I remember watching Juan LaPorta fight an incredible list of who's who's in boxing. (Gomez,Sanchez,Chavez,Pedroza...) His beard was more than enough for these guys, and when he seemed to try he did pretty well. I could never understand why this guy just couldn't seem to turn up the intensity. I think he could have had a remarkable career with the right motivation. Who else do you think has been an under-achiever?

He may not have been the biggest under-achiever in history, but the first fighter that popped into my head, was the former highly touted middleweight prospect from the early 80's, Alex Ramos.

This guy was a regular on NBC's 'Tomorrow's Champions' and showed great boxing skills in the early part of his career, as he had plenty of talent to work from; great jab, good handspeed, patience, body puncher, footwork, and pretty good power.

Here, this is what one boxing magazine I have said about him in the early parts of 1982, and I quote;

"Ramos is a prime candidate to succeed Ray Leonard as the sport's biggest superstar."

"May have the style to dethrone Marvin Hagler."

That gives you an idea what the boxing public thought of him and his potential, after seeing him display his skills on network TV a few times. From just those two comments, I'd say he was highly touted, wouldn't you?

The only thing is, somebody forgot to tell those writers that a fighter usually requires a decent chin to achieve much in the sport of boxing, which is something that they evetually found out Alex Ramos didn't have.

Yeh, that's a good one. Funny you mentioned that magazine. I believe that was the first one i ever purchased when i was around 13. It was a ko magazine with Bumphus, Ramos, Cyzz, Ayala on it. I think this might be the one you've got also. It's caption read Tommorows Champions.

Yeh, that's a good one. Funny you mentioned that magazine. I believe that was the first one i ever purchased when i was around 13. It was a ko magazine with Bumphus, Ramos, Cyzz, Ayala on it. I think this might be the one you've got also. It's caption read Tommorows Champions.

I remember that issue of KO magazine, as well, but I got those quotes from the July '82 edition of the Big Book of Boxing, which had a similiar layout as that edition of KO you mentioned (features on all of the "Tomorrow's Champions"), except this one was published about six months later than that one.

Tyson is the biggest underacheiver. He could have been champ for most of 1987-2000 if he hadn't been such a head case.

Ridick Bowe has to rank up there.

kirk johnson.
this guy has great skills good puncher fast hands. and in his 3 title shots he outboxed ruiz then gets DQ's. Has a shot at LL and gets hurt. then gets a shot at VK and comes in 30lbs overweight. i was a big fan of Johnson but he doesn't have the drive to be champ, but has all the tools, if you have ever seen him fight you would know that he has all the skills of Bryd only much more powerful.

bowe, kirk johnson, zab judah,

agree on Judah

and to some degree on Johnson but only because Johnson wasn't at fault when Ruiz pretended being hurt like a ***** so the ref would DQ KJ

it wasn't fair and any good soccer ref would have given a yellow to both Ruiz and his trainer.

agree on Judah

and to some degree on Johnson but only because Johnson wasn't at fault when Ruiz pretended being hurt like a ***** so the ref would DQ KJ

it wasn't fair and any good soccer ref would have given a yellow to both Ruiz and his trainer.

even with all the point Kirk lost i still had him ahead, the only rounds ruiz could win was win kirk lost points.

I wasn't scoring the fight because it was boring

but it was pretty obvious that Johnson was winning




Ruiz is a pathetic athlete

and taht is saying alot because i try to never hate any athlete


but he is the worst cheater i have ever seen in any sport period

its so blatant and obvious that it becomes nauseating.

Ike Ibeachuia (or however u spell his name.) He had the same problem as Tyson.

Don't know who were, but I think I know one who is:

Ricardo Williams, Olympic Silver Medalist, 2000. Has all the wares, it seems, but also has a lousy work ethic.

Said before meeting Juan Valenzuela (who took the fight on 3 days notice) in 2003 he'd make his critics "...eat their words!" Then promptly lost in a ten round match. He went back down to 6 rounds on his next fight and won by UD. Then, lost in his last fight to Manning Galloway (58-17-1) by SD in a scheduled 8-round bout in his own hometown of Cincinnati.

Was in the same Olympic class as Cotto and Abdullaev. Got much more in signing dollars than Cotto to turn pro in 2001.

Current record: 9-2-0-1(NC) He still can turn it around; but will he? :confused:

Hamed! He gets handed a beating by MAB, then fights one more time and disappears. Sound like a good canidate for the "Where Are They Now?" documentary series!!

Considering his talent and how much he actually accomplished....Donald Curry.
Andrew Golota.....though he succeeded in being a complete nutcase.
Ike Quartey and Jose Luis Lopez....Seeing their match with eachother. couldn't you almost tell they would always be underachievers?

I remember watching Juan LaPorta fight an incredible list of who's who's in boxing. (Gomez,Sanchez,Chavez,Pedroza...) His beard was more than enough for these guys, and when he seemed to try he did pretty well. I could never understand why this guy just couldn't seem to turn up the intensity. I think he could have had a remarkable career with the right motivation. Who else do you think has been an under-achiever?


I think a guy like Emanuel Augustus (ex Burton)should have already been a world champion, instead he's the eternal contender in the division. His fight with Mickey Ward was fight of the year in 2002, but next he took a cruel beating from Dorin when he should have beaten him. this guy lacks focus/mental strenght but when he's reagy he's the hell of a fighther!

Ricardo Williams is in jail on drug charges, isn't he?

I think a guy like Emanuel Augustus (ex Burton)should have already been a world champion, instead he's the eternal contender in the division. His fight with Mickey Ward was fight of the year in 2002, but next he took a cruel beating from Dorin when he should have beaten him. this guy lacks focus/mental strenght but when he's reagy he's the hell of a fighther!

Emanuel Augustus is nothing more than a spoiler for prospects that are not what they appear to be. He is fun to watch but in my opinion he is just a step below Arturo Gatti who is nothing special himself either.

Hamed! He gets handed a beating by MAB, then fights one more time and disappears. Sound like a good canidate for the "Where Are They Now?" documentary series!!

Hasn't he gotten fat?
Anyway, he might pull a Tito Trinidad..

I think the biggest waste of talent is Michael Nunn. I know he was a p4per and he was a good champion, but I have never ever seen a guy in this sport with so much talent who simply did not want to be in the ring...at times I thought this guy just flat out hated boxing. HAd Nunn been truly serious about the sport we would talk about Nunn as one of the all time great fighters, instead he barely gets a mention, check that he never gets mentioned....the guy was damn good, talent wise he had everything Roy JOnes had...I think maybe even more.

even with all the point Kirk lost i still had him ahead, the only rounds ruiz could win was win kirk lost points.
Not to get off the subject here, but is it not a coincidence that Joe "I help out fellow Puerto Rican boxers" Cortez, was the referee of this fight. I also like how people say that Ruiz defeated Johnson in this fight soundly. Those people must have been watching another fight because I also felt that Kirk Johnson was handling Ruiz fairly well in this fight before the decision to save Ruiz's ass was handed down.

My choices would be Tyson and Bowe, both of them could have stayed much longer as champs.

riddick bowe
definately mike tyson

Fernando Vargas

Nunn.

I wouldn't say Tyson underachieved. His fame exceeds who he has actually beaten.

vargas comes to mind, and yea dont think i would put tyson in this category

I'm not sure Vargas underachieved. I never expected him to beat Trinidad or DLH. He beat who he was supposed to beat.

I have that issue of Big Book of Boxing and they were grading all of the Tommorow's Champs.Just about all of them (with the exception of Chris McDonald) could be considered underachievers on some level. Along with are Donald Curry, who took his talent for granted; Michael Dokes, who snorted it away being under the control of the Devil; Howard Davis Jr.,who had the backing and talent and still screwed up; Bernard Taylor, who didn't fight the quality of opposition he should have fought until late; and Greg Page, who, like Davis had the talent and backing and still messed up.

He may not have been the biggest under-achiever in history, but the first fighter that popped into my head, was the former highly touted middleweight prospect from the early 80's, Alex Ramos.

This guy was a regular on NBC's 'Tomorrow's Champions' and showed great boxing skills in the early part of his career, as he had plenty of talent to work from; great jab, good handspeed, patience, body puncher, footwork, and pretty good power.

Here, this is what one boxing magazine I have said about him in the early parts of 1982, and I quote;

"Ramos is a prime candidate to succeed Ray Leonard as the sport's biggest superstar."

"May have the style to dethrone Marvin Hagler."

That gives you an idea what the boxing public thought of him and his potential, after seeing him display his skills on network TV a few times. From just those two comments, I'd say he was highly touted, wouldn't you?

The only thing is, somebody forgot to tell those writers that a fighter usually requires a decent chin to achieve much in the sport of boxing, which is something that they evetually found out Alex Ramos didn't have.

How in the hell could Alex lose to Ted Sanders?

David Estrada

Mike Tyson and Andrew Golota. tyson was good but he couldve been one of the greatest HWs ever.

if golota kept his head straight, he wouldve beaten ruiz, byrd, bowe, grant, tyson, maybe brewster, and if he didnt crack under pressure, he wouldve beaten (or at least lasted longer) lewis. he couldve been a champion, but his time is gone.

Corrie sanders had more natural talent than most heavies, but it sounds like thats the only reason why he boxed.

Ricardo Williams is a shame. I live in cincy and worked with a guy who lives in his 'hood. Said that he put most of the signing bonus into the "dope game" as he put it. this was about 2-3 years ago, so we werent surprised.

audley harrison, what a waste, he should have left the BBC and just let frank warren deal with things

How about Golota, it seems when things are going well for him he implodes and screws himself, if the pressure wouldn't get to him he would have become champion one day IMO.

How about Golota, it seems when things are going well for him he implodes and screws himself, if the pressure wouldn't get to him he would have become champion one day IMO.
exactly. he had three CONSECUTIVE chances at three of the HW titles and went 0-2-1 in all three attempts even though he was perfectly capable of beating them all.

exactly. he had three CONSECUTIVE chances at three of the HW titles and went 0-2-1 in all three attempts even though he was perfectly capable of beating them all.

I kno man, i feel sorry for him b/c he was very skilled and able to beat anyone.

Michael "The Glass Chin" Grant

and

Andrew "The Ball Buster" Golota


they are in a league of their own....

Biggest underachiever in my view (UK) has to be Nas so much talent and i mean raw talent! let his mental approach take over his physical way! just come back take on barrea :( lol! when full never will happen but what the hell!