BoxRec

I was fortunate enough to have tickets to the Barrera-Ayala/Taylor-Marquez card last week. I know Taylor is a top prospect and considered by many to be the heir apparent to the Middleweight title, when Hopkins retires or possibly by beating Hopkins himself someday. However, I have heard concerns about Taylor being "brought up too quickly" and possibly being rushed into a match with Hopkins when he is not yet ready.

This got me thinking of how many fighters throughout the years with great natural talent might have been great champions, but had their careers ruined by being put into big fights when they were not mature enough as boxers. As someone who's a long-time boxing fan, but has just recently gotten really serious about learning about the sport and its history in greater depth, I was looking for any examples you all might ave about past (or even current) fighter whose careers were hurt by handlers who tried bringing them up too quickly...

Leon Spinks
Tyrell Biggs

Doubtful whether he'd have ever been a "great champion," but '56 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Pete Rademacher was brought along just a tad too fast. I don't think he ever completely recovered from getting brutalized in his first 2 pro bouts, first by recently crowned HW champ Floyd Patterson and next by a then-40-2 Zora Folley. What were Rademacher's handlers thinking? (Rhetorical question.)

Recently, David Reid was rushed very badly. I don't think he ever had a chance to adjust to the pro game after his success as an amateur. He looked great in some of his early fights, but was matched with Trinidad and although i haven't seen the fight for a while, i remember him being beaten badly towards the end. He was finished before 30 and after only 19 pro fights.

Yeah David Reid and another name id say would be Michael Grant

Grant definitely. I watched the tape of the Lewis fight the other day and I remembered two things

1) How all the Sky people expected grant to win. McCrory who hates Lewis anyway, said that Grant would be his most difficult opponent ( only if Lewis hurt his fists on Grant's face )

2) Just how easily Grant capitulated. Sack O' Spuds does not even come into it

S

KOJOE90 wrote:Leon Spinks
Tyrell Biggs

Biggs' team knew his drug problems and wanted to get paid before he self destructed.....

Spinks probably was good enough to be rushed physically but couldnt handle the fame mentally

sad for Biggs given the high hopes all had for him.

I recall the truly dreadful performance against Gary Mason. Mason was doing his usual somnambulist impression and popped out a jab that would not have moved a jelly. Biggs went down like he had been shot with an elephant gun

I can't recall how long he dragged his career on for, can anyone tell me?

Slapsie

Slapsie Maxie wrote:sad for Biggs given the high hopes all had for him.

I recall the truly dreadful performance against Gary Mason. Mason was doing his usual somnambulist impression and popped out a jab that would not have moved a jelly. Biggs went down like he had been shot with an elephant gun

I can't recall how long he dragged his career on for, can anyone tell me?

Slapsie

Biggs fought on for another 9 years after the Gary Mason loss.

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=001006

I'v heard some people say the Mason-Biggs fight was fixed. I don't believe that myself I just feel that at this stage in his career Biggs had little ambition and no hunger for a long hard fight.

knockout wrote:

KOJOE90 wrote:Leon Spinks
Tyrell Biggs

Biggs' team knew his drug problems and wanted to get paid before he self destructed.....

Spinks probably was good enough to be rushed physically but couldnt handle the fame mentally

I totally agree the Duva's rushed Biggs into a big payday with Tyson because as you said the drugs were slowly destroying him.

Was it Biggs fight with James Tillis that Biggs broke his collar bone? I'm sure it was.

This brought-up-too-fast argument is a slippery slope. While it may indeed be true of certain fighters, I think it can be a fan's or management's cop out for a derailed, once promising career. A guy's gotta lose eventually and he should fight stiff competition, at least as soon as his management deems him fit to do so. If it takes too long, it is painfully obvious.

Unless a prospect fights a giant, a real legend, at a ridiculously early point in his career, I don't like the too-fast call. Besides, some greats overcame early setbacks. That's part of their greatness.

Biggs was a never-was/never-gonna-be fighter. He was an good amateur who was never cut out for the pro game. He could have had 50 fights before fighting Tyson. He would never be competitive. Same might be said for Michael Grant, a truly nice guy, superb athlete, and true professional (works hard, no drugs or other stupidity). But c'mon, he does not have the stuff. Was Wlad Klitschko rushed too? No, he gets tired and chinny.

I heard this argument with Fernando Vargas. Maybe he shouldn't have fought Trinidad. But he had all the necessary stepping stones in the win column. So when should he have stepped up to fight the class of the division?

Leon Spinks maybe? he must have been a talent to win a gold medal in the olympics.

daniel son wrote:Leon Spinks maybe? he must have been a talent to win a gold medal in the olympics.

Leon won many titles as an Amatuer, many thought he was a bigger prospect than younger brother Michael when they turned Pro.

I think Howard Davis could fit in this category. He had tons of speed and talent and had performed well in early pro bouts, but facing Jim Watt in Ibrox Park was too much for his psyche. He wasn't himself and just froze. I also think making six figures in your pro debut can take away some of the hunger.
Davey Moore was another. A Duva fighter again. Arum manuevered him to a title shot quickly, but we saw how he fared against Duran. Pretty ugly.
And I'm even inclined to put Gerry Cooney on the list. Yes, he was a pro for several years before his title shot, but he spent much of that time just being the subject of speculation and not getting experience. A loss or two wouldn't have killed his career. They could have been valuable learning experiences.

well since my post got deleted or something,here goes again ...id have to say Reid an Michael Grant were brought up too fast :x

Wow, nice to see a good response to this thread...thanks to everyone for all the feedback so far.

Just thinking of this and one of the biggest mis matches was Holmes/Marvis Frazier. He was never going to be ready for a fight like that

The sight of Holmes waving the referee in to stop the fight was at once compassionate but also slightly pathetic ( in the true sense of the word )

Slapsie

Grant was brought up way to quick, But Teddy atlas might be taking to much time with him, Grant is not getting any younger

more recently David Walker agianst Karmazan.
I mean that was like southern area level against world top five.

Taking candy fomr a baby poor bloke. Walker now looks shot and easily hit even to the point there have been calls for him to retire. Karmazan ruined him in my view. No blame to the russian of course but shocking really to see how its turned out washed up at 28 with only 21 fights.