Biggest Waste Of Potential/Talent EVER?

[RubenSonny]

The punch Carnera hit Earnie Schaaf with.....well, lets just say you've probably been smacked harder by your Mom. Schaaf had taken a hell of a beating from Baer which probably had caused brain damage with the Carnera fight just being the thing that pushed him over the edge. It's similar to what happend to Gerald McClellan: McClellan had started showing problems BEFORE the Nigel Benn fight.....Clearly from damaged sustained in a previous bout. The Benn fight was simply the final straw.

Poet

He also used to spar with heavyweights, I've heard that he had complained before the Benn fight that he experienced a sensation of water being poured on his head regularly. The 3 bouts leading up to the Benn fight all ended in one round, not enough time to show there was something seriously wrong.

[jabsRstiff]

Donald Curry.

Despite unifying the welterweight division and eventually winning a portion of the 154lb crown, this was a guy who should have done a whole lot more. Best fighter I have ever seen for the brief time he was on top. But, something caused him to mentally unravel......keeping him form being the true all-time great his ability and early accomplishments showed he was capable of being.

[jabsRstiff]

He also used to spar with heavyweights, I've heard that he had complained before the Benn fight that he experienced a sensation of water being poured on his head regularly. The 3 bouts leading up to the Benn fight all ended in one round, not enough time to show there was something seriously wrong.

Julian Jackson, who had just been KO'd by McClellan, claims that Gerald was complaining about his own head while in the ring after their first bout.

[The_Demon]

Donald Curry.

Despite unifying the welterweight division and eventually winning a portion of the 154lb crown, this was a guy who should have done a whole lot more. Best fighter I have ever seen for the brief time he was on top. But, something caused him to mentally unravel......keeping him form being the true all-time great his ability and early accomplishments showed he was capable of being.

Very good shout,Curry was one of the best technicians i have ever seen

[GJC]

John Conteh

[McGoorty]

Troy Waters...... had a lot of tools, but simply froze in title fights.......... Never any aggression at the times when he needed it..... I blame his father Ces.... a more complete idiot than Ces Waters is hard to imagine.... On second thoughts... the kid never had a chance.

[McGoorty]

Roy jones could have gone down as one of the GOAT,he was a special fighter but his resume is lacking and certainly doesnt match his insane talent

I believe that Jones's opponents were not of the highest calibre,.. his win over Hopkins was impressive.... Jones should have realised that he needed at least two more fights with Hopkins, two more wins would have doubled his legacy. But it is not Roy's fault that the talent was lesser than previous times..... they just were not there.

[any craic lad?]

Ok since most the best awnsers have been taken im gunna say one that most wont agree with Juergen Braehmer.The guy has been in and out of prison frequently since his teens including a stretch from 2002 -2005 for a hit and run.Superb amateur beating the likes of Hatton Sturm and Froch and winning numerous touraments.As a pro won a world title but as pulled out fights time after time i think he woulda beaten Clev in Wales but there seems to be something not quite right upstairs with Braehmer

[jabsRstiff]

I believe that Jones's opponents were not of the highest calibre,.. his win over Hopkins was impressive.... Jones should have realised that he needed at least two more fights with Hopkins, two more wins would have doubled his legacy. But it is not Roy's fault that the talent was lesser than previous times..... they just were not there.

James Toney was either the #1 or #2 lb4lb (with Whitaker) fighter in the world the night Roy completely dominated him.

[Sugarj]

I'm not going to claim he was the biggest waste, but George Foreman definitely could have done better.

He responded very badly to the loss against Ali, and as he proved in the comeback he wasn't finished yet, imagine what he would have been like if he hadn't had his 10 year layoff?

Really, I just don't see Ron Lyle or Jimmy Young having any success with the Foreman of Rumble in the Jungle.

I've often said that we never saw Foreman's true prime......he was only 23 or 24 when he lost to Ali. He really should have beaten Young, but blew himself out with his round 7 rampage. His pacing in the 70s was pretty bad!

Just imagine a 1980-1982 Foreman, early 30s 235 Lbs ish, no flab. With the experience, patience and pacing of 90s Foreman. A very scary prospect!