Could Howard Eastman have achieved more?

[Fat Joe]

I was a fan of Eastman and always thought he would win a world title. I saw him as a very skilled operator but a little one-paced.

I read a quote by his trainer Robert McCracken a while back questioning Eastman's attitude to training. Obviously Eastman is knocking on now, so I don't think it matters much at this stage.

But when he was in his prime years was Eastman a talented fighter who was not quite good enough to win a world title, or did maybe his attitude and discipline mean he didn't make the most of his talent?

[robpalmer135]

he could of certainly won a versain of the world title, he should have beaten Joppy apparently.

[GazOC]

I bumped into a friend of McCrakens last year and he said McCraken had told him Eastman was the laziest fighter he's ever trained.

[scurlaruntings]

I bumped into a friend of McCrakens last year and he said McCraken had told him Eastman was the laziest fighter he's ever trained.Hardly surprising. Eastman was too busy being eccentric and feeding his parrots in that commune he called home. Remember when he fought Joppy? What a joke. Not until the last minute did he bother to go into 2nd gear. By the time he did he lost a close decision and then bitched about the result. He spent more time showboating and putting his foot on the ropes than winning points. Such a dam shame as the US fans really liked him.

[achillesthegreat]

He clearly didn't train hard nor take time to master the science of the sport. Thus he was just a run of the mill kind of fighter. Nothing really amazing. A bog standard contender with good and bad days. He could have achieved much more.

[kurt2006]

He was always too lazy inside the ring and boring to watch.

[DamonD]

Just lacked that mental focus. Physically, and when he was switched on, Eastman could be a very dangerous and aggressive fighter. When it came to his biggest fights though he was just lacking that extra bit of driver, either in the ring or in his preperation (or both).

[Govanmauler]

Mental attitude is as important as conditioning and skill. Eastman didnt seem to care , thus he wasn't the complete fighter. A real shame as I always got the feeling that if he had bothered his arse he would have been devestating. He could have beaten Hopkins IMO but Hopkins saw what Eastman was all about and fought the perfect fight to lull Eastman into his "do-nothing" self.

[Diablo]

The thing that always amused me was the bbc rankings rating Eastman above Calzaghe for a LONG period of time. It was pretty laughable.

Previous poster said it...lazy.

[TFFP]

Only if he had a brain transplant.

So in other words, he couldn't have achieved more. These sort of questions always amuse me. It's like the Zab Judah/mentally weak thing. Could have should have would have. But they can't.

[TommyV]

Still amazes me that the guy never won a title.

[FLINT ISLAND]

Eastman was a bit wooden against the slicker skills of Hopkins

he was a bit robotic

good but limited

his brother Gilbert was a bit of a showman though

[1stcontact]

Didnt he just win some Random title the other day??:think

What about his brother whats he up to last time i saw him he was getting knocked sparko by gary lockett??:admin :yikes

[GazOC]

It was his national title.

[scurlaruntings]

Still amazes me that the guy never won a title.Im not. He never worked for it and never wanted it enough.

[TAM83]

My lasting impression of Eastman will be when he was fighting Joppy and he done everything except go for the verdict. Was to busy showboating and looking good when he could have clearly won the fight, he even dropped him at one point if I remember correctly.

Remember him having the talent but not wanting it enough

[scurlaruntings]

Didnt he just win some Random title the other day??:think

What about his brother whats he up to last time i saw him he was getting knocked sparko by gary lockett??:admin :yikes :lol: I remember that. That was quite some time ago..

[ron u.k.]

could he have achieved more?-well obviously the answers no because he never had the mentality to go with his talent.being an elite fighter means you must have the tough mental application to go with the physical gifts and talent and eastman clearly never had that to take him to the next level.to me he was a dissapointment a particularily frustrating and annoying fighter to watch.

[Danny]

Eastman should have definately beaten Joppy. I watched the fight live & the fight was for the taking, but Eastman became too lazy, too complacent. In the end, it came to digging in & Joppy did this. Eastman should have won & he has no-one else to blame other than himself!

Eastman could be a very tough fight for anyone when he was motivated & switched on, but that was not often enough. When he fought Hopkins, Eastman was out-thought mentally, & then out-fought physically. He played right into Hopkins' hands.

Hopkins was just going through the motions when he fought Eastman. You could see that if Bernard wanted to, he could up the pace & perhaps score a stoppage, but he just went through the gears. Hopkins is even smiling sometimes during the fight because he knows he had Eastman's number!

[Bull Terrier]

Eastman should have definately beaten Joppy. I watched the fight live & the fight was for the taking, but Eastman became too lazy, too complacent. In the end, it came to digging in & Joppy did this. Eastman should have won & he has no-one else to blame other than himself!

Eastman could be a very tough fight for anyone when he was motivated & switched on, but that was not often enough. When he fought Hopkins, Eastman was out-thought mentally, & then out-fought physically. He played right into Hopkins' hands.

Hopkins was just going through the motions when he fought Eastman. You could see that if Bernard wanted to, he could up the pace & perhaps score a stoppage, but he just went through the gears. Hopkins is even smiling sometimes during the fight because he knows he had Eastman's number!

I remember Eastman badly rocking Hopkins in the late rounds. It was about the only time I can remember Hopkins being seriously hurt. However Hopkins was far too slick, recovered quickly and Eastman thus couldn't close the show.
No question on the verdict though, because Hopkins easily did enough to win the fight.

[brown bomber]

Eastman was tall, awkward and powerful but some way short of World Championship class. I think he was European level at best. He was also boring to watch.