Most Feared Fighter actually means....

I dont think Im alone in being very tired of hearing how this fighter or that fighter is the most feared fighter in boxing. So lets define this very overused title. Usually this is a combination of a fighters current popularity(or lack there of)with the masses, his perceived difficult style and certain attributes that he seems to possess like a Granite chin, Extreme punching power, blazing speed. What it usually comes down to in reality though is a combination of a fighters lack of marketability or maybe unrealized marketability, soft competition/impressive victories, fan base and media hype and probably a lot of self promotion to hype the fighters own merits. So here's a couple of examples of what I would call real most feared fighters: The Paul Williams who fought at 147: This guy was a stylistic nightmare for most everyone in that division, the risk was too great for the reward. A prime 147, Pre-plaster Antonio Margarito. Even 8 million $$$$$$'s didnt make this fight a good prospect for Floyd Mayweather at a point when Floyd hadnt hit the big jackpot fights. The guy was a bruising punisher that not many had the balls to face. So now the fakers: Sergio Martinez: Super talented his problem is a lack of popularity or main stream recognition. He's avoided but only because other opponents present more money, I see nothing else to it. James Kirkland: This was all about competition and media/fan hype. Who else? on both sides real and fake?

Comments (2)

freedom213

To truly be feared imo, you have to be a guy people have a reason to fight and still won't, not just a man with a tough style. Williams was never feared, because he crashed hard in his first fight after his big coming out party. Margarito was snubbed when had a case for a fight, but that angle was overplayed a bit. Nobody fears Martinez. Pac and PBF fans just use him as a crutch to lean on around here. Kirkland was hyped, but I don't recall him being referred to as the "most feared" guy. Feared or avoided whatever you want to call it, I personally think there aren't very many boxers who were truly "feared" outside of Mike Tyson, George Foreman, maybe Robinson and Lamotta but those guys were beasts. Here is an example of a boxer who truly wore that title with merit: Winky Wright No one wanted to fight this big JMW Southpaw with a jab from hell.

14y ago

Clyde_Barrow

The Paul Williams who fought at 147: This guy was a stylistic nightmare for most everyone in that division, the risk was too great for the reward. A prime 147, Pre-plaster Antonio Margarito. Even 8 million $$$$$$'s didnt make this fight a good prospect for Floyd Mayweather at a point when Floyd hadnt hit the big jackpot fights. The guy was a bruising punisher that not many had the balls to face. So now the fakers: Sergio Martinez: Super talented his problem is a lack of popularity or main stream recognition. He's avoided but only because other opponents present more money, I see nothing else to it. James Kirkland: This was all about competition and media/fan hype. Who else? on both sides real and fake? To truly be feared imo, you have to be a guy people have a reason to fight and still won't, not just a man with a tough style. Williams was never feared, because he crashed hard in his first fight after his big coming out party. Margarito was snubbed when had a case for a fight, but that angle was overplayed a bit. Nobody fears Martinez. Pac and PBF fans just use him as a crutch to lean on around here. Kirkland was hyped, but I don't recall him being referred to as the "most feared" guy.

14y ago