BoxRec

Audley and Amir's pro debuts were both huge occasions, all razzmatazz and not a hint of danger. In short, they were events rather than fights. Same across the pond with De La Hoya.

Now, has any such event ended in disaster? I remember Michael Carruth got dropped by the very first punch of his professional career, but he did get up to win.

Has a hugely hyped debutant ever lost that first fight?

Gold medalist Pete Rademacher (although he was matched slightly tough with reigning champ Floyd Patterson)

Ha, yes, of course! Well, Patterson was a SHADE tougher as a first pro opponent than Middleton or Bailey!

Bernard Hopkins lost his first fight.

oliverfennell wrote:Audley and Amir's pro debuts were both huge occasions, all razzmatazz and not a hint of danger. In short, they were events rather than fights. Same across the pond with De La Hoya.

Now, has any such event ended in disaster? I remember Michael Carruth got dropped by the very first punch of his professional career, but he did get up to win.

Has a hugely hyped debutant ever lost that first fight?

Ryan Rhodes went over twice. And Jamie Branch was ....shite.

Johnny Nelson lost four I think

boxingchat wrote:Johnny Nelson lost four I think

hardly hyped though. Johnny only had 2 or three amateur fights, and effectively learned as a pro.

DIRT SUGAR wrote:Bernard Hopkins lost his first fight.

Bernard Hopkins was not a hugely hyped amateur star though... Which is what the original poster was asking for.



Pete Rademacher, a bit of an unfair choice, haha... Poor guy.

That fight is spectacular, both a trouncing and drama... Watch that fight, and imagine all the emotion and excitement going through Pete's head as Floyd is barely having a go at it, and gets dropped by Pete... At which point Floyd starts brutalizing him to the extreme.

Poor Pete was on top of the world for a few moments, only to be absolutely destroyed in one of the worst one sided beatings in HW championship history.

Joe Bugner.

probably a nobody then but Rafael Marquez got stopped in his pro debut, 8 rounds thou

big bad james oyebola was sparked in his 4th fight....huge loss


im out apart from those already mentioned


how big was bugner ?

not so much hyped but very decent Am Nicky Macdonald lost his debut not do long ago

Here's a good un: Michael Bentt. The London born fighter who eventualy won the WBO heavyweight title.
Turned pro as a hot property U.S heavyweight prospect, after a decorated amateur career.

Manny Steward grabbed hold of him and came on board as his manager, which shows just how highly he was rated.

Lost his debut fight by TKO1.

Seem to recall him sitting on his stool, refusing to come out for the 2nd, as a gobsmacked Manny Steward tried to make him change his mind.

that is a good one MW...

Bentt had won golden gloves comps and just missed olympic selection I believe

Lee Minter - had a Sky billing and a bit of hype on Ringside given his family connection. Lost.

I know the guy didn't lose, but what about the guy Brendan Ingle/Sky hyped as the successor to Naz - Something like 12 when he turned over (exageration, what was he though 17?)... Ended up with a gift of a draw.

I'm not sure how heavily hyped he was, but Michael Bentt was a very good amateur fighter that was knocked out in round 1 of his pro debut.

Haider Ali.

Okay, so he didn't lose, but he got given the benefit of the doubt in a very close fight with Buster Dennis, and it never got any better for him in his career. I remember Sky gave him the big sell early on after his Commonwealth gold.

Edit: Should have read the "Great amateur pedigree......" thread first, I guess this belongs more in there.

[quote="stujones"

I know the guy didn't lose, but what about the guy Brendan Ingle/Sky hyped as the successor to Naz - Something like 12 when he turned over (exageration, what was he though 17?)... Ended up with a gift of a draw.[/quote]

Who was this guy Stu, I've been racking my brains trying to think of his name - The hype was huge at the time.

sweetscience wrote:not so much hyped but very decent Am Nicky Macdonald lost his debut not do long ago

Good shout - I was looking forward to MacDonald trading in his vest for the pro game - I always thought he had a style made for the pros.

He is a bit injury prone though isnt he? He could still make a good pro though I reckon with a bit of luck.

Michael Bentt lol, how did we forget about him? Do we classify him as a british heavy, out of interest?

Matched with hard hitting gangly southpaw Jerry Jones in his DEBUT. Real smart match making there!

I know there have been plenty of boxers who went on to become top pros who did lose their first fight. But my original point was the BIG debuts; boxers that were already famous before they even threw their first punch for pay. Think Audley, Amir, Bruno, Errol Christie, De La Hoya. Did Bugner fit that category? His early career was before my time.

Realistically Oliver, anyone hyped that much must have some degree of talent, and will be matched soft anyway, so its a pretty unlikely scenario.

I think Michael Bentt is your best bet, he really was a very highyl regarded amateur, and to get blown out in his debut was a shocker.

Twinkle Toes wrote:[quote="stujones"

I know the guy didn't lose, but what about the guy Brendan Ingle/Sky hyped as the successor to Naz - Something like 12 when he turned over (exageration, what was he though 17?)... Ended up with a gift of a draw.

Who was this guy Stu, I've been racking my brains trying to think of his name - The hype was huge at the time.[/quote]

Khalid Shafiq,

Shafiq's former trainer Brendan Ingle said: "What a wasted talent. Khalid Shafiq was an absolute nightmare. He could have been brilliant but he just wanted to be a gangster.

"He was so good I got him to turn professional at 16 and got him a fight in South Africa on a world title bill. But he was nothing but trouble. Naseem Hamed hated him. I had to pull them apart once at the club. I tried to help him but I don't win them all. It's so sad."

The 21-year-old Shafiq, and several mates, began fighting with 17-year-old Owain Leeson and his mates in Sheffield's Uropa nightclub and the violence continued outside the club after the men were ejected.

Leeson was stabbed to death in the car park.

Shafiq and Damien Callaghan were filmed fighting with Leeson and another man on CCTV cameras. It was branded by prosecuting barristers as "fighting for fighting's sake". Owain was stabbed with a butcher's knife by Callaghan shortly after the initial exchanges on film.

overhand_right wrote:Realistically Oliver, anyone hyped that much must have some degree of talent, and will be matched soft anyway, so its a pretty unlikely scenario.

I think Michael Bentt is your best bet, he really was a very highyl regarded amateur, and to get blown out in his debut was a shocker.

Either that or some kind of "novelty" fighter or someone with a family connection. Like had Curtis Woodhouse lost his pro debut - he would have fit it perfectly. Likewise had someone like Matthew Hatton, Joe Bugner Jnr etc lost their pro-debut then they could have fit Oliver description also - hence my example of Lee Minter.

Didn't former Skater Tonya Harding lose her pro boxing debut under a lot of publicity.

Just checked, yes Tonya Harding did. Good answer!

Realistically Oliver, anyone hyped that much must have some degree of talent, and will be matched soft anyway, so its a pretty unlikely scenario.

Yes, O_R, I realise that, which is why I was interested to see if it had ever happened.