worst managed fighters

[JC]

Any votes for Mike Perez? What has he been doing these last 10 years?

I think he was traumatised by what happened in the Abdusalamov fight and subsequently lost all motivation and momentum.

He struggled with alcoholism after that and claimed he was drunk in the ring for his first round KO loss to Povetkin.

Not sure what happened after that but it must have played a role in is career never really getting back on track.

[keithmoonhangover]

Any votes for Mike Perez? What has he been doing these last 10 years?

I think he was traumatised by what happened in the Abdusalamov fight and subsequently lost all motivation and momentum.

He struggled with alcoholism after that and claimed he was drunk in the ring for his first round KO loss to Povetkin.

Not sure what happened after that but it must have played a role in is career never really getting back on track.

Definitely.

[wrighty]

Simon Valilly. Commonwealth gold medalist at heavy. Not pushed at cruiser. Fought Breidis early on, got beaten up, then went to heavy and lost to wardley and a few others for no benefit.

Robin Reid. Stop start, had some bad breaks, got the ibo strap against Magee which was a good win, fought a journeyman then went over to fight Lacy with bad prep . In a podcast Reid said he wanted to bank some defences but was told no.

Danniyar Yelluesimov. Sod knows what happened there. A genuine elite tallent then nothing

[Flump]

Any votes for Mike Perez? What has he been doing these last 10 years?

I think he was traumatised by what happened in the Abdusalamov fight and subsequently lost all motivation and momentum.

He struggled with alcoholism after that and claimed he was drunk in the ring for his first round KO loss to Povetkin.

Not sure what happened after that but it must have played a role in is career never really getting back on track.

Definitely.

He's on the Itauma - Hrgovic bill this weekend. Talented fighter for sure, the fight with Abdusalamov was brutal, I can well understand there being some psychological damage after that one.

[keithmoonhangover]

I think he was traumatised by what happened in the Abdusalamov fight and subsequently lost all motivation and momentum.

He struggled with alcoholism after that and claimed he was drunk in the ring for his first round KO loss to Povetkin.

Not sure what happened after that but it must have played a role in is career never really getting back on track.

Definitely.

He's on the Itauma - Hrgovic bill this weekend. Talented fighter for sure, the fight with Abdusalamov was brutal, I can well understand there being some psychological damage after that one.

He's pulled out of the fight this weekend, it's a shame because he's always in good shape.

[JamesPhilips]

Did anyone mention Michael Hunter jr?

[Riddick Bowie]

Did anyone mention Michael Hunter jr?

Could argue Mike Hunter Sr as well.

[Flump]

Definitely.

He's on the Itauma - Hrgovic bill this weekend. Talented fighter for sure, the fight with Abdusalamov was brutal, I can well understand there being some psychological damage after that one.

He's pulled out of the fight this weekend, it's a shame because he's always in good shape.

That is a pity, never seen him in the flesh, was looking forward to that.

[JamesPhilips]

Did anyone mention Michael Hunter jr?

Could argue Mike Hunter Sr as well.

Agreed but Jr I think was more mismanaged. Has good wins and was a top amateur. No idea what the Hunter family did to upset the powers that be..

[Old bones Ian]

Danny Juma had the bravest manager in a 15 fight career he took on Robin Reid twice, Carr twice, Piper, Jones, Dodson, Baker, Starie, Woods and Klemetsin.

[a force]

Martin Bakole?

I’d say he’s been brilliantly managed. He’s got no appetite to train & has had several big pay days. If he was born 10 years earlier he would’ve been a random African in the who needs him club. He’s one of many fighters who’ve dropped lucky that the Saudi’s are around.

Billy Nelson is Martin Bakole’s manager and trainer, while Ben Shalom being his promoter.

The Tony Yoka victory wasn't properly exploited. Bakole went to Paris in May 2022, dropped the unbeaten Olympic champion twice and handed him his first professional defeat, yet didn't fight again for a year.

Bakole then spent most of 2023 ranked No.2 by the WBA and most of 2024 at No.1, without that position translating into him competing in an eliminator, earning mandatory challenger status or receiving a world-title fight.

Between beating Yoka in May 2022 and facing Joseph Parker in February 2025, he fought only three times.

His spectacular fifth-round stoppage of the unbeaten Jared Anderson in August 2024 should have been his breakthrough: it gave him US exposure, a major scalp, earned credibility and genuine momentum while already highly ranked.

Instead, six months later Bakole accepted the Joseph Parker fight on roughly two days' notice, being terribly overweight, without a proper training camp and after travelling 3,000 miles from the Congo to Saudi Arabia. An obviously underprepared Bakole was stopped in two embarrassing rounds.

Only ten weeks after being stopped by Parker, Bakole nevertheless fought Ajagba. He again appeared overweight and poorly conditioned... and could only manage a majority draw, with most observers favouring an Ajagba victory.

A proposed May 2026 fight with Guido Vianello then collapsed (with only seven-weeks notice) amid Bakole's contractual dispute with his handlers, despite terms being agreed and contracts signed.

Bakole hasn't fought for more than 15 months, hasn't done anything meaningful in the sport within the last two years and there are no plans for him to fight anytime soon.

That's a remarkable loss of momentum for someone who spent roughly two years ranked either No.1 or No.2 by the WBA. Whatever proportion of the blame belongs to Bakole or his handlers, his prime years have clearly not been converted efficiently into activity, major fights or world-title opportunities.

I understand everything you’re saying but he’s from Congo & will always be the B side & have to fight on shows abroad.

He isn’t going to be getting 4-5 months notice to make sure he’s in perfect shape through a long camp.

He needs to keep himself fit all year round & be ready for when opportunities arise.

He’s in a position where he can’t really afford to turn pay days down so it’s on him to be fit & ready for if he gets the call.

It’s not Billy Nelson or Ben Shalom’s fault that he wasn’t training before the Parker fight.

All they can say to him is ‘this is a massive pay day for you & there’s another opportunity on the back of it regardless of the result’.

What happens if he turns the Parker fight down & upsets the Saudi’s. Who else is going to pay him a fraction of that kind of purse to box on a show elsewhere?

I also think he’s lucky because 10 years ago pre-Saudi money he would’ve struggled to get any opportunities & pay days.

[Tony1244]

Gerry Cooney. Should have fought guys like Weaver and Berbick. Fought very seldom.