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

[tigermoth87]

Frankie Gavin was pretty wank as a pro.

[maverick23]

Frankie Gavin was pretty wank as a pro.

I wouldn’t say anyone who wins the British title outright is ‘pretty wank’. He just underachieved based on his amateur credentials.

[Coco]

Frankie Gavin was pretty wank as a pro.

I wouldn’t say anyone who wins the British title outright is ‘pretty wank’. He just underachieved based on his amateur credentials.

Exactly that

[bennie]

There was a really good amateur by the name of Russell Jones who won Welsh ABA titles at light-flyweight, flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight and was robbed in a couple of ABA finals. He also boxed in the Commonwealth Games in Canada in 1978 but did nothing when he turned pro a couple of years later. I watched him a few times, his curly hair receding, and it was hard to associate the amateur with the pro.

[Coco]

There was a really good amateur by the name of Russell Jones who won Welsh ABA titles at light-flyweight, flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight and was robbed in a couple of ABA finals. He also boxed in the Commonwealth Games in Canada in 1978 but did nothing when he turned pro a couple of years later. I watched him a few times, his curly hair receding, and it was hard to associate the amateur with the pro.

Gilfach Goch has turned out a good few quality fighters, a really tough place to live, really small place but it breeds fighters

[PredatorHayds]

Andrew Selby is the best amateur I’ve seen live.
I thought he would become a multi-weight World Champion.
Started well as a Pro but didn’t live the life away from the ring.

I remember him winning on the same York Hall show as Loma and Usyk. He didn’t look out of place.

[wrighty]

Paul Smith was a good amateur. I think he beat Abraham in the first fight. He could not miss with the right hand. I think the Ward fight did nothing for him and he got some wba title fights without beating ranked opponents. Again after the Abraham fights I think he should have gone and fought some of the domestic champions. The ebu title, British and commonwealth titles were winnable for him. I think he was alright. Did smigga win the Ana's? I know he got commonwealth silver

[PredatorHayds]

Paul Smith was a good amateur. I think he beat Abraham in the first fight. He could not miss with the right hand. I think the Ward fight did nothing for him and he got some wba title fights without beating ranked opponents. Again after the Abraham fights I think he should have gone and fought some of the domestic champions. The ebu title, British and commonwealth titles were winnable for him. I think he was alright. Did smigga win the Ana's? I know he got commonwealth silver

I was impressed with Smith in the amateurs. I thought he had a PRO style and was nailed on to be a World champion.
Like Murray weight wise he seemed stuck between Middle and Super-Middle.

[JWA31]

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?

Terry Flanagan

[wrighty]

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?

Terry Flanagan

Nick Blackwell did alright and only had a white collar career. That Eubank fight was all wrong for him though

[Coco]

Johnny Nelson

Johnny Fisher has already earned a bomb

[D4v3]

Fred evans career is sad to look at given what he did in the amateurs

[D4v3]

I worry pat McCormack may find himself in this category, turned pro a little late for me and a time when domestic backing is nowhere near what it used to be

[wrighty]

Fred evans career is sad to look at given what he did in the amateurs

What is he doing with himself?

[Coco]

Fred evans career is sad to look at given what he did in the amateurs

What is he doing with himself?

Getting himself in bother with the old bill and a bit of tarmacing

[wrighty]

Fred evans career is sad to look at given what he did in the amateurs

What is he doing with himself?

Getting himself in bother with the old bill and a bit of tarmacing

A career well spent ffs lol

[littlepug]

Don’t know if the Collins brothers have been mentioned yet, Tony and George, I think George only had 1 amateur defeat in 70 odd bouts which was his last one v Gary Stretch.

[Deserter]

Don’t know if the Collins brothers have been mentioned yet, Tony and George, I think George only had 1 amateur defeat in 70 odd bouts which was his last one v Gary Stretch.

And Warren spoke about Tony is his recent interview in BN - said he stood Honeyghan on his head in sparring but lack of dedication meant he fell way short of Frank's expectations. Sounds about right as there were similar stories about Collins doing the same to Eubank in the gym.

[Coco]

What is he doing with himself?

Getting himself in bother with the old bill and a bit of tarmacing

A career well spent ffs lol

Arguably a more successful amateur than Gavin

[Coco]

What is he doing with himself?

Getting himself in bother with the old bill and a bit of tarmacing

A career well spent ffs lol

Arguably a more successful amateur than Gavin.
Boxing is such a short career, in a blink of an eyelid you are inactive, overweight and over 30

[Coco]

Tony Docherty

[olij999]

Don’t know if the Collins brothers have been mentioned yet, Tony and George, I think George only had 1 amateur defeat in 70 odd bouts which was his last one v Gary Stretch.

Good call, and that's right about the Gary Stretch fight. George had that long run to get to 35-0 as a pro before losing to Gary Jacobs in a close one and then being taken apart by Kirkland Laing. Was brought along very cautiously in the early days of his pro career - his fifth pro fight was 4x2s. Wonder if that was part of a careful rebuild after the Stretch loss?

PS - was there something funny going on about his date of birth? Boxrec has it as 7 Oct 1967, with his pro debut being 20 Feb 1985, which would make him 17 at that point. Will have to have a look back at the old BNs on that one.

[Coco]

Don’t know if the Collins brothers have been mentioned yet, Tony and George, I think George only had 1 amateur defeat in 70 odd bouts which was his last one v Gary Stretch.

Good call, and that's right about the Gary Stretch fight. George had that long run to get to 35-0 as a pro before losing to Gary Jacobs in a close one and then being taken apart by Kirkland Laing. Was brought along very cautiously in the early days of his pro career - his fifth pro fight was 4x2s. Wonder if that was part of a careful rebuild after the Stretch loss?

PS - was there something funny going on about his date of birth? Boxrec has it as 7 Oct 1967, with his pro debut being 20 Feb 1985, which would make him 17 at that point. Will have to have a look back at the old BNs on that one.

I'm pretty sure he did go pro at 17.
I imagine the regs changed at some point because for sure you had to be 18 in the 90's in the UK

[littlepug]

Don’t know if the Collins brothers have been mentioned yet, Tony and George, I think George only had 1 amateur defeat in 70 odd bouts which was his last one v Gary Stretch.

Good call, and that's right about the Gary Stretch fight. George had that long run to get to 35-0 as a pro before losing to Gary Jacobs in a close one and then being taken apart by Kirkland Laing. Was brought along very cautiously in the early days of his pro career - his fifth pro fight was 4x2s. Wonder if that was part of a careful rebuild after the Stretch loss?

PS - was there something funny going on about his date of birth? Boxrec has it as 7 Oct 1967, with his pro debut being 20 Feb 1985, which would make him 17 at that point. Will have to have a look back at the old BNs on that one.

Can see the Stretch v Collins ko at the beginning of the Stretch v Eubank ITV broadcast on YouTube

[Manchester Massive]

Steve Bell, double ABA champ, captained the England team at the Commonwealth games but only grabbed a central area title as a pro