Fighters You Were Wrong About

[HomicideHenry]

There's always one guy, at least, who we were certain was going places and become champion... But then the bubble burst, and our illusions shattered.

Who was that person(s) for you?

[Ade L]

I always thought David Tua would be a World Champion one day - he's one of my fave fighters

[HomicideHenry]

I always thought David Tua would be a World Champion one day - he's one of my fave fighters

The wide lopsided loss to Lennox Lewis, the subsequent losses to Hasim Rahman and Chris Byrd were pretty tragic considering he was being called the Samoan Joe Frazier.

[SenorPipino]

Tua was exposed pretty early by glass jawed Maskaev.

Slow, plodding, unimaginative. Completely outboxed and flustered by movement.

He went pretty far considering all he had was a huge hook and a granite chin.

[Controversial]

I always thought Herbie Hide was going to do better than he ended up doing. Too small for HW in reality with a suspect chin.

[Scypion]

Wilford Scypion, James "Quick" Tillis

[Perseus]

Dominick Guinn

[tiny_acres]

Dominick Guinn

I really thought he was a future champion

[oogiebe]

Joe Messi - what can I say. (I actually had a worse one...Tye Fields)

[jamamb]

it was easy to be wrong about guinn. he looked a quite talented and well schooled boxer on the way up, albeit a bit on the smaller size for hws. he later became a high level journeyman who no one could stop, which funny enough i think showed the skills he always had, just in a different form

he was one of those guys who never really seemed to be able to work hard in the ring. he had no second gear to step it up when he needed to. this was fine at a certain level and he could really shine as a front runner, but as the opposition got better he couldnt get away with it.

[HomicideHenry]

In recent years, considering how shitty the heavyweight division was post Lewis and post Vitali Klitschko, I thought Robert Helenius was a shoo in for the Heavyweight Championship. 6'7" 250 pounds, could take a punch and (at first anyways) hit hard. The dude also looked like Thor, so I figured with his looks at least he'd be the guy getting the big push. When he kayoed Sam Peter I was just wondering when he'd get a crack at the title. Unfortunately, after he blew his shoulder out against Chisora he was never the same again.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

Tua was exposed pretty early by glass jawed Maskaev.

Slow, plodding, unimaginative. Completely outboxed and flustered by movement.

He went pretty far considering all he had was a huge hook and a granite chin.

- Meanwhile, all Tua needed to do is knock out Maskaev which he did, going quite a bit further than you ever accomplished.

Nice washerwoman swing by you though. I dare say you could set a new record washing underwears.

[Kalan]

There's always one guy, at least, who we were certain was going places and become champion... But then the bubble burst, and our illusions shattered. Who was that person(s) for you?

There were 2 who I thought would become a lot better boxers -- but both fell off a cliff…

1... Ike Ibeabuchi... When he got the fight with undefeated Chris Byrd I was ecstatic… I knew he was going to knock Byrd out early and land a Heavyweight Championship Fight with Lewis.. Ike had a short amateur career and only 19 pro fights at that time. He learned fast and was way better in the 3 fights from Tua to Byrd.

Ike finished the slick and fast Byrd off with quick fisted and brutally powerful combinations to the head and body. I didn’t see anything or anyone to stop him from getting better and putting an ice job on Lennox Lewis.

2... I thought Oliver McCall would be really good when he got Steward ..... McCall only got to work with Emanuel Steward for a few weeks, but he loved the man... Steward showed Ollie how to get range, power, and accuracy on his jab… Showed him the precise footwork to get himself into position to land them -- and how to get the correct timing to catch an opponent stepping in.. He showed Ollie how to step in with lead hooks more effectively and time his big right hand better.

McCall was an emotional guy. The fact he had Emanuel Steward in his corner for Lewis made him cry a little bit... Lampley, Clancy, and Merchant talked about all the energy Ollie was wasting and said it wasn’t good for him. But Ollie was like an over energetic racehorse in the starting gates - who can’t wait for the gates to bust open so he can start running.. McCall easily won the 1st round with Lewis. He landed very nice jabs, step in hooks, and got nice right hands on Lewis working both head and body. In the 2nd he finished Lewis off with a beautifully timed right.

Lewis was impressed with Steward’s coaching and hired him away from McCall.... That was a terrific blow to McCall.... He did everything Steward asked him to do and gave a grade A performance – but Steward went over to the loser.

However, Lewis was bigger and taller... Steward must have thought he had greater potential... When Ollie fought the rematch with Lewis and saw Steward in Lewis’s corner he started crying. He couldn’t stop crying. After a few rounds he was bawling like a baby.. It got worse and worse until the fight had to be stopped

[Counter-puncher]

kalan's memory needs jogging:

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f ... k#p4581561

"Some of the smartest boxers up until the present day: Vasyl Lomachenko, Gene Tunney, Jack Johnson, Salvador Sanchez, Vitali Klitschko, Anthony Joshua, Floyd Mayweather, Gennady Golovkin, Joe Gans, Keith Thurman, Chris Eubank Jr, Manny Pacquiao, Roberto Duran, Ray Leonard, Gary Russell, Jack Blackburn, Willie Pep, Ricardo Lopez, Eder Jofre"

Kalan once said that Chris Eubank Jr is one of the smartest boxers of all time . see his name next to fistic luminaries such as Eder Jofre, Sanvador Sanchez, and Floyd Mayweather.

just let that sink in, for a moment. 'smartest boxers': Eder Jofre, Salvador Sanchez, Gene Tunney.... and Chris Eubank Jr

[oogiebe]

There's always one guy, at least, who we were certain was going places and become champion... But then the bubble burst, and our illusions shattered. Who was that person(s) for you?

There were 2 who I thought would become a lot better boxers -- but both fell off a cliff…

1... Ike Ibeabuchi... When he got the fight with undefeated Chris Byrd I was ecstatic… I knew he was going to knock Byrd out early and land a Heavyweight Championship Fight with Lewis.. Ike had a short amateur career and only 19 pro fights at that time. He learned fast and was way better in the 3 fights from Tua to Byrd.

Ike finished the slick and fast Byrd off with quick fisted and brutally powerful combinations to the head and body. I didn’t see anything or anyone to stop him from getting better and putting an ice job on Lennox Lewis.

2... I thought Oliver McCall would be really good when he got Steward ..... McCall only got to work with Emanuel Steward for a few weeks, but he loved the man... Steward showed Ollie how to get range, power, and accuracy on his jab… Showed him the precise footwork to get himself into position to land them -- and how to get the correct timing to catch an opponent stepping in.. He showed Ollie how to step in with lead hooks more effectively and time his big right hand better.

McCall was an emotional guy. The fact he had Emanuel Steward in his corner for Lewis made him cry a little bit... Lampley, Clancy, and Merchant talked about all the energy Ollie was wasting and said it wasn’t good for him. But Ollie was like an over energetic racehorse in the starting gates - who can’t wait for the gates to bust open so he can start running.. McCall easily won the 1st round with Lewis. He landed very nice jabs, step in hooks, and got nice right hands on Lewis working both head and body. In the 2nd he finished Lewis off with a beautifully timed right.

Lewis was impressed with Steward’s coaching and hired him away from McCall.... That was a terrific blow to McCall.... He did everything Steward asked him to do and gave a grade A performance – but Steward went over to the loser.

However, Lewis was bigger and taller... Steward must have thought he had greater potential... When Ollie fought the rematch with Lewis and saw Steward in Lewis’s corner he started crying. He couldn’t stop crying. After a few rounds he was bawling like a baby.. It got worse and worse until the fight had to be stopped

I'm surprised we didn't see Ibeabuchi on more posts. But his issue (as you know) was legal, so it's not like he sucked because he didn't.

[Seamus]

Some of the guys I thought were going to be really good are Richie Sandoval, Michael Olajide, Angel Manfredy, Michael Nunn. Well in Nunn's case, he still had a pretty good career, but I thought he'd become an alltime great.

[HomicideHenry]

Some of the guys I thought were going to be really good are Richie Sandoval, Michael Olajide, Angel Manfredy, Michael Nunn. Well in Nunn's case, he still had a pretty good career, but I thought he'd become an alltime great.

I thought he (Nunn) was going to be champ for a long time. So don't feel bad.

[bwu]

In 1986, I thought Donald Curry was going to rule the sport for years. Going the other way, it took me way too long to realize how much credit Lennox Lewis deserved.

[oogiebe]

In 1986, I thought Donald Curry was going to rule the sport for years. Going the other way, it took me way too long to realize how much credit Lennox Lewis deserved.

Agree on Lewis...time always clears things up...He's my number one favourite HW ever.

[Kalan]

There's always one guy, at least, who we were certain was going places and become champion... But then the bubble burst, and our illusions shattered. Who was that person(s) for you?

There were 2 who I thought would become a lot better boxers -- but both fell off a cliff…

1... Ike Ibeabuchi... When he got the fight with undefeated Chris Byrd I was ecstatic… I knew he was going to knock Byrd out early and land a Heavyweight Championship Fight with Lewis.. Ike had a short amateur career and only 19 pro fights at that time. He learned fast and was way better in the 3 fights from Tua to Byrd.

Ike finished the slick and fast Byrd off with quick fisted and brutally powerful combinations to the head and body. I didn’t see anything or anyone to stop him from getting better and putting an ice job on Lennox Lewis.

2... I thought Oliver McCall would be really good when he got Steward ..... McCall only got to work with Emanuel Steward for a few weeks, but he loved the man... Steward showed Ollie how to get range, power, and accuracy on his jab… Showed him the precise footwork to get himself into position to land them -- and how to get the correct timing to catch an opponent stepping in.. He showed Ollie how to step in with lead hooks more effectively and time his big right hand better.

McCall was an emotional guy. The fact he had Emanuel Steward in his corner for Lewis made him cry a little bit... Lampley, Clancy, and Merchant talked about all the energy Ollie was wasting and said it wasn’t good for him. But Ollie was like an over energetic racehorse in the starting gates - who can’t wait for the gates to bust open so he can start running.. McCall easily won the 1st round with Lewis. He landed very nice jabs, step in hooks, and got nice right hands on Lewis working both head and body. In the 2nd he finished Lewis off with a beautifully timed right.

Lewis was impressed with Steward’s coaching and hired him away from McCall.... That was a terrific blow to McCall.... He did everything Steward asked him to do and gave a grade A performance – but Steward went over to the loser.

However, Lewis was bigger and taller... Steward must have thought he had greater potential... When Ollie fought the rematch with Lewis and saw Steward in Lewis’s corner he started crying. He couldn’t stop crying. After a few rounds he was bawling like a baby.. It got worse and worse until the fight had to be stopped

I'm surprised we didn't see Ibeabuchi on more posts. But his issue (as you know) was legal, so it's not like he sucked because he didn't.

Ike Ibeabuchi would have developed into a great Heavyweight.. That really upset me a lot.. I can't understand throwing the key away when a man allegedly tries to have sex with a sex industry worker.. Dan White got 4 years for a double murder.. Ibeabuchi’s career is ruined for what??? Did he beat her up??? Deontay Wilder beat the living Hell out of a girl in his Hotel suite... He got nothing but his travel status reduced for a few months.

Anyway... I also thought Ollie McCall would also do super well going forward – but he had only 1 great fight.. That was all she wrote.. He never looked half as good in any other fight as he did against Lewis.. It wasn’t a lucky punch. He was nailing the shitt out of Lewis... McCall had a very fragile mental state like Ike Ibeabuchi... What a waste!

[Ambling Alp II]

Some of the guys I thought were going to be really good are Richie Sandoval, Michael Olajide, Angel Manfredy, Michael Nunn. Well in Nunn's case, he still had a pretty good career, but I thought he'd become an alltime great.

Nunn was having a great career. Not sure what happened, after awhile he could not get major fights and people stopped talking about him.

[Seamus]

Cocaine !

[paddy chavez]

In 1986, I thought Donald Curry was going to rule the sport for years. Going the other way, it took me way too long to realize how much credit Lennox Lewis deserved.

Same here

[Caractacus]

There's always one guy, at least, who we were certain was going places and become champion... But then the bubble burst, and our illusions shattered. Who was that person(s) for you?

There were 2 who I thought would become a lot better boxers -- but both fell off a cliff…

1... Ike Ibeabuchi... When he got the fight with undefeated Chris Byrd I was ecstatic… I knew he was going to knock Byrd out early and land a Heavyweight Championship Fight with Lewis.. Ike had a short amateur career and only 19 pro fights at that time. He learned fast and was way better in the 3 fights from Tua to Byrd.

Ike finished the slick and fast Byrd off with quick fisted and brutally powerful combinations to the head and body. I didn’t see anything or anyone to stop him from getting better and putting an ice job on Lennox Lewis.

2... I thought Oliver McCall would be really good when he got Steward ..... McCall only got to work with Emanuel Steward for a few weeks, but he loved the man... Steward showed Ollie how to get range, power, and accuracy on his jab… Showed him the precise footwork to get himself into position to land them -- and how to get the correct timing to catch an opponent stepping in.. He showed Ollie how to step in with lead hooks more effectively and time his big right hand better.

McCall was an emotional guy. The fact he had Emanuel Steward in his corner for Lewis made him cry a little bit... Lampley, Clancy, and Merchant talked about all the energy Ollie was wasting and said it wasn’t good for him. But Ollie was like an over energetic racehorse in the starting gates - who can’t wait for the gates to bust open so he can start running.. McCall easily won the 1st round with Lewis. He landed very nice jabs, step in hooks, and got nice right hands on Lewis working both head and body. In the 2nd he finished Lewis off with a beautifully timed right.

Lewis was impressed with Steward’s coaching and hired him away from McCall.... That was a terrific blow to McCall.... He did everything Steward asked him to do and gave a grade A performance – but Steward went over to the loser.

However, Lewis was bigger and taller... Steward must have thought he had greater potential... When Ollie fought the rematch with Lewis and saw Steward in Lewis’s corner he started crying. He couldn’t stop crying. After a few rounds he was bawling like a baby.. It got worse and worse until the fight had to be stopped

Oliver McCall was what's known in the Psychological buisness as "Wrapped Too Tight".

[oogiebe]

There's always one guy, at least, who we were certain was going places and become champion... But then the bubble burst, and our illusions shattered. Who was that person(s) for you?

There were 2 who I thought would become a lot better boxers -- but both fell off a cliff…

1... Ike Ibeabuchi... When he got the fight with undefeated Chris Byrd I was ecstatic… I knew he was going to knock Byrd out early and land a Heavyweight Championship Fight with Lewis.. Ike had a short amateur career and only 19 pro fights at that time. He learned fast and was way better in the 3 fights from Tua to Byrd.

Ike finished the slick and fast Byrd off with quick fisted and brutally powerful combinations to the head and body. I didn’t see anything or anyone to stop him from getting better and putting an ice job on Lennox Lewis.

2... I thought Oliver McCall would be really good when he got Steward ..... McCall only got to work with Emanuel Steward for a few weeks, but he loved the man... Steward showed Ollie how to get range, power, and accuracy on his jab… Showed him the precise footwork to get himself into position to land them -- and how to get the correct timing to catch an opponent stepping in.. He showed Ollie how to step in with lead hooks more effectively and time his big right hand better.

McCall was an emotional guy. The fact he had Emanuel Steward in his corner for Lewis made him cry a little bit... Lampley, Clancy, and Merchant talked about all the energy Ollie was wasting and said it wasn’t good for him. But Ollie was like an over energetic racehorse in the starting gates - who can’t wait for the gates to bust open so he can start running.. McCall easily won the 1st round with Lewis. He landed very nice jabs, step in hooks, and got nice right hands on Lewis working both head and body. In the 2nd he finished Lewis off with a beautifully timed right.

Lewis was impressed with Steward’s coaching and hired him away from McCall.... That was a terrific blow to McCall.... He did everything Steward asked him to do and gave a grade A performance – but Steward went over to the loser.

However, Lewis was bigger and taller... Steward must have thought he had greater potential... When Ollie fought the rematch with Lewis and saw Steward in Lewis’s corner he started crying. He couldn’t stop crying. After a few rounds he was bawling like a baby.. It got worse and worse until the fight had to be stopped

Oliver McCall was what's known in the Psychological buisness as "Too tightly wrapped".

I like the more succinct story better.