BoxRec

As the question says, an ATG fighter, in their prime years but looked very poor or struggled with someone they shouldn’t have. Not fights they necessarily lost but maybe won and just looked awful or very average.

Robinson's draw with Henry Brimm- based on what I've read.

Just some off of the top of my head:

Joe Louis in the first fight against Conn looked way off until the end.
Hagler vs Marcus Geraldo
Mayweather vs Castillo I

Good topic. There are a lot of these. Especially back when there were non title fights.
Alexis Arguello dropped a ten rounder to Vilomar Fernandez when he was champ.

Willie Pep's first bout with Jimmy McAllister. Pep was 8 days rest while McAllister was on 77, but it was still an off night for Pep who went back to normal for his 2nd and 3rd fights with Jimmy.

James Toney against Dave Tiberi had a mediocre performance.

Whitaker had a bad night against Diobelys Hurtado. He pulled it out of the fire with a dramatic come from behind KO, but he'd had a bad night most of the fight.

Hagler getting by Duran by the skin of his teeth isn't a particularly great performance on his part. Good, competitive fight though.

Seamus wrote: ↑15 Jun 2026, 11:45 Willie Pep's first bout with Jimmy McAllister. Pep was 8 days rest while McAllister was on 77, but it was still an off night for Pep who went back to normal for his 2nd and 3rd fights with Jimmy.

When you fight that often, you are bound to have the occasional off night. Moore occasionally had performances like that as well.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑15 Jun 2026, 17:40 James Toney against Dave Tiberi had a mediocre performance.

He clearly lost that fight.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑17 Jun 2026, 12:09

gilgamesh wrote: ↑15 Jun 2026, 17:40 James Toney against Dave Tiberi had a mediocre performance.

He clearly lost that fight.

Yeah that's what most people say. I think Tiberi won too, but it's not as big a robbery as many make it out to be.

Tyson vs Douglas
Holyfield vs Cooper

- Ali had a ton of fights he looked terrible in and should've lost, esp as he aged out of traditional prime age athletic years. damned shame he hung on too long, but that's the way of boxing.

Not during his prime though. From 1964-1967, he won all his fight easily and looked great in doing so.

goose 5 wrote: ↑14 Jun 2026, 19:13 Robinson's draw with Henry Brimm- based on what I've read.

True - 1949 - But SRR had a fight five days before and a fight ten days later, in a calendar year that had 13 fights. You gotta figure some nights weren't his best.

That kind of thing happened back then with guys who fought so much.

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑18 Jun 2026, 20:38
That kind of thing happened back then with guys who fought so much.

Hell sometime or another dudes probably legit had the flu or some other kinda illness. I can imagine more than a few fighters may have entered into a ring hungover back in those days too. Maybe not Robinson but some dudes surely would've. Greb almost without a doubt. Or Mickey Walker.

Roberto Duran vs Zeferino "Speedy" Gonzalez. It seemed that Gonzalez's height and reach was a problem for the Hands of Stone in which 3 months earlier completely dominated former world champion Carlos Palomino by decision in New York.

Duran even suffered a cut in the left eyelid. Although he won the fight by ten-round decision, he looked pretty ordinary. That was the night of September 28, 1979 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV.

It was a four-fight bill extravaganza. It was the first time I saw the great Sugar Ray Leonard fight live on TV. That night, he quickly dispatched contender Andy "The Hawk" Price in one round. After that quick demolition, I said wow! This guy Sugar Ray is awesome!

I said at the time that, Wilfred Benitez, the WBC World Welterweight Champion, is in big trouble with that speed and power I have never seen. And he was.

All the other great fighters had a great night that night, except Duran. Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez defended his WBC World Super Bantamweight title against Carlos Mendoza, who was the victim of Duran's first pro fight in 1967. Gomez won by tenth round TKO.

And also Larry Holmes, the WBC World Heavyweight Champion, defended his crown and stopped fearsome puncher Earnie Shavers in 11 rounds. Shavers almost become champ when he dropped Holmes in the 7th round with a terrific shot. I don't know how Holmes recovered from that or got up from the canvas like a great champion. But, he was in queer street on that knockdown. Those days of boxing are gone my friends.

APerno wrote: ↑18 Jun 2026, 20:24

goose 5 wrote: ↑14 Jun 2026, 19:13 Robinson's draw with Henry Brimm- based on what I've read.

True - 1949 - But SRR had a fight five days before and a fight ten days later, in a calendar year that had 13 fights. You gotta figure some nights weren't his best.

Good to see you back, not seen you on here for ages

Does Tyson against Quick Tillis count considering that quite a few people got rid of Tillis easier than Mike

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑18 Jun 2026, 20:05 Not during his prime though. From 1964-1967, he won all his fight easily and looked great in doing so.

- What Universe you on today?

Doug Jones results:
Unofficial Scorecards:

AP: 5-4-1 Jones
UPI: 6-3-1 Clay
Long Beach Press-Telegram: 7-1-2 Clay
Oakland Tribune: 5-4-1 Jones
AP poll of 15 writers at ringside: 7 for Clay, 5 for Jones and 3 even
UPI poll of 25 writers at ringside: 13 for Jones, 10 for Clay and 2 even

Sir 'enery was beating him up and arguably KOed him with his 'ammer as the bell rang. Angie helps him up to apply banned smelling salts to wake him not to mention tearing a glove that bought time in every bio of that fight I've read about.

Vs Liston, all he did was flee for his life while making Sonny chase him. At one point he screams for Angie to cut the gloves off. Liston quit with a left arm dislocated after his mafia made up there losses after wagering on a first round KO. In the rematch Ali delayed a count of Liston when Walcott had to wrestle him away as he was trying to kick the downed Liston. Then Nat gets into the clusterfuk to call Walcott over to inform him the time keeper 10 count had ended a long time ago. Walcott turns to see Liston and Ali fighting, so runs over to stop the fight to award it to Ali

Chuvalo on a few days notice put him in the hospital while he went out dancing with his wife

I could go on forever, I've seen every one of his fights, but that's the way of boxing. Illegal wagering going on by officials, a bad combination of miserably stupid and corrupt. Near every other week generates controversy. Fans love to point out his perfect performance vs Cleveland Williams who had been gut shot by a Texas trooper and twice been pronounced dead before recovering.

Poor Ali was something of a payday for his team who kept him propped up taking needless shots that left him a shaking invalid. Really, words fail as can be seen in the current worldwide clusterfuk that sees me a 20 min drive to the first ever Trillionaire in history.