Getting it wrong

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 05 Sep 2005, 12:05

Part of the enjoyment of following the sport is trying to spot the next big thing. It's always great with boxing friends discussing who is going to make it out of the current crop of prospects. Unlike the mythical matchups where nobody can ever be really right or wrong spotting talent is always a good way of scoring one over on friends.

What I'm interested in here are those huge errors in judgement. Have you ever talked up a fighter only to be proved wrong and pulled down a peg or two by your peers.

I was convinced Chris Pyatt was going to be a world champion. It never quite worked out for Chris though.

I also thought Mittee would beat honeyghan no problem and that he would go on to fight for the title and win it.

Anyone remember Lonnie Smith (not the singer)? I was sure he was going to be a huge star. When he defeated Billy Costello I was busy telling all my friends "I told you..." It was pretty hard to show my face after his loss to Arredondo

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 05 Sep 2005, 12:13

Herbie Hide.

I first saw him from ringside at the first Benn - Eubank fight at the NEC Birmingham. I really thought he was going all the way.

Errol McDonald

Looked very good early in his career, good speed, power, flashy moves etc. But yet again I got it wrong.

Gregorio Vargas

Watching him on TV giving Paul Hodkinson a real beating, and Hoko was a quality fighter, I said to myself "I think I'm watching the next great Mexican fighter?" But alas I wasn't.

sharkeysboy · Post by **sharkeysboy** » 05 Sep 2005, 12:40

I was wrong in reverse about Michael Nunn. I had heard that he was a pretty good young fighter so I went to the Forum on Stroh's Monday Night Fights in 1985 and watched him from ring side. I was unimpressed. He seemed clumsy and barely outpointed a mediocre opponent. So I bet my friend Ron that there was no way Nunn would ever hold a title or beat a formidable opponent. Nunn became middle weight champ, defended it a bunch of times and beat the following challengers:

Donald Curry
Iran Barkley
Marlon Starling

as well as others. I believe he was still undefeated when Toney TKO'd him.

I defend my bad judgement on the basis of sitting too close. I was used to watching live fights from the back row. It threw me off. I also met Azumah Nelson earlier that night so I was a bit star struck.

sharkeysboy · Post by **sharkeysboy** » 05 Sep 2005, 12:48

Correction. I checked BoxRec and the fight I saw at the forum was in 86 not 85. Nunn decisioned Randy Smith in 10. Nunn did fight at the forum in 85 but I'm sure the one I saw was the 86 Randy Smith fight.

tiredoldngrey · Post by **tiredoldngrey** » 05 Sep 2005, 13:13

Robin Blake got me pretty good. But I wonder about that...he was supposed to fight Mancini, being #1 contender, but after the Korean boxer died as a result of fighting Mancini, things got shuffled around. Mancini fought Romero, a small 130 pounder but a southpaw and he gave Mancini hell for 8 rounds, but couldn't hurt him with his punches. IfBlake had been in the ring instead...Sean O'Grady got me too. When he became champ I was certain he'd defend a dozen times then move to 147 and KO Leonard...then he got stripped of his belt and got KO'd twice and retired.

dws · Post by **dws** » 05 Sep 2005, 14:49

Yea I always liked O'Grady too,after he got ripped off over in Scotland I saw him give a beating to Hilmer Kenty over 15 rds,a good fighter who could have easily quit against O'Grady and no one wouldv'e said a word,I thought he'd be a star and fight Arguello but he got stripped and then stopped by Andy Ganigan and a few fights later John Verderosa,two guys he should have beat.If I'm not mistaken didn't his father cause him to be stripped,I mean why wouldn't you want to fight Claude Noel?Also Harry Arroyo,another guy involved in some exciting network fights at 135 then seemed to lose it over night,just like O'Grady.

tiredoldngrey · Post by **tiredoldngrey** » 05 Sep 2005, 16:43

Yeah Arroyo came apart fast (ironically it was he that started Robin Blake's downfall); he beat Charlie Choo Choo Brown and Terence Alli and Charlie White Lightning Brown then fought Jimmy Paul like he'd never had gloves on before. After that Sammy Fuentes bounced around before flattening him and that was that.

sweetsci · Post by **sweetsci** » 05 Sep 2005, 16:59

I was pretty high on Shannon Briggs before he fought Wilson.

I liked Golota, and, going into the Bowe fight I thought he'd win when I saw that Bowe was over 250. Didn't realize Golota was such a headcase. The Po'hua (sp?) and Nicholson fights should have warned me.

When I was a kid I thought Cooney would go all the way. I'd like to think I'm wiser than that now. But I'm probably not. See Briggs above.

Jeremy Williams seemed to have the right stuff.

Liked Pinklon Thomas, too.

I thought Don Curry was going to be an all-time great. Same with Riddick Bowe, after beating Holyfield and Dokes.

I'd be interested to see a thread on boxers you were wrong about the other way. Boxers who did a lot better than you ever thought they would.

tagjohnson · Post by **tagjohnson** » 05 Sep 2005, 17:11

I thought those two guys were going to be alltime great. April fool.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 05 Sep 2005, 17:16

I thought the same about Smith too!. I can still remember watching when he beat Costello and thinking 'this guys got a great future!'.
I think what happened to him is that he got disillusioned and lost his desire after the Costello fight. I remember reading about how he had been ripped off for his money in the Costello fight and had to carry on working full time in a warehouse to make ends meet after winning the title. I think he also had trouble getting fights after beating Billy. By the time he fought Arrendo I don't think he cared if he won or lost.......
Shame, I think Smith had the talent to do a lot more than he did as a boxer!....

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 05 Sep 2005, 17:20

tiredoldngrey wrote:Robin Blake got me pretty good. But I wonder about that...he was supposed to fight Mancini, being #1 contender, but after the Korean boxer died as a result of fighting Mancini, things got shuffled around. Mancini fought Romero, a small 130 pounder but a southpaw and he gave Mancini hell for 8 rounds, but couldn't hurt him with his punches. IfBlake had been in the ring instead...Sean O'Grady got me too. When he became champ I was certain he'd defend a dozen times then move to 147 and KO Leonard...then he got stripped of his belt and got KO'd twice and retired.

I think Blake would have had a good chance against Mancini... great fight too.... they put him (Blake) in too many tough fights one after the other and burnt the kid out. The division was chockfull of talent at the time as well.......

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 05 Sep 2005, 17:38

I was convinced Sinan Samil Sam would make it big.
How he smashed Danny Williams to bits so easilly had me singing his praises.

Didn`t Pyatt win the WBO title?
Don`t mean much but he did hold a title.

dws · Post by **dws** » 05 Sep 2005, 17:38

You could be right about Blake,the same might be said of others back then too,the money wasn't like it is now and the networks wanted you in good fights,you for the most part were gonna face a good opponent when you fought on tv and fighters like Blake,O'Grady,and others(Frank Fletcher,for one)weren't exactly defensive wizards and avoiding punishment,that has to take it's toll.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 05 Sep 2005, 18:03

dws wrote:You could be right about Blake,the same might be said of others back then too,the money wasn't like it is now and the networks wanted you in good fights,you for the most part were gonna face a good opponent when you fought on tv and fighters like Blake,O'Grady,and others(Frank Fletcher,for one)weren't exactly defensive wizards and avoiding punishment,that has to take it's toll.

Yeah its a damn shame that Fletcher didn't get a shot at Hagler before he burnt up as that would have been a great war!... Frank just had about 2 fights too many while waiting for his shot and that was it... he was shot...

dws · Post by **dws** » 05 Sep 2005, 21:10

Yeah Frank wouldn't of stood a chance in hell against Hagler but it certainly would've been entertaining while it lasted.Did you see that look of horror on Bo Derek's face at ringside when Juan Roldan almost decapitated Frank the Animal?It really was scary the way he went flying.Evertime someone mentions Fletcher's name I think of that picture of her reaction,then I think of some other more pleasant pictures of her.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 06 Sep 2005, 04:35

tagjohnson wrote:I thought those two guys were going to be alltime great. April fool.

Curry was very close to making it. He had some remarkable wins. He seemed to open up after being ultra cautious early in his career. Honeyghan really messed him up though.

Breland was a hot prospect, built like Hearns but he alcked the speed, punch and basic skills. It seems mad now that he was considered such a hot prospect.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 06 Sep 2005, 04:37

silkov wrote:I thought the same about Smith too!. I can still remember watching when he beat Costello and thinking 'this guys got a great future!'.
I think what happened to him is that he got disillusioned and lost his desire after the Costello fight. I remember reading about how he had been ripped off for his money in the Costello fight and had to carry on working full time in a warehouse to make ends meet after winning the title. I think he also had trouble getting fights after beating Billy. By the time he fought Arrendo I don't think he cared if he won or lost.......
Shame, I think Smith had the talent to do a lot more than he did as a boxer!....

Thanks for the background info.

He destroyed Costello. It was amazing to watch because Smith didn't even seem to be trying that hard. I really thought he was going to be boxing's next superstar. One old friend still brings it up from time to time.

walshb · Post by **walshb** » 06 Sep 2005, 07:53

Ezzard, the Breland thing was huge. He was tipped to be an alltime great after LA....His amateur career was outstanding andI remember around that time, there was serious hype for him....He didn't deliver

The Great John L · Post by **The Great John L** » 06 Sep 2005, 08:17

sharkeysboy wrote:I was wrong in reverse about Michael Nunn. I had heard that he was a pretty good young fighter so I went to the Forum on Stroh's Monday Night Fights in 1985 and watched him from ring side. I was unimpressed. He seemed clumsy and barely outpointed a mediocre opponent. So I bet my friend Ron that there was no way Nunn would ever hold a title or beat a formidable opponent. Nunn became middle weight champ, defended it a bunch of times and beat the following challengers:

Donald Curry
Iran Barkley
Marlon Starling

as well as others. I believe he was still undefeated when Toney TKO'd him.

I defend my bad judgement on the basis of sitting too close. I was used to watching live fights from the back row. It threw me off. I also met Azumah Nelson earlier that night so I was a bit star struck.

Yeah, I didn't think Nunn would amount to anyhting either. Does anyone remember Marty Monroe. He destroyed tough Eddie "The Animal" Lopez on national TV, and I thought he looked like a future champ. Good chin and excellent power. Of course, I completely ignored the fact that he was stiff and mechanical when he was outpointed earlier by Scott LeDouex, and his very next fight he was exposed by Greg Page -- LTKO 6. And it was a complete blowout.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 06 Sep 2005, 09:10

walshb wrote:Ezzard, the Breland thing was huge. He was tipped to be an alltime great after LA....His amateur career was outstanding andI remember around that time, there was serious hype for him....He didn't deliver

You're right... You have reminded me of my own folly in tellign everyone how great he was going to be.

ShoeShine · Post by **ShoeShine** » 06 Sep 2005, 09:42

Ok Ill admit it, I thought Michael Grant was going to be the next Undisputed Heavyweight champ.

revporl · Post by **revporl** » 06 Sep 2005, 13:29

Age 12 I thought that Gerry Cooney was going to beat Holmes and be HW champ for years. hmmmm.
I thought Don Curry was going to last a long time. I overrated Riddick Bowe. I thought Douglas was going to beat Holyfield. I thought that Tyson would be at his peak for a lot longer than he was. I thought Hagler would have knocked Leonard out because of SRL's long lay off. F*** it, I've been wrong loads of times!

ShoeShine · Post by **ShoeShine** » 06 Sep 2005, 13:53

I also thought Ed Hopson was gonna be good, he was a pretty good amatuer lost to Kelsey Banks (another disappointment) in the olympic trails..went to the pros and I never heard much else from him. I think he was with Team Duva at the time.

kingpawn · Post by **kingpawn** » 06 Sep 2005, 17:27

I was always a little disappointed Bert Cooper couldn't stay out drugs and stay focused on his career. At his best, dude was a very exciting and dangerous fighter. But I think "his best" could still have been a lot better if he could've controlled himself and kept himself in shape.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 06 Sep 2005, 19:13

I really thought Hamed was going to be the Featherweight Ali, I thought he would take the time to hone his talent. I thought he would commit himself to work on the discipline and bring his skill level up to his talent level. He was an incredibly gifted athlete who if he would have studied his chosen occupation with more intensity could have parlayed that talent into greatness.

I thought he might, but he didnt. I didn't buy into a hype, I recognized what a true natural talent he was and am still surprised he elected to waste his potential.

Sometimes when it comes easy I guess you think you really don't have to work to be the best. He ends up a could have been instead of one of the greats. By choice.

Getting it wrong

Getting it wrong

Donald Curry and Mark Breland

Re: Getting it wrong

Re: Donald Curry and Mark Breland

Re: Getting it wrong