The best pro without amature experience?

[lefty]

Getting off topic here but Groves was a very good kick boxer as a kid aswell right? Im sure he was a world champion or something.

[TerribleTerry]

Matt Skelton done awesome for no amateur or little boxing experience, Pele Reid im sure didn't have any amateurs. Did scrap iron Ryan have any ? I seem to think he never had much. Adam Foggarty no amateur experience if any of you can remember him ? I shared a gym with him at St Pats Leeds. Hasim Rahman only 7 amateur fights wow.

Matt Skelton was a European level Thai boxer before turning to pro boxing - remember watching him on a K1 show in Birmingham many years ago and his low kicks were quality.

Pele Reid was a phenom in light continuous/points kickboxing.

Both were accomplished in variants of kickboxing before going pro so I suppose that makes up for the lack of amateur fights to a certain extent.

Same goes for Adrian/Carl Thompson

[flatnoseflynn]

Rocky Marciano's amateur record was 8–4

[daviddee]

People say that they are World Champion in Kickboxing even if it's points fighting or light contact.. Only a handful of legitimate world champions that I know but 100's are not proper suppose it's a little bit like the WBU and WBF in boxing.

[lefty]

Rocky Marciano's amateur record was 8–4

Librado Andrade's was 3-13 I think! lol

[TerribleTerry]

People say that they are World Champion in Kickboxing even if it's points fighting or light contact.. Only a handful of legitimate world champions that I know but 100's are not proper suppose it's a little bit like the WBU and WBF in boxing.

its not just the light con and points fighters who dilute the 'world champ' status in kickboxing - there are a multitude of governing bodies and you also have the different full contact variants - no leg kick, leg kick, K1, muay Thai etc

very difficult for those outside the sport to know who is a legit world champ and who isn't...

[daviddee]

People say that they are World Champion in Kickboxing even if it's points fighting or light contact.. Only a handful of legitimate world champions that I know but 100's are not proper suppose it's a little bit like the WBU and WBF in boxing.

its not just the light con and points fighters who dilute the 'world champ' status in kickboxing - there are a multitude of governing bodies and you also have the different full contact variants - no leg kick, leg kick, K1, muay Thai etc

very difficult for those outside the sport to know who is a legit world champ and who isn't...

Yes I could of kept going but I would of bored myself to tears. It's a shame on the fighters that actually get to the top then someone comes along gets a world title and people actually think they are the same. All contact sports are about levels!! Top level kick boxers tend to do well in boxing..

[Scrap]

Matt Skelton done awesome for no amateur or little boxing experience, Pele Reid im sure didn't have any amateurs. Did scrap iron Ryan have any ? I seem to think he never had much. Adam Foggarty no amateur experience if any of you can remember him ? I shared a gym with him at St Pats Leeds. Hasim Rahman only 7 amateur fights wow.

Ryan boxed for Saint Monicas and had a good knock out ratio, (about 12 KO's in 14 bouts) - he got to the semi finals of the ABA's and got dropped and stopped by Georgie Smith from Canvey Island in 1991.

Terry Dunstan was another from St Monicas had 18 won half.

[expe]

Johnny Nelson had 13 amateur fights and won 3. Turned pro and lost the first 3 and 5 of the first 10. Ended up fighting all over the world in a 13 year journey towards being a world champion and then held the belt for 7 years before he was forced to retire by injury.

[danamba7]

Andrew Flintoff?

[bripez]

Johnny Nelson had 13 amateur fights and won 3.

Firstly, massive respect to Johnny Nelson for what he achieved.

I have to ask - what would motivate an amateur with that record to turn pro (and what would motivate a manager and promoter to take him on) ?

He clearly did not see himself going down the pure journeyman route - did he have some inate self confidence, did he have the "pro style" ?

Also, can you see this happening these days ? - unless a massive ticket seller would such a boxer be given the opportunities ?

[danamba7]

Johnny Nelson had 13 amateur fights and won 3.

Firstly, massive respect to Johnny Nelson for what he achieved.

I have to ask - what would motivate an amateur with that record to turn pro (and what would motivate a manager and promoter to take him on) ?

He clearly did not see himself going down the pure journeyman route - did he have some inate self confidence, did he have the "pro style" ?

Also, can you see this happening these days ? - unless a massive ticket seller would such a boxer be given the opportunities ?

I couldn't really see it happening these days. It might have been because he was from one of the best gyms in the country and they knew his style would be better suited for the pro game. They definitely know what they're doing up in Sheffield!

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Vito Antuerfermo.

Now I have read his wikipedia page, he was quite a decent amateur!

[Counter-puncher]

Vito Antuerfermo.

Now I have read his wikipedia page, he was quite a decent amateur!

surely you could tell, what with that classic upright european style, boxing and moving behind a high guard....

[palooka]

I know he didn't hit the heights but a few British fans may remember Dennis Berry who woke up one morning and decided he wanted to a boxer; aged 25, he could fight, ducked no one and if he'd have started earlier and with a bit of proper grounding he'd have done really well - a real fierce competitor.

[expe]

Johnny Nelson had 13 amateur fights and won 3.

Firstly, massive respect to Johnny Nelson for what he achieved.

I have to ask - what would motivate an amateur with that record to turn pro (and what would motivate a manager and promoter to take him on) ?

He clearly did not see himself going down the pure journeyman route - did he have some inate self confidence, did he have the "pro style" ?

Also, can you see this happening these days ? - unless a massive ticket seller would such a boxer be given the opportunities ?

I think Brendan Ingle told him that there was no point him getting beat up for nothing and initially he did go down the journeyman route like I mentioned above, although that may have been because he was crap rather than by choice and he was forced to fight all over the world, especially after the De Leon debacle and was a regular sparring partner out in Germany.