BoxRec

All this bitching about David Haye (I've been doing some myself) and I can't think there were definitely worse champs than him. A lot worse as he's not that bad. The one that comes most to my mind is Riddick Bowe, a good fighter and one lousy champion. After beating Evander for the Heavy Weight Triple Crown, he refuses to fight Lennox Lewis and throws his WBC Title in the trash. After that, he proceeds to defend his WBA & IBF Titles against 'worthy' opponents in the form of a washed up Michael Dokes and a career under achiever Jesse Ferguson, both by quick stoppage before losing his belts to Evander in their rematch. Comments?

Bowe certainly wouldn't make my list. The current run of Vitali is probably the worst successive challengers that I can think of. Worst champ, to me, will always be Primo Carnera. He has built up steam as underrated by some knowledgeable folks, he will always be a useless oaf to me.

The way Bruce Seldon 'defended' his title against Tyson was pretty abysmal.

SteveO wrote:The way Bruce Seldon 'defended' his title against Tyson was pretty abysmal.

I hear that, but I do not entirely agree with the fact that Seldon just rolled completely over. Sure, first KD he was not hit, but the second KD he was hit flush with a clean left hook & he was clearly hurt when he got back on his feet. Seldon's eyes were gone!

I meant no offense to Bowe as a fighter as I said he was a great fighter. His choice of opponents in Dokes and Ferguson were piss poor IMHO and he would have been better served fighting more quality opposition in the form of Lennox Lewis, Ray Mercer or Tony Tucker. I know that Mercer lost an eliminator to Ferguson which gave Jesse his shot, but Mercer would have been a way better opponent for Bowe and probably would have lasted more than 2 rounds.

Primo Carnera is probably the least talented Heavyweight Champion there's ever been. If that's what you mean, I agree with you though Bowe throwing away his title to not fight Lennox came across as cowardly, especially since Lennox knocked him out in the 1988 Olympics.

gilgamesh wrote:Primo Carnera is probably the least talented Heavyweight Champion there's ever been. If that's what you mean, I agree with you though Bowe throwing away his title to not fight Lennox came across as cowardly, especially since Lennox knocked him out in the 1988 Olympics.

Yeah Carnera did suck. Thank you for agreeing with my on my point about Bowe's discarding of the WBC Title. I think it was both cowardly and disrespectful to all those who proudly wore that title prior to Bowe's fat ass. There are many of fighters who were not so lucky to have won such a distinguished title.

Livingstone Cole wrote:It's pretty hard to rate 'two-time' heavyweight world champion Herbie Hide very high.

Especially when what he should really be called is a two-time belt-holder & zero-time legitimate champ of his division.

Yeah, I was sticking to the guys with legitimate claims.

Marvin Hart.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Yeah, I was sticking to the guys with legitimate claims.

Good man. The paper titlists should never be referred to as Champions.

What exactly is a paper champ these days?

Valuev?

Brian Potter wants you out!

...That wasn't meant to be an answer regarding a "current" champ. Brian needs to remain seated.

i'll vote for seldon also.

from sports illustrated

"Few were genuinely pleased with Seldon's effort, put it that way. After weeks of tough talk, promises of courage, pledges of a blistering jab ("He's never eaten leather like this," said Seldon), his resolve was ultimately disappointing. Tyson has dropped many heavyweights and dropped not a few of them quickly. Even in his post-prison dispatches of McNeeley and, more recently, Frank Bruno, there was a flurry of violent activity to account for the finishes. But here you had Tyson cutting off the ring, collapsing Seldon's brave jab with his own swarming punches and dropping him for the first time with...what?

A short left hook, most thought. "A right hand on the top of his head," Tyson said. "More of an elbow that touched a nerve or something," said Seldon. Replay after replay failed to show the collision. Seldon's face-first fall was so mysterious that referee Richard Steele first started to rule it a slip. "I was attempting to wave it off," said Steele. "But he seemed hurt, so I picked up the count. I've seen a lot worse, but then I can't tell how hard Mike Tyson punches."

turn2stone wrote:i'll vote for seldon also.

from sports illustrated

"Few were genuinely pleased with Seldon's effort, put it that way. After weeks of tough talk, promises of courage, pledges of a blistering jab ("He's never eaten leather like this," said Seldon), his resolve was ultimately disappointing. Tyson has dropped many heavyweights and dropped not a few of them quickly. Even in his post-prison dispatches of McNeeley and, more recently, Frank Bruno, there was a flurry of violent activity to account for the finishes. But here you had Tyson cutting off the ring, collapsing Seldon's brave jab with his own swarming punches and dropping him for the first time with...what?

A short left hook, most thought. "A right hand on the top of his head," Tyson said. "More of an elbow that touched a nerve or something," said Seldon. Replay after replay failed to show the collision. Seldon's face-first fall was so mysterious that referee Richard Steele first started to rule it a slip. "I was attempting to wave it off," said Steele. "But he seemed hurt, so I picked up the count. I've seen a lot worse, but then I can't tell how hard Mike Tyson punches."

Not even a paper title-holder, but years later, Cliff Etienne would do his very best (worst?) to eclipse Seldon's miserable dive.

glove actually touched flesh on tyson-etienne though.

BoxBuzz wrote:Valuev?

Ban?

Goodnight, Irene wrote:

turn2stone wrote:i'll vote for seldon also.

from sports illustrated

"Few were genuinely pleased with Seldon's effort, put it that way. After weeks of tough talk, promises of courage, pledges of a blistering jab ("He's never eaten leather like this," said Seldon), his resolve was ultimately disappointing. Tyson has dropped many heavyweights and dropped not a few of them quickly. Even in his post-prison dispatches of McNeeley and, more recently, Frank Bruno, there was a flurry of violent activity to account for the finishes. But here you had Tyson cutting off the ring, collapsing Seldon's brave jab with his own swarming punches and dropping him for the first time with...what?

A short left hook, most thought. "A right hand on the top of his head," Tyson said. "More of an elbow that touched a nerve or something," said Seldon. Replay after replay failed to show the collision. Seldon's face-first fall was so mysterious that referee Richard Steele first started to rule it a slip. "I was attempting to wave it off," said Steele. "But he seemed hurt, so I picked up the count. I've seen a lot worse, but then I can't tell how hard Mike Tyson punches."

Not even a paper title-holder, but years later, Cliff Etienne would do his very best (worst?) to eclipse Seldon's miserable dive.

Huh? Etienne nearly got his head removed from his body.

Miraculous recovery from a near-decapitated man to get up with a smirk on his face.

Where is that chap who was on here a while back & asked Etienne (currently imprisoned) about that fight? I'm gonna try find his posts on the subject.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Miraculous recovery from a near-decapitated man to get up with a smirk on his face.

Where is that chap who was on here a while back & asked Etienne (currently imprisoned) about that fight? I'm gonna try find his posts on the subject.

No post would change this into a dive for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa7nx5xnE8U

Valuev again.


I just got off the phone with Potter and he's in fundamental agreement.

So Darling and Duran Fan, must now take two steps back and show proper respect.

Valuev and Ruiz together on a single card may create near peak excitement levels when this topic is raised for generations to come.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Miraculous recovery from a near-decapitated man to get up with a smirk on his face.

Where is that chap who was on here a while back & asked Etienne (currently imprisoned) about that fight? I'm gonna try find his posts on the subject.

No post would change this into a dive for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa7nx5xnE8U

x2

She must be getting her fighters mixed up again.

It was simply an "imposed" dive.