BoxRec

Rodrigo Valdez, Bobo Olson, Esteban DeJesus, Harold Johnson are 4 boxers, just off the top of my head, that may have been a champion for more than half a decade if not for people like, Carlos Monzon, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roberto Duran and Archie Moore. Another would be Kid Gavilan, who held the Welterweight Title for over 3 years but was number 1 contender in the Welterweight Division for 3 or 4 years prior to winning the title. Ray Robinson was Welterweight Champion when Gavilan was number 1 contender.

Olson won the Middleweight Title after Ray Robinson retired, but lost it to Robinson after Robinson made his comeback. Olson also lost a couple times to Robinson before Robinson retired for the first time. One thing that impressed me about Olson is that he became a contender in the Light Heavyweight Division after losing his title. Olson was a contender for quite a few years and beat some other light heavy contenders before retiring. Olson wasn't too colorful, but must have had a certain amount of skill, and may have held the Middleweight crown for many years if Robinson wasn't around.

DeJesus was truly unlucky. Born within a couple months of Roberto Duran, Esteban hit his prime years just about the same time that Duran had his prime lightweight years. I wondered why DeJesus didn't try for the Lightweight Title after Duran moved on to Welterweight, but Esteban tried to win the Junior Welterweight title about that time, and was probably on the downside of his career then.

Anyone else care to add some other boxers in the same boat, or comment on these men?

Foreman if not for Ali.

Liston if not for Ali

Salvador Sanchez if not for the awful car crash.

J-C wrote:Liston if not for Ali

Nah, liston was too old, he wouldn't have been around that much longer anyway.

I honestly think that Foreman had all the tools to remain champion until the early 80's. However, whether he could have held everything together for all that time is another matter. Maybe though Jimmy young just had the style to beat him.

Tyson if it wasn't for Robin Givens.

James Toney if it wasn't for his local bakeries.

Marcel Cerdan if not for a shoulder injury and then the tragic plane crash.

*Alex* wrote:Marcel Cerdan if not for a shoulder injury and then the tragic plane crash.

Good shout, does anyone know how was he doing vs. Lamotta before he got injured?

Frazier if not for Foreman. Frazier may have eventually lost the title to Ali, but the 2 Foreman losses hurt his career the most.

Without Ali, Foreman may have had a long reighn as Heavyweight Champion.

As far as Tyson goes, I think getting knocked out by a tree in an automobile accident hurt him as well as Robin Givins and getting rid of Rooney and other people around him.

I wonder how Cerdan would have done against Robinson. That probably would have been a great fight.

Bobo Olson fought until he was 38 in 1966, and was ranked in the top 10 in the Light Heavyweight Division from 1960 through 1966 except for 1961. Olson lost his Middleweight Crown to Robinson in 1955. Still, not a bad career.

Tantum wrote:James Toney if it wasn't for his local bakeries.

Agreed.

Corrie Sanders if not for the love of golf

Corrie Sanders is an interesting fighter...

Alot of people think he must have a bad chin since he was knocked out by Nate Tubbs and Rahman...

Rahman is a known heavy hitter, and that was a back and forth fight that ended due to stamina, not chin.

Nate Tubbs hit him with one of the best right hands I've ever seen a heavyweight throw... It was so perfectly thrown...

Nate Tubbs sadly had fat bastard syndrome as well... So he didn't make it very far.

Anyways, back to Sanders... Watching him fight against Tubbs, he looks like a completely different figher... He was a boxer/mover/flurry puncher back then, instead of a counter power-puncher... Interesting change of style that worked very well for him... Wonder what would have come of him if he always had his current style (minus the gut)