Champions Who Never Had Amateur Careers

[elmersalsa]

Did Thailand's Saensak Muangsurin had an amateur career? He became world champion in the pro boxing stage only on his 3rd pro fight.

How about Ricardo Mayorga of Nicaragua? He looked like he came from the street to the pros. And if he was an amateur, I don't think he learned anything as far as I am concerned seeing him fight.

[Cygnus475]

Well wilt chamberlain had zero amateur experience but now he's p4p one of the greatest heavyweights ever. Move over Ken Norton, you arent the only heavyweight champion to never beat a world champion!

[MarkN]

This is an old thread but I can add a confirmed name. Former WBC Featherweight champion Johnny Famechon definitely never fought amateur, straight in as a pro. It sort of showed early in his career but he had a 5 year 34 fight unbeaten streak before he lost to Saldivar. Never lost by KO, was almost impossible to nail.

[Controversial]

Roberto Duran was never an amateur boxer.

I’m pretty sure he did box as an amateur but he just didn’t have many fights

[MarkN]

Have seen a reference elsewhere that Duran had an amateur record of 13-3. Don't know if it's true or not.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

Anthony Mundine?

Anthony Mundine had 4 amateur fights.

Mundine told me it was 2 ..........Australian first ever Aboriginal Boxing Champion had his 1st fight when he was 34 years old winning the National Middleweight Title at 4 year's later at 38 year's old.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

Roberto Duran was never an amateur boxer.

He did it wasn't a lot or very impressive at all

[Esquire]

One of my favorites, Hall of Famer Joltin' Jeff Chandler had 2 amateur fights.

It's not zero amateur fights, but it's close.

[Like a Boss]

Australian & Commonwealth champion at various weights, and World Title challenger Paul Ferreri had no amateur fights.

[jamamb]

multiple time hw title challenger jameel mcclne had no amateur career and that showed early on with him winning only 2 of his first 5 (2-2-1) but then finding his way and going on a 26-0-2 run before finally losing again

edit: dope i just notced the threads about 'champions'

[BitPlayer]

James J. Jeffries never had an amateur fight that I can recall either; and if I am not mistaken, I don't believe Jack Johnson did either.

Would anyone from that era have any actual amatuer experience though.... guys like Gans and later Langford certainly wouldnt have had any....

.... travelling in the boxing booths was probobly the equivalent of an amatuer career in that era....

Choyenski and Corbett both had, but I think was more unusual.

[Like a Boss]

Anthony Mundine?

Anthony Mundine had 4 amateur fights.

Mundine told me it was 2 ..........Australian first ever Aboriginal Boxing Champion had his 1st fight when he was 34 years old winning the National Middleweight Title at 4 year's later at 38 year's old.

According to Mundine himself he had 4 amateur fights:

"I fought undefeated champion Sven Ottke in my 10th fight of my career ! He had 12 title defences plus had over 300 amateurs when we fought I was still a pup being only my 10th fight ! I only had 4 amateurs when I was 16/17 then went back to footy I believe I was winning until experience & seasoning let me down."

Ref: Anthony Mundine facebook 22nd Feb 2018 https://www.facebook.com/teammundine/

[Controversial]

Chris Algieri didn’t have any amateur boxing fights but was unbeaten in 20 kickboxing fights

[margaret thatcher]

his boxrec record lists a tko1 kickboxing loss, 20-0 might be another one of these fake promotional records

[Controversial]

his boxrec record lists a tko1 kickboxing loss, 20-0 might be another one of these fake promotional records

How accurate is that though? In interview Algieri says he was unbeaten in kick-boxing but admitted to losses as a wrestler. If you look at the supposed kick-boxing loss in 2004 to Harra that only seems to be mentioned on one website too. It's shown as Harra’s first fight but then shows a gap of two years before he fights again. But on other MMA sites Harra’s record doesn’t mention Algieri at all and just shows Barra first fight in 2006. So for me I’d be reluctant to take that as gospel.

[margaret thatcher]

his boxrec record lists a tko1 kickboxing loss, 20-0 might be another one of these fake promotional records

How accurate is that though? In interview Algieri says he was unbeaten in kick-boxing but admitted to losses as a wrestler. If you look at the supposed kick-boxing loss in 2004 to Harra that only seems to be mentioned on one website too. It's shown as Harra’s first fight but then shows a gap of two years before he fights again. But on other MMA sites Harra’s record doesn’t mention Algieri at all and just shows Barra first fight in 2006. So for me I’d be reluctant to take that as gospel.

id be equally reluctant to take a fighters word about their own record. amateur records are blown up and inflated all the time, and algieri's undefeated kickboxing record is basically what he got hyped with in place of that. where are the records of algeiri's 20 pro kickboxing fights?


btw he gets ko'd here. he's a liar if he says he never lost in kickboxing

[margaret thatcher]

he's stopped in the 2nd fight here too

his undefeated claim isnt stacking up too well

[gilgamesh]

As far as active boxers now. To my knowledge Canelo just started out as a Pro and never had an amateur bout.

[gilgamesh]

Have seen a reference elsewhere that Duran had an amateur record of 13-3. Don't know if it's true or not.

Duran mentioned in his book that he had a few amateur bouts, and that's coming from the man himself so I think it's fair to assume he did.

He mentioned he won a big fight that should've gotten him the right to represent Panama in the Pan Am Games I think it was, but they gave the spot on the team to some other kid who had Political connections. Duran said he didn't even want to box after that because it's all Political bullsh*t, but then he was offered a fight for money, and the rest is history.

[margaret thatcher]

As far as active boxers now. To my knowledge Canelo just started out as a Pro and never had an amateur bout.

i think he had a short amateur career

[gilgamesh]

multiple time hw title challenger jameel mcclne had no amateur career and that showed early on with him winning only 2 of his first 5 (2-2-1) but then finding his way and going on a 26-0-2 run before finally losing again

edit: dope i just notced the threads about 'champions'

McCline actually had an Amateur record of 1-0

I remember this because I remember it being one of the Pre-Fight things they mentioned about him going into his fight with Lance Whitaker back in the day.

[Controversial]

his boxrec record lists a tko1 kickboxing loss, 20-0 might be another one of these fake promotional records

How accurate is that though? In interview Algieri says he was unbeaten in kick-boxing but admitted to losses as a wrestler. If you look at the supposed kick-boxing loss in 2004 to Harra that only seems to be mentioned on one website too. It's shown as Harra’s first fight but then shows a gap of two years before he fights again. But on other MMA sites Harra’s record doesn’t mention Algieri at all and just shows Barra first fight in 2006. So for me I’d be reluctant to take that as gospel.

id be equally reluctant to take a fighters word about their own record. amateur records are blown up and inflated all the time, and algieri's undefeated kickboxing record is basically what he got hyped with in place of that. where are the records of algeiri's 20 pro kickboxing fights?


btw he gets ko'd here. he's a liar if he says he never lost in kickboxing

Good find. I was more questioning the bout with Harra as it was only mentioned on one site and not on others. But yes of course most records are inflated.

[margaret thatcher]

well tbh, seeing those other two fights makes it easier for me to believe someone ko'd him in 1

[Controversial]

well tbh, seeing those other two fights makes it easier for me to believe someone ko'd him in 1

Very true. I'm surprised he's continuing with the unbeaten claim when the videos of his losses are on youtube, it even says undefeated 2x world kick-boxing champ on his twitter page

[Caractacus]

How about the fewest amateur fights ?
I don't think Larry Holmes had too many amateur fights.