Which glorified British amateur ended up being the biggest underachiever in the professional ring

[rhino222]

Often amateur stars come through surrounded by mega acclaim and are promised to be the next best thing. But who has been the biggest let down (in terms of titles and bank balance)?

Id probably have to pick Frankie Gavin, one of the most talented amateurs we have seen but lacked serious discipline outside the ring. If he had lived the life and played his cards correctly he could now be remembered as a millionaire and ex world champion. He had the world at his feet.

Audley was a huge letdown, but you have to admire his marketing that made him a multi millionaire without reaching the summit.

Others?...... Kevin Mitchell?

[Old bones Ian]

It depends really as James Degale was the first gold medalist to win a world title so amateur success doesn't always mean titles.

I think calling out guys that fought at world level is wrong, I'd say someone that does that has a level of success.
Someone that had a handful of fights with losses would be deemed unsuccessful

[Ruthless-RKO]

It depends really as James Degale was the first gold medalist to win a world title so amateur success doesn't always mean titles.

I think calling out guys that fought at world level is wrong, I'd say someone that does that has a level of success.
Someone that had a handful of fights with losses would be deemed unsuccessful

Shocking that ain't it?

Khan of course won Silver and won a world title.

Surely there was other medal (silver, bronze) winners to have won a world title..

[dan28uk]

frankie gavin

[polecateddy]

David Dolan had a good amateur record but proved to be an average professional.

[jameswilson]

The gulf between Tom Stalker at amateur and pro was huge.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The amateur game is much different to the pro ranks thought isn't it?

We could flip this in reverse and ask which underachieving amateur had a glorified pro career?

[JamesPhilips]

Ogogo?

[stujones]

The Audley Harrison award goes to..... Audley Harrison.

If I was to pick 3 I would say.

Harrison - clearly the number 1.
Joe Murray - wasn't he world amateur champion or something like that?
Errol Christie.

And yes honorable mention to Frankie Gavin.

Definately these worthy of a mention (some though it wasn't their fault)- Tony Jeffries, Bradley Saunders, Neil Perkins, Courtney Fry, Adrian Dodson, David Burke, Fred Evans, Fola Okesola

Tom Stalker - I always thought he did not have the pro style and thought he would struggle.

[stujones]

It depends really as James Degale was the first gold medalist to win a world title so amateur success doesn't always mean titles.

I think calling out guys that fought at world level is wrong, I'd say someone that does that has a level of success.
Someone that had a handful of fights with losses would be deemed unsuccessful

Shocking that ain't it?

Khan of course won Silver and won a world title.

Surely there was other medal (silver, bronze) winners to have won a world title..

Robin Reid, Richie Woodhall, Alan Minter.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It depends really as James Degale was the first gold medalist to win a world title so amateur success doesn't always mean titles.

I think calling out guys that fought at world level is wrong, I'd say someone that does that has a level of success.
Someone that had a handful of fights with losses would be deemed unsuccessful

Shocking that ain't it?

Khan of course won Silver and won a world title.

Surely there was other medal (silver, bronze) winners to have won a world title..

No ones even memtinned Khan yet in this thead

Are you paid to defend Khan 24/7. Biggest khan fanboy lol. You feel the need to run to his defence on every comment.

You must be a pakistani/south asian. Always the most deluded biased overrating comments on Khan and sensitivity on criticism come from those people on Khan

It's a thread about British Amateurs and we're discussing medals.

You're basically creating threads just to shit on him? Where was you during the build up?

No one's running to anyone's defence pal, and I'm not the only one who probably would based on what you're typing.

[stujones]

Often amateur stars come through surrounded by mega acclaim and are promised to be the next best thing. But who has been the biggest let down (in terms of titles and bank balance)?

Id probably have to pick Frankie Gavin, one of the most talented amateurs we have seen but lacked serious discipline outside the ring. If he had lived the life and played his cards correctly he could now be remembered as a millionaire and ex world champion. He had the world at his feet.

Audley was a huge letdown, but you have to admire his marketing that made him a multi millionaire without reaching the summit.

Others?...... Kevin Mitchell?

Audley was a multi millionaire before he laced a glove on as a pro - it wasn't his profile AS a pro that made him a multi million it was marketing BEFORE he turned over - which means one thing - he is THE most glorified amateur we have ever had by a country mile and he was therefore the biggest underachiever in the pro ranks.

It speaks volumes that he claims he should be knighted and in the HoF because of what he did as an amateur. He was famously on the cover of ring magazine as a superstar in the making - this is the easiest answer ever.

[Fray Bentos]

Bobby Wells - ABA champion and Olympic bronze medalist

Adrian Elliott who won the ABA title about four times.

[Greg Houston]

Definately these worthy of a mention (some though it wasn't their fault)- Tony Jeffries, Bradley Saunders, Neil Perkins, Courtney Fry, Adrian Dodson, David Burke, Fred Evans, Fola Okesola

For the "not their fault" list, I would probably include Nicola Adams as well. Our only two time Olympic gold medallist and just never really got going as a pro. Just seemed the chances weren't there to get her career moving.

[rhino222]

David Dolan had a good amateur record but proved to be an average professional.

very good call that one

[rhino222]

Did Tony Oakey over achieve or under achieve? WBU etc etc

He had a fab career in terms of ABA titles etc, but was the talent pool weak at the time?

[Crease]

It depends really as James Degale was the first gold medalist to win a world title so amateur success doesn't always mean titles.

I think that is very harsh... I've never been a fan of Chunky, but he certainly had a successful career - he was British and European Champion before winning the IBF World Championship at Super Middle...

Not exactly a devastatingly bad record to be fair to him...

[Crease]

The first fighter that came to my mind was Frankie Gavin.

I think he finished his pro career and he had won the Commonwealth title and the British title outright (3 defences) at Welterweight... But he had a brilliant run in his amateur days and I think that people expected more...

[Old bones Ian]

There was a middleweight (I think) from London (I think) that tore a hole through people as an amateur, big big puncher.

But had 4-5 fights and disappeared

[Crease]

Paddy Barnes may be the quintessential answer to this question.
Fantastic amateur career, won nothing in the pros...

[Ruthless-RKO]

Paddy Barnes may be the quintessential answer to this question.
Fantastic amateur career, won nothing in the pros...

That’s a good one.

[watsupdoc87]

Not British but Irish I'd have carruth from Barcelona and paddy Barnes

[jimmystone]

Re: Frankie Gavin

To the best of my knowledge Anthony Farnell's gym is clean i.e. no PEDS. That is a good thing and Anthony is a very good trainer. Some other gyms and other trainers aren't, which is a shame but a reality.

With a clean trainer, Frankie did not have the gumption to realise himself and had nobody to grab him by the scruff of the neck and explain to him that in order to get to the top and maximise his potential he would need to take PEDs. He looked undersized and underpowered at his weight in part because of his ill-discipline with food but the fact he was a clean fighter made an even bigger negative impact IMO.

People don't like to hear it, I know, but to get to the top of boxing (with a few exceptions e.g. Bellew, and matchmaking helped him) you need to be at the very least topping up your testosterone. Look at the physiques of the top lads in Frankie's weight division.

All in my opinion, of course...

[rhino222]

Courtney Fry was one of the names i was trying to think of.

[Old bones Ian]

Re: Frankie Gavin

To the best of my knowledge Anthony Farnell's gym is clean i.e. no PEDS. That is a good thing and Anthony is a very good trainer. Some other gyms and other trainers aren't, which is a shame but a reality.

With a clean trainer, Frankie did not have the gumption to realise himself and had nobody to grab him by the scruff of the neck and explain to him that in order to get to the top and maximise his potential he would need to take PEDs. He looked undersized and underpowered at his weight in part because of his ill-discipline with food but the fact he was a clean fighter made an even bigger negative impact IMO.

People don't like to hear it, I know, but to get to the top of boxing (with a few exceptions e.g. Bellew, and matchmaking helped him) you need to be at the very least topping up your testosterone. Look at the physiques of the top lads in Frankie's weight division.

All in my opinion, of course...

So what your saying is my alky mate who is ripped for some genetic reason is topping up on peds as well as Special Brew