Name some prospects/contenders that you had expectations for and were let down by. [Archive]

RAMPAGE0017

06-18-2007, 09:51 PM

Was there ever a hyped up prospect, or a highly praised contender that you really thought was going to make big waves in boxing, but then once they stepped up their competition a bit they suffered a shocking ( or not so shocking ) loss, and then just really never went that far, or just faded away completely?

RAMPAGE0017

06-18-2007, 09:53 PM

thesandman

06-18-2007, 09:57 PM

Dominick Guinn. Not becuase I thought he'd be great, but because I thought he could be a solid contender. But he fights like he really doesn't care if he wins or loses.

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 09:59 PM

Octavio Lara out of Detroit. He was trained by Steward at Kronk and got a ton of hype prior to starting his pro career. Steward raved about him and some in the boxing media picked up on it. He drew big crowds at his bouts in Detroit, but went to California, I think, and got upset by a guy with a record of 2-2-2. Lara then won a couple, but dropped another decision. His last fight was over a year ago.

rayrayv123

06-18-2007, 09:59 PM

Ha Ha...Andre Dirrell.

rayrayv123

06-18-2007, 10:00 PM

I agree Sam....he actually retired not too long ago,read an artilcle about him saying he didn't want to fight anymore.

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:00 PM

The most recent name that comes to mind for me is Kirk Johnson. I thought this guy was badass, and I was positive that he would atleast have held one of the major alphabet titles at some point. But then there was the horrible performance against John Ruiz, and then finally Vitali " harpooned the whale ".

Kirk's a good example. He had the opportunity of a lifetime with a big signing bonus and a shot at Ruiz and couldn't take advantage. He's frustrating because he seems to lack desire. The physical tools seemed to be there.

RAMPAGE0017

06-18-2007, 10:02 PM

Kirk's a good example. He had the opportunity of a lifetime with a big signing bonus and a shot at Ruiz and couldn't take advantage. He's frustrating because he seems to lack desire. The physical tools seemed to be there.

Yeah, it seemed like each time he got the big opportunity he fucked it up. I couldn't believe he came in THAT out of shape in his fight with Vitali.

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:04 PM

I agree Sam....he actually retired not too long ago,read an artilcle about him saying he didn't want to fight anymore.

Thanks for the update, RayRay. I did not know he had officially retired.

left hook 75

06-18-2007, 10:05 PM

Audley Harrison obviously comes to mind.You can't get a more "hyped up" fighter than him.

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:06 PM

Yeah, it seemed like each time he got the big opportunity he fucked it up. I couldn't believe he came in THAT out of shape in his fight with Vitali.

That was embarrassing. He looked like he just showed up for the paycheck in that one.

acb

06-18-2007, 10:06 PM

Bojado has really let me down to this point. I think he could still become a champion though. He and Comacho Jr. both ran into Jessie James Leija and havent really been back since. :think

rayrayv123

06-18-2007, 10:08 PM

Yo Sam,speaking of local prospects from our D-town...what do you think about Johnathon Banks?

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:08 PM

Joel julio

Don't close the book on the Love Child yet, Mr. Twinky. He might still be able to make some noise. :bbb

Zakman

06-18-2007, 10:09 PM

Audley Harrison obviously comes to mind.You can't get a more "hyped up" fighter than him.

Very few people expected Fraudley to amount to much though. I know I didn't!!:lol:

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:12 PM

Yo Sam,speaking of local prospects from our D-town...what do you think about Johnathon Banks?

I'm hopeful. 16-0 but not much of a resume. He got a scare in that fight last summer against Castillo, getting dropped in the first, but I give him credit for coming back to win by TKO. I've seen Banks fight a couple of times and he looked pretty good, but with his opposition it was hard to tell.

rayrayv123

06-18-2007, 10:15 PM

left hook 75

06-18-2007, 10:17 PM

Very few people expected Fraudley to amount to much though. I know I didn't!!:lol:I didn't have huge expectations on him either but the fact that he did manage to win Olympic gold and the outrageous hype (mainly self inflicted) surrounding him had me (and I'm sure a few others) intrigued as to how far he could go...obviously not very far.

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:20 PM

True true...I like him,Andy Lee,and Lanardo Tyner.There are a few too many guys figthing pro here that are kind of a joke...i.e. Aaron Pryor,Jr.,Ronald Hearns ect.Do you go to alot of the pro events around here?I normally don't miss them myself.

I was impressed by Lee's KO of Daniels. Tyner has looked good. I'm interested in seeing how Vernon Paris develops.

I go to some of pro cards around here. Let's touch base next time and maybe I'll meet you there.

Motor City Sam

06-18-2007, 10:21 PM

I didn't have huge expectations on him either but the fact that he did manage to win Olympic gold and the outrageous hype (mainly self inflicted) surrounding him had me (and I'm sure a few others) intrigued as to how far he could go...obviously not very far.

I fell for it just like you did. I wasn't sure what he could do, but I was interested in seeing how he did. I had concerns about his age, but it was his chin that did him in.

rayrayv123

06-18-2007, 10:22 PM

Sounds good brother.There should be an exhibition fight at my gym in about a month...when the fight is concrete I'll let you know

PH|LLA

06-18-2007, 10:24 PM

A-Farce

haroldinho

06-18-2007, 10:33 PM

Herbie Hide

emanuel_augustus

06-18-2007, 11:52 PM

Mohammed Abdulaev
Tokundo Olajide

BobDigi5060

06-18-2007, 11:55 PM

Guinn, Kirk Johnson, Bojado, and Michael Bennett.

IntentionalButt

06-18-2007, 11:56 PM

I guess Miranda and Quintana, though I don't think either is finished, despite both having lost badly. And I was more disappointed for them than in them. Not a spiteful fairweather fan. :D

Sweet Jones

06-19-2007, 12:27 AM

Ricardo Williams comes to mind immediately.

BobDigi5060

06-19-2007, 12:28 AM

Derrick Jefferson too.

aliwasthegreatest

06-19-2007, 12:31 AM

David Reid, but that was more because of his managment

boxbox

06-19-2007, 05:24 AM

miranda and viloria

smokey

06-19-2007, 05:44 AM

Joel julio
+1

I saw Julio live a couple times and several of his earlier fights. I never would have expected him to psychologically implode against Quintana like he did.

Cachibatches

06-19-2007, 06:09 AM

Golata. I watches him on Tuesday night fights against Sampson Pohua. That was backed before Pohua made Tua look like a starving kid. He was strong and he had fast hands. He rocked Golata good.

And Golota bit him!

I don't approve of biting, but I really thought that he was going somewhere, because here was this huge (by those days standards) hard hitting guy with a mean streak and...

...determination to survive at all costs! What a dumb shit I was in retrospect.

DamonD

06-19-2007, 06:40 AM

Derrick Jefferson too.
Mmm, people forget how much hype he started to get back in the day.

My own list is really the 'usual suspects' when it comes to underachieving 90s HWs...Ruddock, Briggs, Morrison, Hide, Golota, Grant, Tua, Ibeabuchi. All achieved a level of success, but not as much as I expected.

DaHead242

06-19-2007, 06:47 AM

"The Magic" Juan McPherson. I love the kids talent and he's only 22 but he's been a pro since August 26, 2005 and has only 5 professional fights. I still think he can be a huge force in the 154-160 class, i'd like to see him more active. If anyone has any info on why he's not fighting more regularly lemme know.

Sonny Carson

06-19-2007, 01:42 PM

+1

I saw Julio live a couple times and several of his earlier fights. I never would have expected him to psychologically implode against Quintana like he did.
It was partially Buddy McGirt's fault in telling him to box against Quintana when he should have been stalking him like Rosario did to Camacho.

Sugarshorts

06-19-2007, 01:50 PM

That was embarrassing. He looked like he just showed up for the paycheck in that one.

He was forced by his promoter to take the fight on VERY short notice. He wanted a tune up and/or some serious training time. Instead, you got what you got and the rest is history.

Guru_Too_You

06-19-2007, 01:53 PM

Allan Green and Julio Garcia were my two biggest disappointments of the past decade i would say.

Executioner

06-19-2007, 02:00 PM

Joel Julio... I saw his fights against Vilches, Henry, Kamya and Meija and I thought with his speed power skill and poise he'd be the next big thing..

..until he met Quintana

Motor City Sam

06-19-2007, 02:18 PM

He was forced by his promoter to take the fight on VERY short notice. He wanted a tune up and/or some serious training time. Instead, you got what you got and the rest is history.

Yeah, I knew about the short notice thing. I was just surprised that he allowed himself to get that out of shape in between fights, especially with the heavyweight division being what it is.

Danny Ocean

06-19-2007, 02:23 PM

mike anchondo was dissapointing i liked him

same with ben rabah

Cage

06-19-2007, 02:33 PM

Jeff Lacy. . sucks for him, he just got pushed into too big of a fight too early, and now with the injury, hes probably done very early in his career and we may never know what his full potential might have been.

The Italarican

06-19-2007, 03:38 PM

As has been mentioned, Ricardo Williams looked like he had the pedigree coming out of the Olympics, then faded and got in trouble with the law.

Also, as mentioned before, in the heavyweight division I had high hopes for Derrick Jefferson with his power and attitude. Around that time I also was excited about Lance Whitaker.

I was optimistic about Juan Carlos Gomez at the heavyweight level after his performance against SSS, but since then he has shown his usual don't-give-a-fuck ways.

I'm going out on a limb too and saying that Rocky Juarez majorly teased us with his first performance against Barrera and lacks something upstairs to be a big name.

Imperial1

06-19-2007, 03:41 PM

Jerson Ravelo

Jeff Lacy :lol:

Joel Julio

Edison Miranda

Ramshall1

06-19-2007, 03:54 PM

Bojado

the_Hawk

06-19-2007, 04:10 PM

Courage Tshalabala (I thought he was going to be a champ)
Bruce Seldon

Vantage_West

06-19-2007, 04:20 PM

Audley Harrison obviously comes to mind.You can't get a more "hyped up" fighter than him.well the point was that he was a really good boxer with all the tools.just way to complacent when on the inside and fought bums for ages.

if he had done it the old way by fighting 15 odd times against british ex champions and commonwealth champions and gone to europe.
then fought for the british title and the commonewealth and the europe just to get the experience of beiong in a prixe ring.

he simply regressed..he will still fight becuase he hasnt got the looks the celeb the wit just a big man who boxes very well.

final word-regressed if he had learnt how to get hit and how to dig deep he would of had a more of a showing against williams-harrison and would of been more weary of big wide punches (sprott's left hook williams overhand right)

Vantage_West

06-19-2007, 04:23 PM

Herbie Hide:think he did well could of done better but the man was a natural 180 pounder fighting super heavies
2 time world champion
kooed all but 1 of his opponants

DamonD

06-19-2007, 04:24 PM

Also, as mentioned before, in the heavyweight division I had high hopes for Derrick Jefferson with his power and attitude. Around that time I also was excited about Lance Whitaker.
Wasn't it a fight with...Izon I think...? Where Jefferson was kicking his ass but just couldn't put him away, and ended up exhausted and battered for a stoppage loss himself...? I thought that was when the Jefferson hype ended, think it was '99 or 2000 or something.

Shotgun

06-19-2007, 04:26 PM

Juan Carlos Gomez was a huge waste of talent, but it shouldn't be surprising as he admittedly does not enjoy boxing and only does it for money. With his skills and physical tools he could've been a star. Too bad, I still believed in him until the Yanqui Diaz fiasco

Motor City Sam

06-19-2007, 04:29 PM

Wasn't it a fight with...Izon I think...? Where Jefferson was kicking his ass but just couldn't put him away, and ended up exhausted and battered for a stoppage loss himself...? I thought that was when the Jefferson hype ended, think it was '99 or 2000 or something.

That's exactly right. It was on the undercard of the RJJ/Telesco fight. Jefferson dominated the fight up until the last couple of rounds and then just collapsed from exhaustion. I don't know if Izon landed a hard punch on him the whole fight.

After that Jefferson had KO losses to Oleg and Wlad and it was pretty much all over.

Vantage_West

06-19-2007, 05:14 PM

darnell boone
still a good fighter but didnt show he was good enough at the world level

Titan1

06-19-2007, 05:23 PM

Bernard Taylor, Bernard Mays, Dwight Davidson, and Bobby Joe Young.

buzzsaw

06-19-2007, 11:02 PM

Duane Bobick
Howard Davis Jr

buzzsaw

06-19-2007, 11:03 PM

Bernard Taylor, Bernard Mays, Dwight Davidson, and Bobby Joe Young.

The BT Express good call!

buzzsaw

06-19-2007, 11:04 PM

John Collins
Geogie Navvaro

psychopath

06-19-2007, 11:05 PM

Allan Green
Audley Harrison
Rocky Juarez
Bojado

:yep

RAMPAGE0017

06-19-2007, 11:09 PM

I gotta say, I expected a lot more from Allan Green. I mean, I still think he's okay, but just not as good as I thought. :yep

emanuel_augustus

06-19-2007, 11:23 PM

Courage Tshalabala (I thought he was going to be a champ)

Takes a courageous man to admit that.

brooklyn1550

06-19-2007, 11:28 PM

Ayala Jr
Bojado
Lacy

good right hand

06-19-2007, 11:31 PM

darnell boone
still a good fighter but didnt show he was good enough at the world level

i have seen this guy fight, he is a good spoiler with good ring generalship.

ebo elder disapointed me, i thought this guy was going make it to the contender finals or win a world championship but i am not dissapointed if he retired because its better to leave with your health:good

shawn ecklund had alot of high expectations being the son of dicky ecklund and was kinda looking to take toarch for lowell after ward retired but has been having a rocky start since.

brian viloria may or may not count because he was a legitamate world titlist but despite his great atheletic gifts i hear he needs to work on his footwork to get to the next level.

good right hand

06-19-2007, 11:32 PM

Michael Bennett

i dident know that this guy had a win over the great three time gold medalist felix savon:yikes

Sweet Jones

06-19-2007, 11:39 PM

Also, with his pedigree, I thought Mark Breland would have a much more dominate career than he had.

Don't know why, but I also expect more out of Angel Manfredy, especially after beating Gatti.

emanuel_augustus

06-19-2007, 11:41 PM

dident know that this guy had a win over the great three time gold medalist felix savon

Weird pro career. He was shot before he even started. Like his neurology was short circuited or something, couldn't take punches.

Zakman

06-19-2007, 11:59 PM

I didn't have huge expectations on him either but the fact that he did manage to win Olympic gold and the outrageous hype (mainly self inflicted) surrounding him had me (and I'm sure a few others) intrigued as to how far he could go...obviously not very far.
You know what's kind of ironic, and funny at the same time?? Fraudley is someone who lived up almost exactly to the expectations I had for him - I expected him to get KTFO, and he sure delivered! :lol: