BoxRec

Name what you think to be the weirdest turnaround in fortunes for a British or Irish boxer past or present.

I'll start with Danny Williams, who would have thought following his defeat to Michael Sprott in January 2004 that he'd be fighting for a world title and his biggest paycheck in December 2004? Come on, you never saw it coming did you?

Ricky Burns getting beat by Johanneson then fighting an 8 rounder vs Al Hamidi before beating Rocky Martinez for WBO title.

Rocky Balboa losing about 15 fights before becoming heavyweight champion of the world!

Steve Robinson.

Howard Clarke getting that world title shot against Vargas.

Steve Collins coming off a couple of losses and fighting on a deathly quiet cold midweek card in an 8 rounder to becoming a two weight champ of an organisation he previously referred to as the "wicked body odour organisation".

Buster Douglas getting knocked out in a round and then coming back to beat Mike Tyson to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world and then fighting Evander Holyfield in another mega fight.

orbtastic wrote:Steve Robinson.

Howard Clarke getting that world title shot against Vargas.

Steve Collins coming off a couple of losses and fighting on a deathly quiet cold midweek card in an 8 rounder to becoming a two weight champ of an organisation he previously referred to as the "wicked body odour organisation".

Some good calls

Paul Silky Jones - from being stopped by Paul Wesley to beating Verno Phillips.

On a world wide scale - Verno Phillips - from losing his WBO title to Paul Silky Jones to having a two reigns as world champion - beating world class guys at 35 and 39 years of age! When I actually read he was fighting for the world title I had to make a double take to see if was the same guy who fought Jones - he seemed to have lost all ambition back them.

big lennox wrote:Buster Douglas getting knocked out in a round and then coming back to beat Mike Tyson to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world and then fighting Evander Holyfield in another mega fight.

Yes, although he did have a few good wins and performances in the interim. He was ahead against Tucker at the time of the stoppage he was beat McCall and Berbick in the run up to face Tyson. I feel he was a legitmate top ten ranked about when he faced Tyson.

stujones wrote:

orbtastic wrote:Steve Robinson.

Howard Clarke getting that world title shot against Vargas.

Steve Collins coming off a couple of losses and fighting on a deathly quiet cold midweek card in an 8 rounder to becoming a two weight champ of an organisation he previously referred to as the "wicked body odour organisation".

Some good calls

Paul Silky Jones - from being stopped by Paul Wesley to beating Verno Phillips.

On a world wide scale - Verno Phillips - from losing his WBO title to Paul Silky Jones to having a two reigns as world champion - beating world class guys at 35 and 39 years of age! When I actually read he was fighting for the world title I had to make a double take to see if was the same guy who fought Jones - he seemed to have lost all ambition back them.

Didn't he stop a virtually blind Julian Jackson at the end of his career? He was pretty old even then!

On a world level- it has to be Tommy Morrison.

Film star and hot prospect who suffers a brutal KO when challenging Ray Mercer.

Fights his way back up and wins the belt.

Tests positive for HIV and is forced into retirement.

Cures himself with positive thinking.

The weirdest turnaround is yet to come...Audley will beat Wlad Klitschko to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Redemption!!

I wouldn't call it weird - I'd call it fantastic, the way Ryan Rhodes turned things around and extended his career by 10 years following the defeat to Lee Blundell on 16-03-02, and in doing so got himself to Euro level.

could be me if i get offered fight at light-middle,new trainer,new sugar sweet, last 3 fights have been at middle,even tho im not a middle,got offered eubank jnr 5 days before his last fight,but turned it down as still working with new trainer in gym and wasnt 100%,more notice and would of took it,hope next fight is light-middle but will see,whoever it is will be getting the best sugar sweet,

Lawrence Murphy flattening Wayne Elcock in 1 round to win the WBU title I think. That was great

I think Chris Edwards deserves a mention too. The way he turned his career around after all those early defeats, practically goin from journeyman to champion.

Johnny Nelson? A boxing outcast turned world champion and TV pundit.

Manny Pacquiao didn't have it all his own way and turned it round pretty well.

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Def the winner

Orlando Salido has to be in the running as well - he has done fantastic and looks to be improving in confidence and ability.

James Braddock has got to have a mention, he had lost 23 fights before winning the Heavyweight Title, and got one of the great deals when signing a contract with Mike Jacobs to defend his title against Joe Louis, the contract gave Braddock 10% of Jacobs fights he promoted for the next 10 years!!!! so even if Louis retired Braddock still got paid, he got 10% of the sales after purses had been paid.

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Tyrone Booze had lost 3 out of his last 4 when he came to the Uk and stopped the unbeaten Derek Angol for the WBO cruiser title. He even managed to win on points in Germany in his 1st defense.
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Old bones Ian wrote:Tyrone Booze had lost 3 out of his last 4 when he came to the Uk and stopped the unbeaten Derek Angol for the WBO cruiser title. He even managed to win on points in Germany in his 1st defense.
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

He was brought into lose against Angol, he didn't get any decent work after his couple of successes

Coco wrote:

Old bones Ian wrote:Tyrone Booze had lost 3 out of his last 4 when he came to the Uk and stopped the unbeaten Derek Angol for the WBO cruiser title. He even managed to win on points in Germany in his 1st defense.
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

He was brought into lose against Angol, he didn't get any decent work after his couple of successes

Yeah, i remember Angol fought at a crazy pace trying for the early KO, Booze had a great chin at cruiser so wasn't going anywhere. I've got his fight against Holyfield he gave a good account of himself in that one.

MachoMan09 wrote:

Flashing Blade wrote:On a world level- it has to be Tommy Morrison.

Film star and hot prospect who suffers a brutal KO when challenging Ray Mercer.

Fights his way back up and wins the belt.

Tests positive for HIV and is forced into retirement.

Cures himself with positive thinking.

You believe that do you? Give me strength.

Do you think? He did loose his belts against Bent in record time! Missed it as I was taking a piss!

Jamie Mc Donnell, looses a British title challenge to Chris Edwards (Good fighter but has a lot of losses in his career) moves up in weight beats Ian Napa, who was mandatory for the European title at the time then gets a shot at the European title a few weeks later and wins it. Now, he is very close to challenging for a World title

milpool wrote:Johnny Nelson? A boxing outcast turned world champion and TV pundit.

A good shout.