fighters ruined by first loss

[Onetimeonly]

I'm thinking Victor Oganov(sp), was like 20-0 with 20ko's and touted as an unstoppable machine.

However his loss prob demonstrated his true level rather than ruining him.

Lol, I remember seeing that guy for the first time when he lost and being more shocked he was highly touted than he lost.

[NoScoutingReports]

Cletus Seldin was taken on by HBO and was being completely overhyped after beating a string of low level opponents before he finally met a solid operator in Yves Ulysse Jr, who comprehensively outboxed him on the BJS v Lemieux undercard. HBO dropped him after this reality check and he returned to beating low level operators (Zab excluded, obviously hugely past his best at the time).

[Ruthless-RKO]

Cletus Seldin was taken on by HBO and was being completely overhyped after beating a string of low level opponents before he finally met a solid operator in Yves Ulysse Jr, who comprehensively outboxed him on the BJS v Lemieux undercard. HBO dropped him after this reality check and he returned to beating low level operators (Zab excluded, obviously hugely past his best at the time).

Ah yes. Remember him.

I remember him being dropped and outboxed.

He was on a number of HBO cards that year alone.

He set some sort of record of tied RJJ for HBO. Number of fights on HBO in 12 months? Don’t know if it was that, or something else. Maybe some one can help me out.

Anyway. The Hebrew Hammer was never the same.

[Deserter]

Toko Olajide was one I was trying to remember earlier (Michael's younger, apparently more talented brother). Found this ring article on him that captures it better than I can:

What he was supposed to be:The junior middleweight champion of the world and quite possibly a pound-for-pounder. That’s how much talent Michael Olajide’s kid brother had. He could score spectacular knockouts while backing up, and truly appeared to be playing above the rim when matched with mere mortals. Everyone who saw him fight was convinced he was going far.

What went wrong:One punch from previously unknown Epifanio Mendoza led to a broken fibula and a dislocated ankle as Olajide crashed to the floor, and though his leg healed, mentally, he was never the same. He lost a close decision to Ian Gardner four fights later and hung up the gloves for good in 2004 at age 27. A deep thinker, a talented jazz trumpet player and an aspiring writer, he just wasn’t as eager to punch people for a living as we were to watch him do it.

Full article is worth a read as it covers other prospects who fell short of their apparent potential - some names I'd forgotten in there like Ricardo Williams:
https://www.ringtv.com/120539-heartbrea ... they-seem/

[Lenny Cravats]

Deontay Wilder

Can you see into the future? Because he hasn't fought since that loss.

No, but his reaction to his first loss is way beyond what one would expect. Maybe he will bounce back, but losing that fight has had an incredibly profound effect on his mental state.

[mickey1975]

Deontay Wilder

Can you see into the future? Because he hasn't fought since that loss.

No, but his reaction to his first loss is way beyond what one would expect. Maybe he will bounce back, but losing that fight has had an incredibly profound effect on his mental state.

Probably the worst I’ve seen. He can’t believe it’s possible to get beat.

[Foggy]

Kell Brook

[Coco]

Kell Brook

Good shout

[high tower 1]

Kid chocolate

[polecateddy]

Quite a number of Wlad’s title challengers I seem to recall.

[gilgamesh]

Quite a number of Wlad’s title challengers I seem to recall.

Several of those guys were never that good in the first place

[KiwiRider]

Cletus Seldin was taken on by HBO and was being completely overhyped after beating a string of low level opponents before he finally met a solid operator in Yves Ulysse Jr, who comprehensively outboxed him on the BJS v Lemieux undercard. HBO dropped him after this reality check and he returned to beating low level operators (Zab excluded, obviously hugely past his best at the time).

To be fair to the Hebrew Hammer, he wasn't ruined by his first loss. He was simply knocked back to where he belonged. Still has decent power, and making money.

[rubberneck]

bute. rico hoye. naseem hamed.

I seem to recall Rico Hoye was being touted as the next Tommy Hearns, mainly because of the Detroit/Kronk connection. It was great to watch him get beaten live on the BBC. Turned out he wasn’t that good anyway.

[gilgamesh]

bute. rico hoye. naseem hamed.

I seem to recall Rico Hoye was being touted as the next Tommy Hearns, mainly because of the Detroit/Kronk connection. It was great to watch him get beaten live on the BBC. Turned out he wasn’t that good anyway.

Before he officially lost I thought Rico Hoye was lucky to get the decision over Montell Griffin. Griffin beat him I thought.

[Coco]

Matthew Ellis

[NoScoutingReports]

Cletus Seldin was taken on by HBO and was being completely overhyped after beating a string of low level opponents before he finally met a solid operator in Yves Ulysse Jr, who comprehensively outboxed him on the BJS v Lemieux undercard. HBO dropped him after this reality check and he returned to beating low level operators (Zab excluded, obviously hugely past his best at the time).

To be fair to the Hebrew Hammer, he wasn't ruined by his first loss. He was simply knocked back to where he belonged. Still has decent power, and making money.

Yeah, fair point mate. I suppose it ruined the illusion that he could compete at the highest level as opposed to ruining his career completely. He was exposed in front of a large TV audience but at the same time he's found his level because of it I guess.

[Cyclops]

Chad Dawson probably deserves an honourable mention. He'll won't be remembered for being as good as he was even though he was extremely good: lost a strange one to Pascal and then was banjoed by Andre Ward a fight removed later and fell off a cliff form wise after that.

People forget he beat Hopkins much easier than Calzaghe: in fact Hopkins was terrified of him, and Joe didn't seem to be in too much of a rush to fight him either. An incredible waste.

I don't think he was the smartest guy. I hope he made some money.

[Lenny Cravats]

bute. rico hoye. naseem hamed.

I seem to recall Rico Hoye was being touted as the next Tommy Hearns, mainly because of the Detroit/Kronk connection. It was great to watch him get beaten live on the BBC. Turned out he wasn’t that good anyway.

Clinton Woods was on top form that night.

[Counter-puncher]

bute. rico hoye. naseem hamed.

I seem to recall Rico Hoye was being touted as the next Tommy Hearns, mainly because of the Detroit/Kronk connection. It was great to watch him get beaten live on the BBC. Turned out he wasn’t that good anyway.

Clinton Woods was on top form that night.

He certainly was. Hoye was the epitome of the chinny vulnerable banger with questionable fundamentals but Woods was super-sharp as well.

[JxhDel.]

Tavoris Cloud, Anthony Olajide.

[knockout]

Looking through this thread there are two categories here :

1) the hyped amateur stars who underachieved and the well protected pros - who got beat when they stepped up to the top. Lacy / Gonzales / Reid etc ... some were never good enough , other were too shop worn when they got the big fight and others were thrown to the lions by a promoter who was chasing out (Biggs).

2) the proven stars who just finally had too many miles on the clock or lost the love for the game . Vargas / Hamed / Bowe

[KiwiRider]

Cletus Seldin was taken on by HBO and was being completely overhyped after beating a string of low level opponents before he finally met a solid operator in Yves Ulysse Jr, who comprehensively outboxed him on the BJS v Lemieux undercard. HBO dropped him after this reality check and he returned to beating low level operators (Zab excluded, obviously hugely past his best at the time).

To be fair to the Hebrew Hammer, he wasn't ruined by his first loss. He was simply knocked back to where he belonged. Still has decent power, and making money.

Yeah, fair point mate. I suppose it ruined the illusion that he could compete at the highest level as opposed to ruining his career completely. He was exposed in front of a large TV audience but at the same time he's found his level because of it I guess.

I thought highly of him up until the loss- as in a solid rising contender. Partly from commentators hype, but also from some big KO shots in his fights leading prior.
I'm still a fan, don't get me wrong, my expectations have just been adjusted somewhat
You still get a solid performance from a guy who puts on a great show.

[world ranked]

Not physically at all...but Junior Witter lost any chance of being a star (shamefully I must add) after the Judah fight

I thought of this but did he fairly well after his first loss but his second loss was start of the end for him.

[world ranked]

Shane Mosley never looked totally right after Vernon Forrest beat him silly

I would say that Margarito fight and even the Cotto fight he looked pretty damn good.

[world ranked]

Chad Dawson probably deserves an honourable mention. He'll won't be remembered for being as good as he was even though he was extremely good: lost a strange one to Pascal and then was banjoed by Andre Ward a fight removed later and fell off a cliff form wise after that.

People forget he beat Hopkins much easier than Calzaghe: in fact Hopkins was terrified of him, and Joe didn't seem to be in too much of a rush to fight him either. An incredible waste.

I don't think he was the smartest guy. I hope he made some money.

That Adamek win was underrated as well. I dont Dawson was a waste. He was a decent champ. never great but not a waste. I'm not sure how who beat very good fighters and world champs is a waste of a career.