Max Baer After he killed Frankie Cambell in one of the most brutal one-sided affairs in boxing history, Baer who had a solid record against the best of the era, toned down his ferocity, and opted to clown around with opponents he felt could not match up to him in the ring, but do enough to win.
Baer though did turn in tremendous performances against the likes of Max Schmeling and Italian giant Primo Carnera, whom the entire boxing world was mezmorised by his freakish size and brute strength. Baer, though didn't take contender Jim Braddock serious, and for many rounds clowned as Braddock threw in his shots---Baer at times would go into his "killer" mode to try and hurt Braddock, but the tactician Braddock would counter, only the last round in which Braddock was so exhausted did Baer unleash a full on assault---enough to win the round but not the fight.
Baer would try to stay a main player in the division, even so much as fighting 24 times in a four month span albeit mediocre opposition, and beaten such men as Tony Galento---but failed against Joe Louis, who was an up-and-coming contender.
Had Baer been more "serious" and focused, this man could have been remembered as an ATG Heavyweight champion, rather than as the father of Jethro Bodine from the Beverly Hillbillies, and a man who was more clown than fighter.
James "Buster" Douglas
This man, to his own admission, was more a fighter than an athlete. But like Baer, his mind and heart was not into boxing, but on other things. He was so talented that he almost became the champion against Tony Tucker, only to break down mentally and more or less let Tucker blast him out.
He was a 42-1 under-dog against Mike Tyson, and it was considered almost a no-contest that Douglas would not stand a chance, that it was good as murder. But Douglas proved everyone wrong, and the fight was so one-sided that every round was in Douglas' favor, up until the 8th when he was dropped by a Tyson uppercut. Douglas rallied back to stop Tyson in the 10th.
Hailed as a real life "Rocky", James Douglas became an over night celebrity, and many figured, if Tyson couldn't stop Douglas, who could? But even Douglas said before the fight, that the fight as well as his entire life, was dedicated to his mother, the one person who believed in him.
When Douglas fought Holyfield, it was apparent his focus was not on the ring, but on fast food, as he came in over-weight and Holyfield blew him away inside of three rounds. For a man with so much talent, Douglas more or less pissed away his entire career and money away.
His ill-fated comeback in the 90's was not a success, though there was talk of him facing Roy Jones Jr, who thought about making the move to Heavyweight, only to renig on his promises.
Riddick Bowe
Silver Medalist Riddick Bowe seemed to have it all. A very big man with a powerful punch and had skills---he went through the Heavyweight ranks rather easily, defeating Holyfield 2x's, Tubbs, Dokes, Seldon, Biggs, Thomas. He dominated virtually every big named fighter there was.
Bowe's invincibility seemed to show weakness though, as he dropped the WBC belt rather than defend it against the likes of up and coming Lennox Lewis. Ironically he would face off with British Herbie Hide for the WBO title, rather than the top Brit Lewis.
Bowe, after winning the WBO title, came into the ring scaling weights suspected around 260 pounds, possibly more in engaging fights against the likes of Gonzales, Holyfield (whom he KO'd in 8 rounds) and two foul affairs with Andrew Golota. The post fight verbiage of the second Golota fight had many a fan and commission suspect that Bowe had brain damage.
He retired from boxing and joined the reserves, only to be given a dishonorable discharge for going SECTION-8. Later on he kidnapped his wife and children, and pleaded insanity, due to the repeated blows to his head in his boxing career. Ironically Bowe returned to the ring in 2004, claiming that he never had brain damage, though when he spoke you could tell that was a lie.
For a man who could have been a dominate champion, he surely pissed away whatever talent and mind he had, only to come back when it's far too late, fighting in Native American commissions against weak opposition, his coomeback will prove nothing but that he's a fool.
Micheal "Dynamite" Dokes Randall Tex Cobb once was quoted to say that Dokes had the fastest hands in the business, and coming from a man who faced Holmes and Norton, is quite a statement. Dokes was possibly the best of the 80's WBA titlists, at least had the better talent and skills, he had what it took to become a great fighter.
Dokes had beaten such men as Young, Ocassio, Chaplin, Rodriguez, Cobb, and then beaten Weaver for the title. Success over came him though as drugs and the fast life destroyed him, and was blown out by Gerrie Coetzee, a man who had been a title contender since 1978.
Dokes did try to clean up his act, and did manage a handful of victories over some good names up until he lost to Holyfield, who was more or less a blown up Cruiserweight champion---but gave the young Holyfield one helluva fight up until the 10th round knockout.
Dokes fell farther into the abyss of drugs, and though he could still beat grade B opponents, he failed to make a dent at the top ten elite, and his near beheading by the hands of Donovan Razor Ruddock was probably the final nail on the coffin. But Dokes continued on, despite his drug use.
He managed to beat washed up Jesse Ferguson and Jose Ribalta, to earn a shot at Riddick Bowe...the dream ended in the 1st round, and Dokes disappeared into boxing's basement, facing such 9th rate pugs as Louis Monaco and Dave Slaughter, losing some, and winning some. He is currently doing a major prison sentence for drugs.
Micheal Spinks Defended against Holmes, then was stripped of his title for defenses against unranked Cooney and Tangstad, and finally put up his "lineal" title against Tyson, only to be blown away in 91 seconds. As a LHW he was an ATG, as a HW, far from it, though he had so much talent.
Neon Leon Spinks Was 7-0-0 when he met Ali in the ring, beating Ali over 15 rounds to win the title! Success came far too much for Spinks as the night life of dope and wild raves depleated all his energy, and lost his title in quick fashion to Ali in a rematch with a 15 round decision. Spinks would try to regain his title and status in the ranks, losing to Coetzee and Holmes in short order. His "comeback" as a Cruiserweight also proved a mistake, as he was blown away by Dwight Qwai after winning the NABF Cruiser. title. After that...Spinks battle with drugs and booze was just as bad as his matches---losing 12 more times in his next 22 outings, making more comebacks than Elizabeth Taylor gotten married.
The "Could Have Been" ATG Heavyweight Champions
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HomicideHenry
- Heavyweight
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tagjohnson
- Heavyweight
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Good post
Page would be my number 1 choice. When he was fighting as an amatuer people were already comparing him to Ali but as a heavyweight he was a wash showing up incredibly overweight with a visible lack of interest.
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kick asner
- Heavyweight
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Nice thread Irish.
I always thought Gerry Cooney should have won at least one of the alphabet titles. But he had some issues mentaly/emotionaly also. I always thought his management did him a big diservice matching him with so many ridiculously easy fights early in his career. Gerry was an intelligent guy and I think he started questioning his own ability as a result of that. I think it played on his confidence.
I always thought Gerry Cooney should have won at least one of the alphabet titles. But he had some issues mentaly/emotionaly also. I always thought his management did him a big diservice matching him with so many ridiculously easy fights early in his career. Gerry was an intelligent guy and I think he started questioning his own ability as a result of that. I think it played on his confidence.
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kick asner
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Agree on the way Cooney's managment handled things from a boxing standpoint. I think they were buisinessmen first and foremost and thats the way they viewed it, as a buisiness. Just speculation but they didn't appear to have his best intrest in mind. The upside for Cooney was that he made a lot of money and his management would prabably justify their actions from that standpoint. But with some proper guidence he could have still made alot of money and probably have had a more sucsessful career.
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kick asner
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I remember Cooney having the question posed to him about his lack of tough fights in a couple of interviews where he became defensive and just brushed it off, sort of a denial type of thing. I would have liked to have seen Howard Cosell do an interview with him he had a way of breaking down those types of barriers. I think he remains fairly guarded to this day about what went down. He did get with Gil Clancy at the very end of his career but by that time it was to late and as a result his subsequent humiliation in the George Foreman fight.
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kick asner
- Heavyweight
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Perhaps I had him in the wrong category. Maybe something like guys who didn't measure up to their hype would have been more fitting.KOJOE90 wrote:I was a Bruno fan but I can't see what he could have done different in his career and life to have made himself an All Time Great?kick asner wrote:Frank Bruno
He lived a clean life, was always in shape and always tried his best, apart from the Tyson rematch where he froze.
I need a clapping emoticon... Dec, you are right. I just wish the apologists of Bowe, Tyson and McClellan could see this too.Decagon wrote:Saying that Greg Page could've been a great fighter if he'd had a better mindset is like saying that Wayne McCullough would've been a great fighter if he'd had a punch.