Good pro fighters with bad amateur career

[Cent0089]

Some good pro fighters who took lot of losses in amateurs ? And other question ...best current fighters with NO amateur experience ?

[littlepug]

There will be loads of these, don’t think Duke McKenzie had a very good am career.

[HomicideHenry]

Rocky Marciano had a record of 8-4 in the amateurs. He of course ended up 49-0 as a pro. As for current boxers with limited or no amateur experience, I don't think it really exists anymore.

The sport is so geared towards the amateur system and gaining sponsors, and certain ones get great contracts upon turning pro that the business has basically zeroed out anybody who dares try to manage their own careers or starting from absolutely nothing.

Most of these people who start from zero amateur experience these days are high profile athletes from other sports trying their hand at boxing like Stefi Cohen (powerlifting) and Steve Robinson (football) who have sponsorships or the funds from their former careers to get their boxing careers going.

[wrighty]

Nick Blackwell had a white collar career in something called the EBF. He was quite good as a pro winning both British and English titles

[Noxy]

Nelson is the first that comes to mind.

[littlepug]

Liam Walsh lost his first 10 am fights.

[Noxy]

Paddy Barnes lost his first 15 fights.

[1okstcsb]

Lots of them, Stephen Fulton was 19-13, Jermell Charlo was 2-2, Jermall Charlo was Winless 0-2 as an Amateur. Canelo did NOT have an Amateur Fight (All These, Source Boxrec)
Almost all of them had better records as Professionals and MOST of them fought more Good Fighters as Amateurs then they have as Pro's Example Ryan Garcia fought Haney Multiple times, Shakur Stevenson, Vergil Ortiz and others far better than the 3 best he has fought as A Professional L. Campbell, Tagoe and Fortuna are the only 3 good fighters he has fought as a Pro.

[tiny_acres]

Lots of them, Stephen Fulton was 19-13, Jermell Charlo was 2-2, Jermall Charlo was Winless 0-2 as an Amateur. Canelo did NOT have an Amateur Fight (All These, Source Boxrec)
Almost all of them had better records as Professionals and MOST of them fought more Good Fighters as Amateurs then they have as Pro's Example Ryan Garcia fought Haney Multiple times, Shakur Stevenson, Vergil Ortiz and others far better than the 3 best he has fought as A Professional L. Campbell, Tagoe and Fortuna are the only 3 good fighters he has fought as a Pro.

Canelo was 44-2 as an amateur and was Mexican jr. national champion

Jermell charlo was 56-8 as an amateur and competed at the Jr. p;ympics at 15
Jermall Charlo was 65-6 as an amateur and was slated for the Olympic trials until a toe injury

[margaret thatcher]

the amateur records listed on boxrec are usually incomplete and generally only have stuff from national or international competition, which is a tougher level to win at than regional or local. someone can be 1-1 on boxrec but in reality have 100 amateur fights

that said, the amateur records the media report are often totally inflated bullsheet too. david morrel is being given as 130-2 lately when even an incomplete collection of his amateur results shows 6 documented loses for example.

don curry was listed at 404-4, but had at least 10 documented loses , etc

[margaret thatcher]

i remember watching a few librado andrade fights where they said his amateur record was something like 2-14

[Enlightened-One]

Pinklon Thomas was a former world heavyweight champion, engaged in four world title bouts, and fought nine former world champions.

But he allegedly only had a three-fight amateur career, losing one of them.

[Bling]

Ryan Rozicki 10 - 11 as an amateur (or something like that). Currently an exciting throwback fighter that’ll probably get another world title opportunity.

[bennie]

There will be loads of these, don’t think Duke McKenzie had a very good am career.

His schoolboy and junior record is forgettable but Duke beat some good men on the way to the ABA semi-finals in 1981, where he was outscored by talented young Welshman Dai Williams, who then lost to Keith Wallace in the flyweight final on a majority decision. Williams turned pro afterwards and had every move in the book but as soon as he got hit with a big shot, he crumbled.
Duke tried again in 1982 and was outpointed by Steve Nolan in a messy London final. Duke spent the three rounds clutching at every opportunity. He did box for Young England a few times, winning at least one, but again did too much spoiling. Just before turning pro with Mickey Duff, McKenzie scored a clean knockout of good Welshman Brian Ahmed, which is worth a mention, Ahmed was out for several minutes. Duff, by the way didn't want to sign Duke but the fighter kept turning up at Duff's office in Wardour Street until Duff relented.
Duke's brothers Dudley and Clinton, were brilliant amateurs.

[littlepug]

There will be loads of these, don’t think Duke McKenzie had a very good am career.

His schoolboy and junior record is forgettable but Duke beat some good men on the way to the ABA semi-finals in 1981, where he was outscored by talented young Welshman Dai Williams, who then lost to Keith Wallace in the flyweight final on a majority decision. Williams turned pro afterwards and had every move in the book but as soon as he got hit with a big shot, he crumbled.
Duke tried again in 1982 and was outpointed by Steve Nolan in a messy London final. Duke spent the three rounds clutching at every opportunity. He did box for Young England a few times, winning at least one, but again did too much spoiling. Just before turning pro with Mickey Duff, McKenzie scored a clean knockout of good Welshman Brian Ahmed, which is worth a mention, Ahmed was out for several minutes. Duff, by the way didn't want to sign Duke but the fighter kept turning up at Duff's office in Wardour Street until Duff relented.
Duke's brothers Dudley and Clinton, were brilliant amateurs.

Cheers, I knew he was the lesser of his brothers in the ams but he was still quite decent himself then, heard him tell the Duff story in the Tris Dixon interview.

[bennie]

There will be loads of these, don’t think Duke McKenzie had a very good am career.

His schoolboy and junior record is forgettable but Duke beat some good men on the way to the ABA semi-finals in 1981, where he was outscored by talented young Welshman Dai Williams, who then lost to Keith Wallace in the flyweight final on a majority decision. Williams turned pro afterwards and had every move in the book but as soon as he got hit with a big shot, he crumbled.
Duke tried again in 1982 and was outpointed by Steve Nolan in a messy London final. Duke spent the three rounds clutching at every opportunity. He did box for Young England a few times, winning at least one, but again did too much spoiling. Just before turning pro with Mickey Duff, McKenzie scored a clean knockout of good Welshman Brian Ahmed, which is worth a mention, Ahmed was out for several minutes. Duff, by the way didn't want to sign Duke but the fighter kept turning up at Duff's office in Wardour Street until Duff relented.
Duke's brothers Dudley and Clinton, were brilliant amateurs.

Cheers, I knew he was the lesser of his brothers in the ams but he was still quite decent himself then, heard him tell the Duff story in the Tris Dixon interview.

Duke really hit it off with Mickey and the two remained friends right up to Mickey's death in 2014. Duff was never known for the big financial gesture but he would leave tickets at Heathrow for Duke to fly over for the big fights in Las Vegas.

[littlepug]

His schoolboy and junior record is forgettable but Duke beat some good men on the way to the ABA semi-finals in 1981, where he was outscored by talented young Welshman Dai Williams, who then lost to Keith Wallace in the flyweight final on a majority decision. Williams turned pro afterwards and had every move in the book but as soon as he got hit with a big shot, he crumbled.
Duke tried again in 1982 and was outpointed by Steve Nolan in a messy London final. Duke spent the three rounds clutching at every opportunity. He did box for Young England a few times, winning at least one, but again did too much spoiling. Just before turning pro with Mickey Duff, McKenzie scored a clean knockout of good Welshman Brian Ahmed, which is worth a mention, Ahmed was out for several minutes. Duff, by the way didn't want to sign Duke but the fighter kept turning up at Duff's office in Wardour Street until Duff relented.
Duke's brothers Dudley and Clinton, were brilliant amateurs.

Cheers, I knew he was the lesser of his brothers in the ams but he was still quite decent himself then, heard him tell the Duff story in the Tris Dixon interview.

Duke really hit it off with Mickey and the two remained friends right up to Mickey's death in 2014. Duff was never known for the big financial gesture but he would leave tickets at Heathrow for Duke to fly over for the big fights in Las Vegas.

I don’t know if you saw the Tris Dixon interview but Duke talked about a train crash which spilled over into his garden a few years back, it sounded pretty gruesome and I think he said he needed counselling afterwards.

[bennie]

Cheers, I knew he was the lesser of his brothers in the ams but he was still quite decent himself then, heard him tell the Duff story in the Tris Dixon interview.

Duke really hit it off with Mickey and the two remained friends right up to Mickey's death in 2014. Duff was never known for the big financial gesture but he would leave tickets at Heathrow for Duke to fly over for the big fights in Las Vegas.

I don’t know if you saw the Tris Dixon interview but Duke talked about a train crash which spilled over into his garden a few years back, it sounded pretty gruesome and I think he said he needed counselling afterwards.

Yes, the Purley rail disaster in 1989. Duke is a gentleman.

[SportsRatings]

Canelo did NOT have an Amateur Fight (All These, Source Boxrec)

Yeah, BoxRec's amateur section is spotty at best and at worst resembles the resume of a fighter from the 1860s in terms of completeness

[brilo33]

Paddy Barnes lost his first 15 fights.

he won Olympic medals