Fighters who surprised you that they won a world title?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 26 Jun 2007, 10:11

dr_devious wrote:Oleg Maskaev
Nicolai Valuev
Shannon Briggs

Yeah, when Maskaev was used as a comebacking opponent for a just out of rehab Oliver McCall and done in the first round. I would have never guessed it would be Maskaev and not McCall who would win a world title after.

Agree on Valuev, when he was signed by Frank and basically labelled a freak show - never thought he would make it near the top.

Briggs I disagree with partially, not when he actually won the title. I didn't give him a hope and I thought his career was over when he struggled to draw with Botha and then lose to McCline. However, in his early career when undefeated he was hyped as the next long time champion with these apparent marvelous skills.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 26 Jun 2007, 10:52

Hopefully Gavin Rees on the 21st of July

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:37

What about Chris Pyatt, good honest pro who always seemed to get beat when he stepped up.

If we count intermin titles what about Mario Veit?

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:41

dopey wrote: If we count intermin titles what about Mario Veit?

Or Robbie Regan, didn't he win a interim fly title

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:46

Better than that, he was a full WBO champion.

Indeed, if you count his interim belt - he was a two weight world champion.

IBF interim Flyweight

WBO FULL Bantamweight.

Being a very decent European champion, I think a world title was never out of the equation.

Good fighter, Robbie.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:48

yeah , it all went tits up for him after his enforced retirement.
he was on the verge of some good pay days

holyfields_ear · Post by **holyfields_ear** » 26 Jun 2007, 13:02

Clinton Woods. You wouldn't have thought he would win one of the big three at light heavy when he lost to David Starie. Then he moved up, reinvented himself at light heavy, got some good wins, then lost against Roy Jones and Johnson. I was convinced it was all over for him after losing to Johnson and I remember the feeling on here was Hoye would even beat him. I also never thought Enzo Mac would go beyond WBU level. Although he was manouvered into position as the WBO champion he will do more than I ever thought he would if he beats Braithwaite.

Box Office · Post by **Box Office** » 26 Jun 2007, 16:05

Eric Lucas

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 26 Jun 2007, 18:20

holyfields_ear wrote:Clinton Woods. You wouldn't have thought he would win one of the big three at light heavy when he lost to David Starie. Then he moved up, reinvented himself at light heavy, got some good wins, then lost against Roy Jones and Johnson. I was convinced it was all over for him after losing to Johnson and I remember the feeling on here was Hoye would even beat him.

Good call!

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 26 Jun 2007, 18:25

Maybe slightly off topic, but do more older posters remember what they thought when:

Jeff Fench went for the IBF title after 6 fights?

Leon Spinks challenging Ali after 7?

Then both winning?

Would that ever happen today?

Has the closest we've come to this is Haye challenging Thompson? Anymore examples?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 26 Jun 2007, 18:29

dopey wrote:Maybe slightly off topic, but do more older posters remember what they thought when:

Jeff Fench went for the IBF title after 6 fights?

Leon Spinks challenging Ali after 7?

Then both winning?

Would that ever happen today?

Has the closest we've come to this is Haye challenging Thompson? Anymore examples?

Paul Weir WBO champion in 6 fights.

1southpaw · Post by **1southpaw** » 27 Jun 2007, 17:48

featherweight steve robinson WBO CHAMPION with only 24 hours notice

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 28 Jun 2007, 15:38

Someone mentioned Dave McAuley earlier, but the bigger surprise was after watching him KO Jacob Matlala who would have thought the little South African would go on to become a very good champion.

mas430 · Post by **mas430** » 28 Jun 2007, 15:39

hi newbie but I was surprised(still am) how Jeff fenech did NOTt win the 1st Fenech v Nelson match ??

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 28 Jun 2007, 16:05

holyfields_ear wrote:Clinton Woods. You wouldn't have thought he would win one of the big three at light heavy when he lost to David Starie. Then he moved up, reinvented himself at light heavy, got some good wins, then lost against Roy Jones and Johnson. I was convinced it was all over for him after losing to Johnson and I remember the feeling on here was Hoye would even beat him. I also never thought Enzo Mac would go beyond WBU level. Although he was manouvered into position as the WBO champion he will do more than I ever thought he would if he beats Braithwaite.

Actually often would Starie have boxed Woods' head off at Light Heavy?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 29 Jun 2007, 05:39

Growing up, it would have to be Spinks-Ali in Vegas 1978. Leon's eighth fight. Lottie Mwale smashing Sibbo in one was another whaaaat!!! Joey Mack licking vicious-hitting Colin Derrick, too.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 29 Jun 2007, 09:56

bennie wrote:Growing up, it would have to be Spinks-Ali in Vegas 1978. Leon's eighth fight. Lottie Mwale smashing Sibbo in one was another whaaaat!!! Joey Mack licking vicious-hitting Colin Derrick, too.

Surely though, most pundits thought Spinks would be a champion one day - especially with Ali being 36. Maybe not in 1978 - but in later on.

Crying shame about what happend to Spinks after. History will always say that Spinks' title win was more Ali's doing than his own.... and whilst that is true to a certain degree, he was a damn good fighter and if he hadn't pissed up his life he could have been a real contender for Holmes in the Holmes era.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 29 Jun 2007, 10:09

Tyrone Booze WBO Cruiser champ, after 28 fights he was 15-10-2 (1NC) with only 2 KO wins.
He was a good journeyman boxer, nearly always saw the final bell.
But he came over here as a underdog and knocked out the unbeaten Derek Angol, he went on to prove this wasn't a fluke by going to Germany and beating Ralf Rocchigiani on points.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 29 Jun 2007, 10:16

Honeyghan winning was one of the biggest surprises of all time

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 29 Jun 2007, 10:20

dopey wrote:Maybe slightly off topic, but do more older posters remember what they thought when:

Jeff Fench went for the IBF title after 6 fights?

Not much to be honest, as hardly anyone had heard of the "champion" he was fighting anyway - he'd hardly had any fights either!

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 29 Jun 2007, 10:29

Freddie Pendleton was one, lots loads of fights and was just a journeyman but built up a bit of reputation in valliant losing efforts and springing the odd upset before winning a title.

Also I suppose Bernard Hopkins if you'd been present at his pro debut!

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 04 Jul 2007, 12:04

Looking at the schedules - I just thought of a cracker.

When Monzke Fana lost to Dean Pithie - I never thought it would be Fana who would be a world champion.

When he got obliterated by Barrera it confirmed my thoughts.

He makes the first defence of his IBF title soon.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 04 Jul 2007, 12:17

Steve Robinson.
Glen McCrory.
Barry Jones.
Richie Woodhall.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 04 Jul 2007, 12:35

stujones wrote:Crying shame about what happend to Spinks after. History will always say that Spinks' title win was more Ali's doing than his own.... and whilst that is true to a certain degree, he was a damn good fighter and if he hadn't pissed up his life he could have been a real contender for Holmes in the Holmes era.

Well as a big Leon fan I sometimes think that Leon was at his peak as an amatuer where he was a feared force of nature and may well have been the best Light-Heavyweight USA amateur ever. From what I have read Leon seemed to really enjoy his amateur days, traveling the World representing his state or country without the pressures of the professional world. As an amatuer Leon became good friends with his team mate Aaron Pryor and I have always felt their respective styles were not that disimular (in or out of the ring). I think Leon holds some sort of KO record as a American amateur. He was a beast in the vest, and I truely believe he would have given Evander Holyfield all the trouble he could handle in a amateur fight (had they been around at the same time of course).

But then he turned professional. Unlike his younger brother Micheal, Leon never had the maturity to deal with the media spotlight and pressures of the paid ranks. Leon loved to fight but hated to train and once he turned professional and had money in his pocked for the first time in his life he was like a starving kid in a sweet store, out of control.

The way he was rushed into a title shot may well have been the best way to deal with him to be honest. At least he can say he beat 'The Greatest' as was the Heavyweight Champion of the World, even though he didn't have the mental tools to deal with that situation.

If he had have been brought along slowly from the start, and his management planned for him to have about 20 fights then have a title shot around 1981, that would have meant keeping Leon clean for another three years which was never going to happen and he would have lost to some fringe contender. Then his career would have carried on the way it did anyway, fighting on way too long just for a few $$'s.

If Leon had been as clean living and dedicated as Michael I have no doubt he could have competed with the Witherspoons, Dokes, Tates, Pages and Tubbs etc. But he wasn't.

Scrap · Post by **Scrap** » 05 Jul 2007, 04:33

Ko Joe thats a good call. As an Amatuer he Terrorised good fighters.