Name a talented fighter that just struggled to compete at the top level.

Whether it's due to a quite stacked division or a lack of discipline. For Example: Luis Ramón "Yori Boy" Campas {"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","height":"500","width":"353","src":"https:\/\/www.ringtv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/file_174087_1_Yory-Boy-Campas-350.jpg"} He built a record of 56-0 with 50 knockout wins by the time the IBF had him ranked as their number one world title challenger. Campas also beat former world champion Jorge Vaca by a knockout in round two at Tijuana before receiving his first world title fight on September 17 of 1994 against Félix Trinidad for the IBF welterweight title as part of a Pay Per View undercard that featured Julio César Chávez's rematch against Meldrick Taylor for the WBC light welterweight title. Campas, who had been considered by many Mexicans to be the next Chávez, dropped Trinidad in round two, but he lost by a fourth-round technical knockout for his first professional defeat in 57 bouts. Campas came back with seven straight wins, including one that gave him the WBO's regional NABO welterweight title, when he knocked out former world champion Genaro Leon in three rounds on August 7, 1995. On September 6, 1996, he was given a second world title try, against José Luis Lopez, for the WBO welterweight title, in Los Angeles, California. Campas lost by knockout in round six. Campas then decided to campaign in the light middleweight division, beating Fidel Avendano by a knockout in round two in his first fight there. Campas had four straight wins before challenging for a world title again, this time against IBF light middleweight champion Raul Marquez. On December 6, 1997, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Campas became the world champion by knocking out Marquez in round eight. He defended his title three times, beating Anthony Stephens by a knockout in three at Ledyard, Connecticut; Pedro Ortega by a technical knockout in eleven at Tijuana; and former Trinidad opponent Larry Barnes by a knockout in three in Las Vegas. On December 12, 1998, however, he lost the title after retiring in his corner in the seventh round against Fernando Vargas in Las Vegas. He has retired in August 2023 at 51 years old. With a record of 108 Wins 17 Lossses 3 Draws, 83 wins via the way of knockout. {"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","height":"382","width":"756","src":"https:\/\/images.tapology.com\/letterbox_images\/396423\/default\/images_%2863%29_2.jpeg?1690600080"} Video by haNZAgod: https://youtu.be/n7RV7iwZy9I?si=fd1YrG6l4SLDhrTZ Also want to mention Yaqui Lopez and Jose Luis Lopez later on.

Comments (17)

broner, gamboa, khan, judah, rigo.

2y ago

MulaKO

David Lemieux

2y ago

Don_Jah

Frankie Gomez, Jose Benavidez & Erickson Lubin were supposed to be the future of boxing and top of the P4P lists remember :D

2y ago

CineScape

The American Dreammmm…..David Reid.

2y ago

Slicc

Luke Campbell

2y ago

Fanofreason

Rocky Jaurez robert Easter Jr John Ruiz

2y ago

El_Escorpion

I actually think Robert Guerrero looked so much better at smaller weights. He was a much better boxer and skilled. For some reason when he went up to 147 he turned his style into a brawler, which is rather stupid really when moving up in weight. If you go back and watch him at 135, his is not recognisable competed to how he fought at 147. When you see him boxing and moving and schooling fighters like Katsidis, he looked brilliant for whatever reason he jumped up two weight classes and abandoned his boxing skills. Well to be fair, Guerrero got dropped by Casamayor and Katsidis at lightweight. He probably thought that compensate for the lack of power against physically stronger opponents, he likely needed to ncrease the punch output even if it was a more aggressively style and relied on his chin even if it will negatively affect him physically. He took his chances and jumped two divisions, it worked out for him as he had beaten a natural Welterweight that's a big puncher in Berto. He also did well against Thurman initially in the first four rounds and showed grit at the end of the fight despite the knockdown.

2y ago

famicommander

I actually think Robert Guerrero looked so much better at smaller weights. He was a much better boxer and skilled. For some reason when he went up to 147 he turned his style into a brawler, which is rather stupid really when moving up in weight. If you go back and watch him at 135, his is not recognisable competed to how he fought at 147. When you see him boxing and moving and schooling fighters like Katsidis, he looked brilliant for whatever reason he jumped up two weight classes and abandoned his boxing skills. Look at his opposition at 147. He won the IBF strap twice at 126, the IBF strap at 130, two interim belts at 135, and an interim belt at 147. It was time to cash out and that meant fighting guys like Floyd, Berto, and Thurman. He wasn't going to out-skill those guys at any weight, under any circumstances. Brawling was his only option and he figured he had the chin to do it.

2y ago

famicommander

Billy Dib: 48-0 vs fighters that never won a major world title in their career 0-6 vs fighters that did win a major world title in their career Dib won a vacant IBF strap and successfully defended it twice, so props to the man. But every time he faced another current/former/future world titlist, he lost.

2y ago

deathofaclown

2y ago

deathofaclown

I thought hamed was elite, but he fought an elite and lost. Exactly. Losing on points to Barrera isn't some great shame. Its also worth noting that Hamed's hands were shot to bits by the time fight happened. that said, I'd say Hamed was potentially elite but I'm not sure I can say he truly was. He fought only once at true elite level and come up short. Maybe that wouldn't always be the case but we can only go on his one and only example.

2y ago

El_Escorpion

Jose Luis Lopez "El Maestrito Lopez" {"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","height":"464","width":"320","src":"https:\/\/www.ringtv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Jose-Luuis-Lopez-GettyImages.jpg"} Lopez turned pro at the age of 15 in 1989 when he defeated Raul Contreras. Handpicked as an "easy" opponent against then champion Eamonn Loughran in 1996, he knocked down the WBO Welterweight Champion three times and ended up winning by KO in the first round. After a win over Luis Ramon Campas, he relinquished the title. He then defeated former welterweight champion Jorge Vaca by technical knockout, and on June 7, 1997, he defeated another former welterweight champion Aaron Davis by decision. Lopez drew against Ike Quartey in 1997 for the WBA welterweight title, in a fight where he spent most of the rounds languishing on the outside, only to come alive in the late rounds. Lopez put Quartey down in the 2nd and 11th. The fight initially awarded to Quartey by MD, changed after error in scoring discovered. In his last fight before a four year hiatus, he surprisingly lost a championship bout against underdog James Page for the WBA welterweight title in 1998, this despite Page being knocked down in rounds 3 and 9. He has 51 Wins, 5 Losses, 2 Draws, with 39 wins via the way of way of knockout. highlights by HaNZAgod: https://youtu.be/BkCUfU_uMaA?si=vUqT-wrCxOpzT1JT By the way I agree with most posts so far except Naseem Hamed who became champion and had a big streak of wins over multiple other prime former champions like Cesar Soto, Paul Ingle, Wayne McCullough, Manuel Medina, Wilfredo Vazquez, and Kevin Kelly before facing Barrera.

2y ago

El_Escorpion

Alvaro "Yaqui" Lopez {"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","height":"400","width":"400","src":"https:\/\/d2fmj9q21jcbgm.cloudfront.net\/AcuCustom\/Sitename\/DAM\/5964\/YaquiLopez_800.jpg"} López is considered by many as one of the greatest Light Heavyweights to never become world champion. On October 9, 1976, López lost a very disputed decision to world champion John Conteh. Many people in the crowd thought López had pulled off the upset. The fight was held in Denmark. Álvaro met Víctor Galíndez in two installments for the WBA Light Heavyweight Championship. The fights were held in Italy. Some boxing writers thought that Álvaro won both fights, though the decision victories went to the champion, Galindez. He was one of the very few boxers of his time to challenge James Scott at the Rahway State Prison. López would later fight in Ring Magazine's 1980 Fight of the Year against WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Matthew Saad Muhammad. The first half of the fight was dominated by López, with all three score cards very close up until the fourteenth round. Álvaro eventually ran out of energy to continue fighting and was stopped. In Álvaro's last world title attempt, he would lose to the much younger WBC Cruiserweight Champion, Carlos De León. López would then wait almost a year before fighting Bash Ali. Following the matchh, he retired from boxing. Lopez is a member of both the California Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He has his own gym named after him, Yaqui Lopez's Fat City Boxing. During Álvaro's career he faced Víctor Galíndez, Mike Rossman, Mike Quarry, Tony Mundine, Jesse Burnett, James Scott, S. T. Gordon, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Carlos De León, Michael Spinks, and John Conteh. He has a record of 61 Wins, 15 Losses, and 39 wins via knockout. highlights by haNZAgod: https://youtu.be/6whCjLxSkO0?si=j582F94TfFyV8QtZ

2y ago

hugh_grant

I thought hamed was elite, but he fought an elite and lost.

2y ago

elfag

Hamed and Judah I get what you are saying, they looked like they could have been elite level. They still were both lineal champs and judah a 2 division champ but yeah they could have been even more. My own, I think Rafael Marquez never got his level of due because he was always outshined by his brother and the israel vasquez fights took so much out of him. He probably could have been managed better and make a reign at featherweight. Also winky wright although he had a good career, he had a 4 year gap in his prime between the vargas fight and the shane mosley fight, i wonder how his career would play out if they gave him the vargas decision and he had the big names in his prime there. Or if you want a guy who maybe not elite but got underrated or shafted, I say Emanuel Augustus, dude has like almost a 50% win ratio. I think judges hated his style and punished him for his antics to be honest. Mayweather Sr, he had some potential he was quick as hell, look how fast he was side by side leonard, but its like he never had a chance, first he gets shot but even if he wasnt shot welterweight was stacked at that time. In a weaker era he could have won a belt for sure. Or how about Khan, what if Khan had an iron jaw?

2y ago

niceyboo3

Felix verdejo. Although a murderer, I thought he was really good and would dominate 135... Oh well:rolleyes:

2y ago

Atypicalbrit

Zab Judah is the guy that always comes to mind to me, yes he won some world titles but I felt he never lived up to his potential because mentally he just couldn't get his head straight and check his ego. Naseem Hamed is another example who just let arrogance ruin him, there's a difference between confidence and delusion and it's a fine line both those guys stepped over.

2y ago