Boxers you've seen live without realising

[Scoops]

I don't know if anyone else feels like this, but I like to "tick off" boxers having seen them fight live.

Some are the best ones are when you only realise much later that you've seen them fight on an obscure undercard.

For instance, I watched Stephen Smith v Ben Jones at the Troxy in east London in 2012 and Dillian Whyte (4-0) was on the undercard. I can't remember a thing about the fight but a tick is a tick.

I just wondered who the best fighter you've seen live is has turned out to be when you didn't know you'd be seeing them when you went. I don't mean a star prospect on the undercard who everyone had heard of, but I mean a fighter who meant very little to you at the time but went on to be a star.

[margaret thatcher]

saw a kid lose at a local am show, he was nothing notable at all, not particularly bad or good compared to your average club show kid. then i stopped following the ams for several years, and when i finally started having a look again he was multi time national champ and fighting internationally, which i thought was cool and good for him. never went pro though

although i dont think that answers the question

[margaret thatcher]

my non-live version of this would be terrance crawford. saw him on a top rank undercard vs andre gorges. had never heard of him before and the commentary didnt even hype him up that much. wasnt expecting much but he looked the business even then

[Scoops]

my non-live version of this would be terrance crawford. saw him on a top rank undercard vs andre gorges. had never heard of him before and the commentary didnt even hype him up that much. wasnt expecting much but he looked the business even then

That's a good find. I'm sure I snoozed through quite a few on the allegedly undercards back in the day!

[DrDuke]

When I was watching Kownacki at the Wilder-Szpilka undercard, I didn't take him very seriously, but gradually he received a top 15-20 claim, even though now he's out of the contenders' spot.

[Cholo_cws]

Good thread. I went to Gary Sykes v Andy Morris (a terrific fight) in Huddersfield in 2010. I went as Tyson Fury was fighting on the bill and I saw most of his early fights. I don't remember too much about the undercard other than there was one or two popular (with the crowd) boxers who fought - which is normal anyway. It was only years later that I realised that I'd seen Carl Frampton (4-0) and Josh Warrington (2-0.) Interesting that Fury was fighting on a Matchroom show. I can't remember why too. Might have been when Hennessy was between tv deals (ITV and channel Five) and happy to keep Fury busy.

[bigjack]

John Fury was on a Manchester card that i watched live and paid very little notice of him until a few years back when he started mouthing off on youtube etc,then realised who he was

edit he was on the Hodkinson v Villasana show at the G mex

[MightyWarrior]

I was at Dillian Whytes debut on a very weird card in elephant and castle, think it might’ve been heavyweights only - a mate had tickets and we got so hammered I don’t remember watching much he told me a few years later we saw Whyte there ….

[Boxerbeetle]

Joe Calzaghe made his pro debut on the Lewis - Bruno undercard, so wouldn’t be surprised if a few posters on here saw him then. I was only about 12 at the time unfortunately.

[Scoops]

Joe Calzaghe made his pro debut on the Lewis - Bruno undercard, so wouldn’t be surprised if a few posters on here saw him then. I was only about 12 at the time unfortunately.

That's a good one

[Cyclops]

I must've unknowingly watched George Groves' professional debut on the Haye-Barratt undercard.

[orbtastic]

I was at the Hamed McCullough fight in Atlantic city but have zero recollection of watching Ricky Hatton (or Richard as they were calling him then). I remember all the other undercard fights. Maybe I was getting a beer or emptying one. I remember it being bitterly cold that night.

[stujones]

The Steve Robinson vs Hamed card is quite unique (not sure how often it has happened) but every fight on the bill contained at least one fighter who fought for a world title.

Jason Matthews (vs Marvin O Brien)
Daniel Alicea - the guy who floored Hamed (vs Peter Judson)
Glenn Catley (vs John Duckworth)
Kevin Lueishing
Nicky Piper (vs Noel Magee)
Justin Juuko vs Tony Pep (both ex world title challengers).

[Deserter]

Great thread - love reading some of these answers!

As for me, towards the end of 2008 I'd decided to accept a new role that meant I'd be moving back to Dubai in the New Year, so I decided to treat myself to a decent seat for Froch vs Pascal up in Nottingham as reward. None of my mates fancied it so I embarked on a solo round trip from Somerset of 6hr+ on a cold December night.
Proved to be more than worth it as the main event was an absolute barnstormer and it was a solid undercard as well. Speaking of which there was the less than memorable Bela Gyonygosi facing off against a debutant by the name of Tyson Fury... thought he was a big unit, but I certainly didn't think I'd be writing this post days after witnessing him defend his world title in Vegas in such thrilling fashion.

[Scoops]

Great thread - love reading some of these answers!

As for me, towards the end of 2008 I'd decided to accept a new role that meant I'd be moving back to Dubai in the New Year, so I decided to treat myself to a decent seat for Froch vs Pascal up in Nottingham as reward. None of my mates fancied it so I embarked on a solo round trip from Somerset of 6hr+ on a cold December night.
Proved to be more than worth it as the main event was an absolute barnstormer and it was a solid undercard as well. Speaking of which there was the less than memorable Bela Gyonygosi facing off against a debutant by the name of Tyson Fury... thought he was a big unit, but I certainly didn't think I'd be writing this post days after witnessing him defend his world title in Vegas in such thrilling fashion.

That's a cracker. I remember watching the main event on ITV. You don't fights like that for free these days (though you didn't get many like it then either)

[milpool]

I saw Josh Warrington against Samir Mouneimne on the undercard of a Luke Campbell bill in Hull. He didn’t have massive support in the arena which was interesting given his huge following now.

I was also at AJ’s first fight, although in fairness, he was the main event.

I’ve also a seen Lawrence Okolie, Joshua Buatsi and Joe Joyce at the WSB and Marcus Browne at the Olympics.

[jimb0d]

Inspired me to look down the undercards at old bills and Josh Taylor sticks out way down the order at frampton/quigg. Don't remember any hype at the time.

[Ezzard]

Lomachenko at the London Olympics. It was an early round of the draw. It was only years later when I looked back to see if anyone big had been there that day and his name was right there!

[bigjack]

I watched Gerald McClellans 3rd pro fight in Vegas and paid no attention to him at the time.

[ERIC GUY]

filmed far too many to mention, from the amatuers,
LENNOX LEWIS, HATTON, KHAN, FROCH, HARRISON, HAYE, BARKER, EUBANK JNR, NAZ, AJ, FURY, BUATSI, JOYCE, LOMACHENKO. ETC,

PRO , DILLIAN, EUBANK, CALZAGHE, WOODHALL, McCRACKEN, WATSON, BENN,

[ERIC GUY]

filmed far too many to mention, from the amatuers,
LENNOX LEWIS, HATTON, KHAN, FROCH, HARRISON, HAYE, BARKER, EUBANK JNR, NAZ, AJ, FURY, BUATSI, JOYCE, LOMACHENKO. ETC,

PRO , DILLIAN, EUBANK, CALZAGHE, WOODHALL, McCRACKEN, WATSON, BENN,

[Deserter]

filmed far too many to mention, from the amatuers,
LENNOX LEWIS, HATTON, KHAN, FROCH, HARRISON, HAYE, BARKER, EUBANK JNR, NAZ, AJ, FURY, BUATSI, JOYCE, LOMACHENKO. ETC,

PRO , DILLIAN, EUBANK, CALZAGHE, WOODHALL, McCRACKEN, WATSON, BENN,

Out of that lot Eric who impressed you the first time you saw them and who surprised you the most in terms of either how much they went on to achieve or how little they did?

[high tower 1]

Josh Taylor at London Olympics. Got beat and the Italian pulled his vest back over his head , did an arnie flex and roared. Whilst josh petulantly pushed him from Behind.

Sergio Martinez v Richard Williams.

[Deserter]

Sergio Martinez v Richard Williams.

Bet that was a great fight to be at!

[coghaugen11]

Eubank Sr at Wembley v Greg George. I was there to see Duke McKenzie, Jim McDonnell and Michael Watson. Eubank got bashed about and was boo’d heavily at the end. I didn’t think he’d get to British title level based on that.

What we didn’t know at the time was he took the fight on two hours notice and was usually a light-middle whereas George had been on the unlicensed circuit as a light-heavy and only just got his license back due to retina problems. Eubank detached his retina again and sent him back to unlicensed. Eubank actually went over, though more of a shove it was a scored knockdown.

Jimmy, Mike Watson and Duke all looked brilliant that night.