Page 3 of 4
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 15 Aug 2021, 14:14
by coghaugen11
Controversial wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 06:10
Jeff Lacy, he was 28 when JC beat him but Lacy had only been a pro for 5 years having just 21 fights, he was pretty much done after that defeat.
He wasn’t very good to begin with - he’s probably still fighting.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 15 Aug 2021, 14:16
by coghaugen11
Ricky Hatton you could say. Never the same after the Tszyu fight, and even then the blow-out over Xmas 04 into NY and Tszyu camp had taken something from him because that wasn’t near the timing and crispness of the Oliveira performance.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 15 Aug 2021, 14:27
by Controversial
Coco wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 11:28
Controversial wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 06:10
Jeff Lacy, he was 28 when JC beat him but Lacy had only been a pro for 5 years having just 21 fights, he was pretty much done after that defeat.
He wasn't burnt out, it was the terrible beatdown that JC dished out.
I meant he was finished after losing to JC. Depends on definition of burnt out I guess, past their best, shot, lost desire, start losing to journeymen etc ?
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 15 Aug 2021, 17:01
by high tower 1
Barry McGuigan burnt brightly but faded fast.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 15 Aug 2021, 17:20
by margaret thatcher
taking a horrendous beating can certainly burn someone out! i believe lacy also started to get reoccuring shoulder injuries in his left arm
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 15 Aug 2021, 17:46
by KiwiRider
Maybe because I'm an antipodean, but I have to defend him - Jeff did alright.
Azumah Nelson was his ceiling, that's a pretty decent ceiling. And he did draw the first time out.
Let's not talk about the 20 year later reunion fight though

Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 03:28
by bennie
high tower 1 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 17:01
Barry McGuigan burnt brightly but faded fast.
Yes, McGuigan was all-action and destined to burn out quickly. People say that he was never the same after the Steve Cruz fight but for me he lost the spark after his magnificent triumph over Eusebio Pedroza in June 1985. He looked pedestrian against Bernard Taylor until his pressure told (and Taylor just quit), looked awful against Danilo Cabrera and then came the Cruz disaster.
After a two-year period of litigation (a proper rest, at least), McGuigan came back and gave us a real glimpse of his former self against Nicky Perez and Francisco Tomas da Cruz but then came a real struggle against the unknown Julio Miranda of Argentina, who busted up the Irishman. Finally, McGuigan busted up again and lost to Jim McDonnell.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 04:39
by orbtastic
KiwiRider wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 17:46
Maybe because I'm an antipodean, but I have to defend him - Jeff did alright.
Azumah Nelson was his ceiling, that's a pretty decent ceiling. And he did draw the first time out.
Let's not talk about the 20 year later reunion fight though
That fight has to be one of the strangest no shows and post fight excuses in recent memory. (The holiday fight)
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 07:42
by JamesPhilips
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 14:16
Ricky Hatton you could say. Never the same after the Tszyu fight, and even then the blow-out over Xmas 04 into NY and Tszyu camp had taken something from him because that wasn’t near the timing and crispness of the Oliveira performance.
Could be because for this fight Hatton trained harder than ever, was so determined to win that title. That made him almost unstoppable that night. I don’t think he could ever reach those heights again, especially with his boozing and eating.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 07:47
by JamesPhilips
KiwiRider wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 17:46
Maybe because I'm an antipodean, but I have to defend him - Jeff did alright.
Azumah Nelson was his ceiling, that's a pretty decent ceiling. And he did draw the first time out.
Let's not talk about the 20 year later reunion fight though
That fight was a robbery, though obviously Nelson put that right in the rematch…..(let’s not talk about the 3rd one). Thing is with high energy styles like Hatton, Fenech, McGuigan, Tyson etc the leak is never that long.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 15:14
by KiwiRider
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑16 Aug 2021, 07:47
KiwiRider wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 17:46
Maybe because I'm an antipodean, but I have to defend him - Jeff did alright.
Azumah Nelson was his ceiling, that's a pretty decent ceiling. And he did draw the first time out.
Let's not talk about the 20 year later reunion fight though
That fight was a robbery, though obviously Nelson put that right in the rematch…..(let’s not talk about the 3rd one). Thing is with high energy styles like Hatton, Fenech, McGuigan, Tyson etc the leak is never that long.
Your right James.
I should have said "And he did
sort of draw the first time out"
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 15:20
by Controversial
KiwiRider wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 17:46
Maybe because I'm an antipodean, but I have to defend him - Jeff did alright.
Azumah Nelson was his ceiling, that's a pretty decent ceiling. And he did draw the first time out.
Let's not talk about the 20 year later reunion fight though
Yes he did great but the question is 'fighters who burnt out young'
Fenech was done after the Nelson rematch, he was 27 years old and only having his 28th fight. Granted he was not as young as others but still entering his physical prime.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 16 Aug 2021, 18:16
by dr_devious
John Mugabi was almost done at 26 after the Hagler fight never beat a top level opponent again.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 08:06
by D4v3
Anyone remember the name of that Kronk fighter who won a world title at a real young age then packed it in in his early 20's out of the blue? Seemingly had the world at his feet but just lost love for the sport, think he was a super bantam or feather
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 08:55
by JamesPhilips
D4v3 wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 08:06
Anyone remember the name of that Kronk fighter who won a world title at a real young age then packed it in in his early 20's out of the blue? Seemingly had the world at his feet but just lost love for the sport, think he was a super bantam or feather
Jemal Hinton? I believe he became a devout Muslim or something so rejected boxing….
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 15:29
by orbtastic
Hinton’s mention reminds me of another kronk legend. Bernard superbad mays.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 15:32
by margaret thatcher
speaking of the superbads (a nickname that can go rather wrong lol)...there's also stevey barnes he went from his debut and being a hyped prospect on tv, to retiring at 3-1 a year later. think he was only like 19-20?
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 15:43
by Bleak
margaret thatcher wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 15:32
speaking of the superbads (a nickname that can go rather wrong lol)...there's also stevey barnes he went from his debut and being a hyped prospect on tv, to retiring at 3-1 a year later. think he was only like 19-20?
He used to be on the same under cards at Phil Fury didn’t he
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 15:46
by margaret thatcher
lol Phillll Fury! i'd forgot all about him

Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 17 Aug 2021, 16:27
by JamesPhilips
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 08:55
D4v3 wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 08:06
Anyone remember the name of that Kronk fighter who won a world title at a real young age then packed it in in his early 20's out of the blue? Seemingly had the world at his feet but just lost love for the sport, think he was a super bantam or feather
Jemal Hinton? I believe he became a devout Muslim or something so rejected boxing….
He didn't win a world title though so not sure if you mean him
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 18 Aug 2021, 03:08
by My Name Is Earl
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 16:27
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 08:55
D4v3 wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 08:06
Anyone remember the name of that Kronk fighter who won a world title at a real young age then packed it in in his early 20's out of the blue? Seemingly had the world at his feet but just lost love for the sport, think he was a super bantam or feather
Jemal Hinton? I believe he became a devout Muslim or something so rejected boxing….
He didn't win a world title though so not sure if you mean him
It will be him. Was right up there as a future super star from that stable.
Died recently.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 18 Aug 2021, 03:54
by bennie
My Name Is Earl wrote: ↑18 Aug 2021, 03:08
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 16:27
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 08:55
Jemal Hinton? I believe he became a devout Muslim or something so rejected boxing….
He didn't win a world title though so not sure if you mean him
It will be him. Was right up there as a future super star from that stable.
Died recently.
A lot of Kronk fighters have died young: Hinton, Mays, Duane Thomas, Dujuan Johnson, Steve McCrory, Mickey Goodwin, Rickey Womack...
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 18 Aug 2021, 05:59
by JamesPhilips
bennie wrote: ↑18 Aug 2021, 03:54
My Name Is Earl wrote: ↑18 Aug 2021, 03:08
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑17 Aug 2021, 16:27
He didn't win a world title though so not sure if you mean him
It will be him. Was right up there as a future super star from that stable.
Died recently.
A lot of Kronk fighters have died young: Hinton, Mays, Duane Thomas, Dujuan Johnson, Steve McCrory, Mickey Goodwin, Rickey Womack...
Wow I didn’t realise all these guys were gone. I’m not sure of circumstances in these…. But I can’t imagine the dehydrated gym wars in boiling temperatures could have done much good. Is there any Goodwin footage available?
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 18 Aug 2021, 06:05
by gilgamesh
Wilfred Benitez, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson
A few off the top of my head.
Re: fighters who burnt out young
Posted: 18 Aug 2021, 06:16
by Counter-puncher
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2021, 14:16
Ricky Hatton you could say. Never the same after the Tszyu fight, and even then the blow-out over Xmas 04 into NY and Tszyu camp had taken something from him because that wasn’t near the timing and crispness of the Oliveira performance.
yeah, difficult to imagine why Hatton wasn't as crisp against all-time division great Kostya Tszuyu as he was against the
36 year old, 58 fight, 47-9-2 Ray Oliveira