BoxRec

Dear Jeff,

Please retire while you can still talk. I knew you in your amateur days having traveled with you London for a US vs England dual, ref'd some of your fights at nationals. You were the hardest puncher I have ref'd and I have ref'd many great boxers. Last night you had no pop, no defense for Barrera's right hand. I know it's hard to walk away from something you love and were so great at but now is the time. You have lost 5 of your last 8 fights and I was yelling at the TV for the ref and corner to stop the fight. You're a good dude and I don't want to see you get hurt anymore. Please consider my comments.
Your friend.

Far too many fighters stay way too long when it's obviously to everyone around them that they shouldn't be fighting anymore.

Jeff Lacy has taken some tremendous beatings starting with his bout with Joe Calzaghe, who was virtually landing at will in the 12-round bout with Lacy. During that bout with Calzaghe, Lacy's lack of skills was very apparent, especially when it came to blocking and slipping punches. It is too bad because Lacy had a powerful left-hook and tremendous heart. But in my opinion, Lacy should have retired for good a long time ago for his own good.

- Chuck Johnston

Yeah I agree its never nice to see any fighter going on too long especially a former world champ,he's the definition of shot

Who would have guessed the fearsome Left Hook Lacy who was terrifying & demolishing the likes of Scott Pemberton on the way up would become an object of pity.

It's a shame but this is still the best way Lacy can make money, so appeals for him to give it up probably won't work unfortunately.

Jeff Lacy should not be allowed to fight again. One of a boxing commission's main functions is to make sure that badly shopworn or incompetent boxers are not to permitted to fight within its jurisdiction.

- Chuck Johnston

Lacy has looked shot ever since the Calzaghe fight and that was many years ago now.

Sad . . I was thoroughly impressed when he demolished the normally very tough Syd Vanderpool.

Chuck1052 wrote:Jeff Lacy should not be allowed to fight again. One of a boxing commission's main functions is to make sure that badly shopworn or incompetent boxers are not to permitted to fight within its jurisdiction.

- Chuck Johnston

but matchmakers are also licensed, and if they never get their licenses pulled, then why are they licensed?
i always wondered that about all the mismatches in boxing. it's like there are LOTS of people who
shouldn't have licenses to be in the sport. some boxers who lose badly may not look as bad against
a better matched opponent. someone who was world level like lacey would be harder to convince
that he is not at the level he thinks he is anymore, but there are a few other people responsible
before he steps in the ring against an undefeated cuban lightheavy with world class amateur pedigree
on a ko streak. if he has a manager who scheduled that, he is getting really bad advice, as i can't
imagine he got more $$ to fight that guy than he would a 15-8 joe blow.

dempseyfire wrote:Lacy has looked shot ever since the Calzaghe fight and that was many years ago now.

Sad . . I was thoroughly impressed when he demolished the normally very tough Syd Vanderpool.

That fight was the best performance for Lacy imo.
I was rooting for Vanderpool in that fight so I wasn't happy on fight night but was impressed with Lacy.
In his very next fight he was drug into a war with Omar Shieka then had exciting rounds with Rubin Williams in the fight after that which caused me to change my opinion of Jeff's abilities.
Liked his ambition though, once he had that IBF belt it was fairly obvious that he was going to do whatever was necessary to make unification bouts with the other title holders.
That didn't go well for him but he tried and went out of his way to make the attempt.
There have been better title holders who never tried to unify and went out of there way to avoid such fights.

sucracristo wrote:

Chuck1052 wrote:Jeff Lacy should not be allowed to fight again. One of a boxing commission's main functions is to make sure that badly shopworn or incompetent boxers are not to permitted to fight within its jurisdiction.

- Chuck Johnston

but matchmakers are also licensed, and if they never get their licenses pulled, then why are they licensed?
i always wondered that about all the mismatches in boxing. it's like there are LOTS of people who
shouldn't have licenses to be in the sport. some boxers who lose badly may not look as bad against
a better matched opponent. someone who was world level like lacey would be harder to convince
that he is not at the level he thinks he is anymore, but there are a few other people responsible
before he steps in the ring against an undefeated cuban lightheavy with world class amateur pedigree
on a ko streak. if he has a manager who scheduled that, he is getting really bad advice, as i can't
imagine he got more $$ to fight that guy than he would a 15-8 joe blow.

Compared to fighters, a matchmaker is far less likely to sustain serious brain damage while doing his job.

- Chuck Johnston

Perseus wrote:

dempseyfire wrote:Lacy has looked shot ever since the Calzaghe fight and that was many years ago now.

Sad . . I was thoroughly impressed when he demolished the normally very tough Syd Vanderpool.

That fight was the best performance for Lacy imo.
I was rooting for Vanderpool in that fight so I wasn't happy on fight night but was impressed with Lacy.
In his very next fight he was drug into a war with Omar Shieka then had exciting rounds with Rubin Williams in the fight after that which caused me to change my opinion of Jeff's abilities.
Liked his ambition though, once he had that IBF belt it was fairly obvious that he was going to do whatever was necessary to make unification bouts with the other title holders.
That didn't go well for him but he tried and went out of his way to make the attempt.
There have been better title holders who never tried to unify and went out of there way to avoid such fights.

No good deed goes unpunished in boxing


The Calzaghe fight was the beginning of the end for Lacy but the shredded rotator cuff in his next fight ended it for good

Chuck1052 wrote:Compared to fighters, a matchmaker is far less likely to sustain serious brain damage while doing his job.

- Chuck Johnston

but ironically, the manager and matchmaker and other officials are often more responsible
for the wrong boxers facing each other than the boxers, themselves. there are very rarely
any consequences to all these officials. there are lots of club fighters who don't belong in
the ring with klitschko, but as long as they are matched appropriately, i'm not so quick
to call for them to be kicked out of the sport. if they are thrown in with klitschko, then
i would question a lot more people belonging in the sport first before that boxer.
fighters fight, but the people staging these events are all licensed by the states to
exercize reasonable judgement, but too often they don't

I had a similar injury (not as severe) as Lacy and needed surgery to repair the damage (my left shoulder too coincidentally) despite the surgery going 'well' and diligently doing my rehab exercises, shoulder pain/weakness/instability/limited range of motion affects every aspect of my life. There's no coming back from an injury that bad, I can see his career ending like Danny Williams if he doesn't pack it in soon.