahman fought with a plate in his head because he went through his windshield and the guy's he plowed into... I'm not sure you want to do that.

[lazboy]

Mike Tyson - But I've changed my tune a bit after I read his book undisputed truth. Truth is, Mike should of been dead or in jail for the rest of his life but he became the youngest world heavyweight. That achievement is paramount. But still, looking back on his fights after Cus died and he left Jacobs....they are really frustrating to watch. I just re-watched Tyson-Botha. Mike was 32. He looked terrible. You just wish he could of got in under control but again, being alive, being out of jail is an achievement from where he came form and what he dealt with.

[Jip]

Mike Tyson - But I've changed my tune a bit after I read his book undisputed truth. Truth is, Mike should of been dead or in jail for the rest of his life but he became the youngest world heavyweight. That achievement is paramount. But still, looking back on his fights after Cus died and he left Jacobs....they are really frustrating to watch. I just re-watched Tyson-Botha. Mike was 32. He looked terrible. You just wish he could of got in under control but again, being alive, being out of jail is an achievement from where he came form and what he dealt with.

totaly right. i have to aggree. tyson was the most talented heavyweight ever aside from ali. imagine him with a trainer or a respect figure like cus who would have trained him after cus died, no jailtime, no crazy lifestyle. golota, moorer, holyfield, lewis, klitschkos, they all would have had a big problem.

[lazboy]

Mike Tyson - But I've changed my tune a bit after I read his book undisputed truth. Truth is, Mike should of been dead or in jail for the rest of his life but he became the youngest world heavyweight. That achievement is paramount. But still, looking back on his fights after Cus died and he left Jacobs....they are really frustrating to watch. I just re-watched Tyson-Botha. Mike was 32. He looked terrible. You just wish he could of got in under control but again, being alive, being out of jail is an achievement from where he came form and what he dealt with.

totaly right. i have to aggree. tyson was the most talented heavyweight ever aside from ali. imagine him with a trainer or a respect figure like cus who would have trained him after cus died, no jailtime, no crazy lifestyle. golota, moorer, holyfield, lewis, klitschkos, they all would have had a big problem.

[Lackeos]

David Haye, taking off 4 years for no apparent reason.
Naseem Hamed, retiring ridiculously early.
Mikey Garcia, taking an extensive absence.
Riddick Bowe? Virtually retired at just 28, but somewhat validated by his slurred speech these days. Probably better that he didn't fight anymore wars.
Chris Henry, unexplained 2-year absence and 3-year absence before he was killed. Might have been able to accomplish a lot more between 2009 and 2015.
Felix Savon, not turning pro.
Odlanier Solis, the lazy bastard.

Obviously every boxer whose potential wasn't actualized due to prison, drugs, injuries, or death (Spadafora, Yoan Pablo Hernandez, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Gerald McClellan, Tyson, Ibeabuchi, Pirog, Valero, Jermaine Taylor, etc.).

[phillykid]

i'll add Joshua Clottey. This guy could've ran the welterweight division during his time imo, except he kept getting either robbed or somehow would give a fight away, or simply avoided alltogether.

He won against Cotto and Margarito imo, and against Pacquiao he claimed he had diarrhea

Just bad luck all around for this guy, some of it his fault (turtling up too much and not letting his hands go).

Maybe had he had a different trainer or something. But in his prime i'd say the only ones that were on his level was Mayweather and Paquaio.

[phillykid]

Also Fernando Vargas, stepping up to a prime Trinidad at such a young age... wasn't a good idea.

[Kalan]

Mike Tyson - But I've changed my tune a bit after I read his book undisputed truth. Truth is, Mike should of been dead or in jail for the rest of his life but he became the youngest world heavyweight. That achievement is paramount. But still, looking back on his fights after Cus died and he left Jacobs....they are really frustrating to watch. I just re-watched Tyson-Botha. Mike was 32. He looked terrible. You just wish he could of got in under control but again, being alive, being out of jail is an achievement from where he came form and what he dealt with.

totaly right. i have to aggree. tyson was the most talented heavyweight ever aside from ali. imagine him with a trainer or a respect figure like cus who would have trained him after cus died, no jailtime, no crazy lifestyle. golota, moorer, holyfield, lewis, klitschkos, they all would have had a big problem.

Mike was ONE lucky SOB!!! ... If he didn't mess up as bad as he did as a youngster he wouldn't have gotten into the boxing program where he caught the attention of Cus D'Amato -- just like Floyd Patterson did.. Cus was possibly the craftiest and most progressive matchmaker in the history of Boxing.. Before Tyson came along, Patterson was the youngest Heavyweight Champion in fistic history.. Cus predicted they both would be and matched them and fought them like crazy to make it happen.

If anybody other than Cus started Tyson out he wouldn't have been Heavyweight Champion at 20.. Mike was unfortunate that D'Amato and Jacobs died.. He was unfortunate that he had a bunch of boobs in his corner when he faced Douglas.. But a lot of that is on Mike.. He was an adult and he could have selected more honest, more capable, and more experienced guys to train him and 2nd his corner.. Just about everybody really good offered to work with him -- Mike had it make in the shade if he made wise choices. When he was 23 everybody thought Mike was invincible -- except for Douglas, Holyfield, Lewis and a few genius bettors.. VERY few.

[lazboy]

Mike Tyson - But I've changed my tune a bit after I read his book undisputed truth. Truth is, Mike should of been dead or in jail for the rest of his life but he became the youngest world heavyweight. That achievement is paramount. But still, looking back on his fights after Cus died and he left Jacobs....they are really frustrating to watch. I just re-watched Tyson-Botha. Mike was 32. He looked terrible. You just wish he could of got in under control but again, being alive, being out of jail is an achievement from where he came form and what he dealt with.

totaly right. i have to aggree. tyson was the most talented heavyweight ever aside from ali. imagine him with a trainer or a respect figure like cus who would have trained him after cus died, no jailtime, no crazy lifestyle. golota, moorer, holyfield, lewis, klitschkos, they all would have had a big problem.

Mike was ONE lucky SOB!!! ... If he didn't mess up as bad as he did as a youngster he wouldn't have gotten into the boxing program where he caught the attention of Cus D'Amato -- just like Floyd Patterson did.. Cus was possibly the craftiest and most progressive matchmaker in the history of Boxing.. Before Tyson came along, Patterson was the youngest Heavyweight Champion in fistic history.. Cus predicted they both would be and matched them and fought them like crazy to make it happen.

If anybody other than Cus started Tyson out he wouldn't have been Heavyweight Champion at 20.. Mike was unfortunate that D'Amato and Jacobs died.. He was unfortunate that he had a bunch of boobs in his corner when he faced Douglas.. But a lot of that is on Mike.. He was an adult and he could have selected more honest, more capable, and more experienced guys to train him and 2nd his corner.. Just about everybody really good offered to work with him -- Mike had it make in the shade if he made wise choices. When he was 23 everybody thought Mike was invincible -- except for Douglas, Holyfield, Lewis and a few genius bettors.. VERY few.

Mike was lucky to have Cus no doubt. But Cus was also lucky to have Mike. A 200 plus pound young teenager who was already a proficient street fighter who had a addictive personality without a father figure in his life. Mike became obsessed/addicted to boxing and learned the craft in leaps and bounds. Mike F'ed it up, just like he was addicted to boxing he became addicted to other things, girls, fame, drugs, you name it.

[Kalan]

You got it right with those last 2 sentences. It's on Mike.

[Joe Boxer]

If you are going to mention Mikey, Ward should be mentioned as well.

Micky Ward?!
Totally exceeeded his potential.

[ValMar]

Tyson doesn't belong to this group. He had achieved a lot......
The youngest HW champion, extremely popular, worldwide recognized...