BoxRec

Den Lebedev was pretty much unknown when he came over as a comeback opponent for Enzo, of course Den battered him and went on to become a unified world champ and longtime major player

Pac , though a lower weight champ, was totally unknown in the US when he stepped in as late replacement to challenge the favoured south African champ of the time, lEholo ledwaba . Jim Lampley was making jokes about not knowing how they were supposed to pronounce Pac's name

Some guys get hype and attention from early on, but what notably fighters made their big breakout while largely unknown

Micky Theo.

That scooter guy on Ronnie Pickering.

Tim Bradley was 6-1 underdog against Witter and would pave the way for the Witter - Hatton fight, he beat Witter and had a decent career.

Goyo Vargas - who heard of that guy when he came over and filled in Paul Hodkinson.

jameswilson wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 21:46 Micky Theo.

and he's going nowhere - except to the boot of Shane Fury in a 'post fight exclusive interview'

That yank who fought Freddie Flintoff, I have never seen someone try and not hit someone in that way since Joe Bugner!

Fray Bentos wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 02:26 Goyo Vargas - who heard of that guy when he came over and filled in Paul Hodkinson.

Yep, good call mate.... though I do remember in the wake of that some commentators going overboard the opposite way and expecting him to become a new Mexican great... and then Kevin Kelley beat him shortly afterwards.

Deserter wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 02:40

Fray Bentos wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 02:26 Goyo Vargas - who heard of that guy when he came over and filled in Paul Hodkinson.

Yep, good call mate.... though I do remember in the wake of that some commentators going overboard the opposite way and expecting him to become a new Mexican great... and then Kevin Kelley beat him shortly afterwards.

He came and he went - his light shone so briefly but ever so brightly.

Shhhh wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:07

Fray Bentos wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 02:30 That yank who fought Freddie Flintoff, I have never seen someone try and not hit someone in that way since Joe Bugner!

He was unbeaten He also crapped himself when he almost Ko’d Flintoff by mistake

You could see his thoughts on his face everytime he landed on Flintoff 'I am risking my massive post-fight bonus here'

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 18:30Den Lebedev was pretty much unknown when he came over as a comeback opponent for Enzo, of course Den battered him and went on to become a unified world champ and longtime major player

Same with Ola Afolabi in the fight before that.

Enzo ended up with quite a few 'better than advertised' opponents.

J-C wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:28

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 18:30Den Lebedev was pretty much unknown when he came over as a comeback opponent for Enzo, of course Den battered him and went on to become a unified world champ and longtime major player

Same with Ola Afolabi in the fight before that.

Enzo ended up with quite a few 'better than advertised' opponents.

great call

i just realised i've never seen any of the Huck - Afalobi fights, i've heard they were good ones, which one's the best of them? i think i'll stick it on tonight

Sergio Martinez and Winky Wright both went unnoticed and then ended up high in the P4P rankings.

Lot of Africans who have come over to the UK: Zolani Tete, Julius Indongo, etc.

Counter-puncher wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:31

J-C wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:28

Same with Ola Afolabi in the fight before that.

Enzo ended up with quite a few 'better than advertised' opponents.

great call

i just realised i've never seen any of the Huck - Afalobi fights, i've heard they were good ones, which one's the best of them? i think i'll stick it on tonight

From memory, I think the first one was the best.

Shame Huck Enzo never happened really, could not fail to be exciting that one.

Shhhh wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:59 Sakio Bika was regarded as a joke when he was announced as A joe Calzaghe opponent. Turns out he was tough as nails and decent

Good one. Calzaghe on points was 9/2 for that one

J-C wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:41

Counter-puncher wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:31

great call

i just realised i've never seen any of the Huck - Afalobi fights, i've heard they were good ones, which one's the best of them? i think i'll stick it on tonight

From memory, I think the first one was the best.

Shame Huck Enzo never happened really, could not fail to be exciting that one.

cheers

Shhhh wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:59 Sakio Bika was regarded as a joke when he was announced as A joe Calzaghe opponent.

that's before everyone saw his awesome hot trophy wife and realised he must be really good if he had a bird like that

Counter-puncher wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 05:08

Shhhh wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:59 Sakio Bika was regarded as a joke when he was announced as A joe Calzaghe opponent.

that's before everyone saw his awesome hot trophy wife and realised he must be really good if he had a bird like that

Shhhh wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:59 Sakio Bika was regarded as a joke when he was announced as A joe Calzaghe opponent. Turns out he was tough as nails and decent

I'm not sure how people regarded him as a joke though, a year earlier he was battering WBC champ Markus Beyer before being robbed on a technicality when the doctor stopped the fight after 4 rounds due to a cut on Beyer and they went to the score cards for a draw.

Buster Drayton

Again, going back and bringing the Frank Bruno topic up, nobody knew who James Smith was when he beat Bruno and then gave Larry Holmes hell in their first bout...then of course won the WBA title and went 12 with a prime Mike Tyson!

J-C wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:37 Sergio Martinez and Winky Wright both went unnoticed and then ended up high in the P4P rankings.
.

Wright ended in the IBHOF and so will Martinez eventually...

Also here are two she's who came from nowhere: Laura Serrano and Marcela Acuna both debuted against Christy Martin in world title fights and made excellent showings, Serrano actually drew with Martin..

Shhhh wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 06:05

banjo wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 05:19

I'm not sure how people regarded him as a joke though, a year earlier he was battering WBC champ Markus Beyer before being robbed on a technicality when the doctor stopped the fight after 4 rounds due to a cut on Beyer and they went to the score cards for a draw.

No one really cared about that fight and was only 4 round technical draw. I remember peole ridiculing it as a defence for Joe especially as Calzaghe was expected to be fighting top opponents then

He almost beat Joe!