Big Larry War Machine was smashed up badly by John Mac, came off the gear, spent the next few years almost tripping over his own paps and lost something like 18 fights on the spin.
Yeah Larry was on PEDS, he was banned for 4 years (later dropped to 1 year) and openly talks about using them
Was like 9-1 with 8 KO's before being 'caught', then went on a run of 0-19 or something, losing most by KO / TKO.
Still looked like a unit but was just getting destroyed by everyone, fat, thin, tall or short (though, I would have been 1 fight he'd defo won)..
I guess it shows how much better than can make someone
A host of Ingle fighters were hyped. Khaliq Shaffique. Steve something. George Collins too
Shaffique and his mates murdered a friend of mine.
Damn. Sorry to hear that. Is that the fight outisde the nightclub?
Yeah, Sheffield.
Lad was only 17. He was a decent lad. Had a bit of a mouth on him, but was harmless enough.
It wasn't much of a fight. There was some fighting indoors, but outside... They hunted them down, beat and stabbed the kid. Left him to bleed to death in a carpark.
He's been in prison a fair bit. I think he's there now for strangling a woman. Utter scumbag.
Shaffique and his mates murdered a friend of mine.
Damn. Sorry to hear that. Is that the fight outisde the nightclub?
Yeah, Sheffield.
Lad was only 17. He was a decent lad. Had a bit of a mouth on him, but was harmless enough.
It wasn't much of a fight. There was some fighting indoors, but outside... They hunted them down, beat and stabbed the kid. Left him to bleed to death in a carpark.
Damn. Sorry to hear that. Is that the fight outisde the nightclub?
Yeah, Sheffield.
Lad was only 17. He was a decent lad. Had a bit of a mouth on him, but was harmless enough.
It wasn't much of a fight. There was some fighting indoors, but outside... They hunted them down, beat and stabbed the kid. Left him to bleed to death in a carpark.
Sorry to hear man.
Was justice served?
He got some time, yeah. He didn't do the stabbing though.
I've heard he's been in and out of court and prison for most of his life.
Shaffique and his mates murdered a friend of mine.
Damn. Sorry to hear that. Is that the fight outisde the nightclub?
Yeah, Sheffield.
Lad was only 17. He was a decent lad. Had a bit of a mouth on him, but was harmless enough.
It wasn't much of a fight. There was some fighting indoors, but outside... They hunted them down, beat and stabbed the kid. Left him to bleed to death in a carpark.
He's been in prison a fair bit. I think he's there now for strangling a woman. Utter scumbag.
I’m sorry to hear that. 17 is no age. Terrible thing to do Seems like a wrong un looking at the links and info here.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 03:06
by jameswilson
Albert Sosnowski and Tye Fields had big hype behind them too.
Roman Greenberg was one of the worst hype jobs I’ve seen tho. And I think they must have known it too as he never bothered again after the crunching loss eventually came.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 04:44
by overhand_right
jameswilson wrote: ↑09 Sep 2026, 03:06
Albert Sosnowski and Tye Fields had big hype behind them too.
Roman Greenberg was one of the worst hype jobs I’ve seen tho. And I think they must have known it too as he never bothered again after the crunching loss eventually came.
Sosnowski?!! He boxed in leisure centres in London. It took him 10 years to get anywhere, and that was only a fight with Danny Williams in York Hall. And Sosnowski winning was considered an upset. After that the record became very spotty. He was never hyped or even in a position to be hyped!
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 07:23
by JamesPhilips
jameswilson wrote: ↑09 Sep 2026, 03:06
Albert Sosnowski and Tye Fields had big hype behind them too.
Roman Greenberg was one of the worst hype jobs I’ve seen tho. And I think they must have known it too as he never bothered again after the crunching loss eventually came.
Not sure anyone rated Tye Fields. He looked dreadful and gad a padded record
SeanBrennan wrote: ↑31 Aug 2026, 04:17
Can you remember the Babic hype complete with in ring marriage proposals
I’ve always been proud of managing to get a nickname to really stick on here.
Alen ‘The Cabbage’ Babic.
Absolutely epic nickname that mate
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 11:04
by JC
Eolaithe wrote: ↑07 Sep 2026, 11:22
Cuban heavyweights like Odlanier Solís and Jorge Luis González.
Both those guys were top, top amateurs, so it wasn't really hype for people to expect a lot of them.
Also, they didn't fail due to lack of talent. Solis didn't live the life once in the US and Gonzalez turned out to be untrainable.
I'd say Ortiz is more of an example of a Cuban heavyweight getting overhyped, though still very talented. Partly down to Wilder's fans wanting his resume to look better.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 11:09
by Old bones Ian
For one fight the hype with Kevin Mitchell vs Michael Katsidis was way over the top for Mitchell and the stunned crowd in the 3rd round when Katsidis stopped him.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 11:13
by JC
Old bones Ian wrote: ↑09 Sep 2026, 11:09
For one fight the hype with Kevin Mitchell vs Michael Katsidis was way over the top for Mitchell and the stunned crowd in the 3rd round when Katsidis stopped him.
I remember Katsidis being 9/2, Crazy.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 11:16
by JC
Sam Peter was being quite overhyped before he fought Wlad.
deadpan wrote: ↑07 Sep 2026, 10:43
Khalid Shafiq!
Brendan Ingle claimed he was the new Naz and had him turn professional at 16 because he was 'so good.'
He made his debut in South Africa in the late nineties and drew a 4 rounder against another novice. From what I can vaguely recall of the fight he stuck his tongue out a bit and didn't do much else.
He never boxed again.
Still, he got to meet the titan of bleak double entendres Domink Diamond.
Regarding Shafiq, a man with his name, and of his age, from his area and involved in boxing training, and who looks like a 44 year old version of the 16 year old on Gamesmaster, is currently serving 45 months:
Lol was about to post this. The details and age fit exactly. Also I think he did some time for being involved in some fight which resulted in someone being killed.
Anyway this story also reminded me of Daniel Teasdale another hyped Ingle fighter.
Also notice the Smith commentary- he sounds normal here. Not melodramatic and no affected growling
Are yes, the Teasdale lad. He was one of a handful of 'Stars Of The Future' or some such in The Sun that they went big on for about a fortnight.
forcefraser wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 11:30
Is hype a modern phenomenon? Say the last 20 years? Is it a UK thing or worldwide?
I'm trying to think of the hype jobs I can remember.
David Price
Audley Harrison
Gerrard Cooney?
Jeff Lacey
Hopefully Moses will turn out to have been over hyped, rather than a hype job
A host of Ingle fighters were hyped. Khaliq Shaffique. Steve something. George Collins too
Shaffique and his mates murdered a friend of mine.
Very sorry to read that sir. How awful.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 11:48
by JamesPhilips
In the US I think Duane Bobick was hyped for a bit.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 09 Sep 2026, 14:31
by Deserter
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑08 Sep 2026, 07:43
Has the Billion Dollar Athlete Mathew Ellis been mentioned yet?
Great call.
I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Bruno yet - pre-Bonecrusher the hype train was in full effect and if it had been this era, the clips on social media would have made him look like an unstoppable destroyer.
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑08 Sep 2026, 07:43
Has the Billion Dollar Athlete Mathew Ellis been mentioned yet?
Great call.
I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Bruno yet - pre-Bonecrusher the hype train was in full effect and if it had been this era, the clips on social media would have made him look like an unstoppable destroyer.
Thanks. Bruno was hyped but at least eventually he won a version of the world title…. The billion dollar athlete won nothing
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑08 Sep 2026, 07:43
Has the Billion Dollar Athlete Mathew Ellis been mentioned yet?
Great call.
I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Bruno yet - pre-Bonecrusher the hype train was in full effect and if it had been this era, the clips on social media would have made him look like an unstoppable destroyer.
Thanks. Bruno was hyped but at least eventually he won a version of the world title…. The billion dollar athlete won nothing
Yep, agreed, that was a whole different level of hype!
Think someone mentioned George Collins earlier in the thread, but I also remember the hype around his brother Tony - how we was handling Eubank in the gym with ease etc. Failed in both his attempts for a British title.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 10 Sep 2026, 02:32
by gilgamesh
jameswilson wrote: ↑09 Sep 2026, 03:06
Albert Sosnowski and Tye Fields had big hype behind them too.
Roman Greenberg was one of the worst hype jobs I’ve seen tho. And I think they must have known it too as he never bothered again after the crunching loss eventually came.
I remember Sosnowski and Tye Fields. I don't remember any Hype for either man.
I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Bruno yet - pre-Bonecrusher the hype train was in full effect and if it had been this era, the clips on social media would have made him look like an unstoppable destroyer.
Thanks. Bruno was hyped but at least eventually he won a version of the world title…. The billion dollar athlete won nothing
Yep, agreed, that was a whole different level of hype!
Think someone mentioned George Collins earlier in the thread, but I also remember the hype around his brother Tony - how we was handling Eubank in the gym with ease etc. Failed in both his attempts for a British title.
Yeah I think I mentioned George Collins - he was so often on TV and just never looked anything special. The signs were there of course when Stretch kod him in his last amateur fight in round 1.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 10 Sep 2026, 08:45
by Controversial
Going back to the 1960s British HW Billy Walker was being tipped to make waves in the division
Re: HYPE
Posted: 10 Sep 2026, 08:58
by stujones
Controversial wrote: ↑10 Sep 2026, 08:45
Going back to the 1960s British HW Billy Walker was being tipped to make waves in the division
Yes, now we are talking.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 16 Sep 2026, 08:47
by stujones
Maybe not to the same level as others - but when Danny Williams beat Michael Murray he got quite a bit of attention, especially by the boxing press. Despite his world title fight, he never really progressed onto European level.
David Starie was tipped to be something a bit special (he was very decent, and had a good career with 2 world title shots), but at one time seemed to be hyped as the next long term world Super Middleweight champion.
Re: HYPE
Posted: 16 Sep 2026, 09:55
by Old bones Ian
Somewhere in the back of my mind is 2 brothers that had a family link with Nigel Benn which got them some column inches when starting out.
