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View Full Version : Underachievers and how far they couldve gone

somerset
10-07-2009, 04:57 PM
Was thinking about this the other day.

Which british boxers in recent years have the ability to have been:

Euro Champ
World contender
World champ
Unified champ

But never did be-it thru injury, poor management or lack of application.

I thought of 3 off the top of my head:

Dean Francis - World Contender
David Barnes - Euro Champ
Ryan Rhodes - World LM Champ


What dyou reckon? I am sure you can think of loads more....
PrideOfWales
10-07-2009, 05:00 PM
I think Herol Graham will feature heavily in this thread.
LHL
10-07-2009, 05:01 PM
Magee at least brit level not sure who was around at euro level at the time.
essexboy
10-07-2009, 05:06 PM
I think Herol Graham will feature heavily in this thread.

My avatar approves. :good
stephen
10-07-2009, 05:09 PM
neville brown was good enough to make it to european level but failed
achillesthegreat
10-07-2009, 05:13 PM
rhodes world class and francis world contender? maybe fringe contender and rubbish belt but i don't think genuine.
somerset
10-07-2009, 05:17 PM
rhodes world class and francis world contender? maybe fringe contender and rubbish belt but i don't think genuine.
I dont think Francis was that far behind Woods...
Gaz S
10-07-2009, 05:30 PM
Howard Eastman certainly is up there - could have even have won a world title.

And I guess you have to include Audley Harrison in his career so far. Not even a British title as yet (I disregard the WBF or whatever bollocks title he did win).

Kirkland Laing, Henry Akinwande, Adrian Dodson...
ishy
10-07-2009, 05:36 PM
My avatar approves. :good

That is one of the best avatars on here :yep:good

*Though somerset's is slightly better ;)
doug.ie
10-07-2009, 06:00 PM
michael carruth
robpalmer135
10-07-2009, 06:20 PM
Howard Eastman certainly is up there - could have even have won a world title.

And I guess you have to include Audley Harrison in his career so far. Not even a British title as yet (I disregard the WBF or whatever bollocks title he did win).

Kirkland Laing, Henry Akinwande, Adrian Dodson...

Eastman should have beat Joppy, he threw that fight away.
griff
10-07-2009, 07:40 PM
I agree with the other posts on Howard Eastman. I think Spencer Oliver would have gone far if it wasn't for his injury.
slip&counter
10-07-2009, 08:05 PM
I know it doesn't fit the question, but I'll put a little slant on it and say Calzaghe is one of our biggest underachievers IMHO.
kosaros
10-07-2009, 08:31 PM
Georgie Smith - should have been domestic class at least.
slip&counter
10-07-2009, 09:11 PM
paul silky jones
TFFP
10-07-2009, 09:24 PM
Howard Eastman is the current day Herol Graham in a sense, but not as talented.

Should have won a world title, infact both had the title in their grasp and threw it away.

In his case it was sheer laziness/lack of application.
essexboy
10-07-2009, 09:50 PM
That is one of the best avatars on here :yep:good

*Though somerset's is slightly better ;)

My avatar approves this also. :good

(Generally it approves anything praising Herol Graham)

What avatar does somerset have then? I must have missed that.
slip&counter
10-07-2009, 10:09 PM
you stole that from me, essexboy :lol:
essexboy
10-07-2009, 10:41 PM
you stole that from me, essexboy :lol:

Your never gonna let me forget that are you? :lol:
achillesthegreat
10-08-2009, 03:25 AM
Eastman had the chin, strength and power to do something but his game was absolutely terrible.
turpinr
10-08-2009, 03:29 AM
you stole that from me, essexboy :lol:is your avatar george benton ??
PaddyD1983
10-08-2009, 04:22 AM
Just done active fighters...

Euro Champ - Fry
World contender - Napa
World champ - Eastman (had B-Hop not been around)
Unified champ - Dont think this is the same argument, unification is usually political and means little in reality. So strictly Haye, but that's not an under acheivement.
mcguirpa
10-08-2009, 08:07 AM
Naz. Should have been a world champion at multiple weights.
whatcouldabeen
10-08-2009, 10:41 AM
Naz. Should have been a world champion at multiple weights.


:patsch
mcguirpa
10-08-2009, 11:31 AM
:patsch

Are you saying naz didn't underachieve?:shock:
slip&counter
10-08-2009, 12:49 PM
is your avatar george benton ??

yep, it certainly is, the guy was doing shoulder rolls before james and floyd were even thought of by their parents, great technician and even better trainer, just a shame he never got the chance to fight for a title:-(

and to think how much we complain about the politrix as LL would say and corruption now, it was even worse back then. You think Lou Duva felt a little guilty when he hired Georgie Benton to train his fighters? it was certainly ironic.
slip&counter
10-08-2009, 12:54 PM
Your never gonna let me forget that are you? :lol:


nope :lol:

herol is one of my favourites and i really wanted it, then you do a Ray Leonard and flurry to still it late, it was like you read my mind. One minute i'm thinking must get that herol pic as a avvy the next minute i'm reading your post and its there staring at me.
TFFP
10-08-2009, 12:56 PM
:patsch
I can't respond to your PM;

'whatcouldabeen has chosen not to receive private messages or may not be allowed to receive private messages. Therefore you may not send your message to him/her.

If you are trying to send this message to multiple recipients, remove whatcouldabeen from the recipient list and send the message again.'
turpinr
10-08-2009, 12:57 PM
yep, it certainly is, the guy was doing shoulder rolls before james and floyd were even thought of by their parents, great technician and even better trainer, just a shame he never got the chance to fight for a title:-(

and to think how much we complain about the politrix as LL would say and corruption now, it was even worse back then. You think Lou Duva felt a little guilty when he hired Georgie Benton to train his fighters? it was certainly ironic.
the photo was taken just after he fought hurricane carter .it was in a boxing illustrated.benton is/was a star :good
ApatheticLeader
10-08-2009, 01:00 PM
I think Herol Graham will feature heavily in this thread.
Well in my opinion he shouldn't really. He was just massively unfortunate to be in an abnormally strong division where the European Champion was truly world class.
riot187
10-08-2009, 02:31 PM
Will add Michael Brodie to the list. Featherweight World Champion and certainly Super Bantam World Champ. The Willie Jorrin verdict was just horrible.

Agree with the people saying Howard Eastman, such a frustrating fighter. Obviously the obvious ones such as Bomber and Kirklaind. Two fighters with skills to hold their own in any era.

Maybe add Richard Williams to the list as well. Unfortunately stayed a secret as a result of long lay offs.
essexboy
10-08-2009, 08:01 PM
nope :lol:

herol is one of my favourites and i really wanted it, then you do a Ray Leonard and flurry to still it late, it was like you read my mind. One minute i'm thinking must get that herol pic as a avvy the next minute i'm reading your post and its there staring at me.

Nah it was more like Graham vs Jackson. You thought you was in control and couldnt be stopped then BAM! You was blindsided with a belter. No offence to the Bomber of course. :D

The great thing is I'm gonna use it for so long only I will be identified with it so it become worthless to you. Unless some good for nothing newbie tries stealing it of course.
MIK1000
10-08-2009, 08:38 PM
Martin Watson should have won a British title but a mixture of late notice fights, poor decisions and bad promotion meant got far.

Alex Arthur was too tight at the weight by the time he got to world stage at super feather. He should have stepped up to world class sooner instead of making so many Euro defences.