Many years ago there was an excellent fighter who got off to a shaky start in his career, taking fights on short notice, not training seriously, etc. Although he had a lot of basic boxing talent it appeared to be going to waste. After 6 fights he was 2-4. After 15 fights he was 7-7-1. After 25 fights he was 12-12-1. Nobody in their right mind would have predicted that he would later turn his career around and win a belt for a world title.
showed signs of excellence here and there even while he was floundering with a roughly even record.
In April 1984 he went the distance with Hilmer Kenty.
In June 1984 he handed the 12-0 Tyrone Trice his 1st defeat.
Still taking fights on short notice in 1985, he lost to Adolfo Medel, Ricky Young, Joe Manley, Frankie "the surgeon" Randall and Jimmy Paul. That's great company even though he was losing. Perhaps he was slowly learning some tricks about the fight game.
Then in March 1986 something finally clicked. He was put in against Roger Mayweather as just an opponent who could give Roger a good fight but would almost certainly lose. He shocked everyone by stopping the 23-3 Mayweather in the 6th round. I remember watching that fight on TV.
In July 1986 he fought Frankie Randall to a draw. He was always fighting excellent fighters, winning some and losing some, but didn't get a shot at a world title until he fought Pernell Whitaker in 1990. He lost a unanimous decision but didn't disgrace himself.
Finally in 1993 he got another shot at a world title, fighting Tracy Spann for the vacant IBF Lightweight Title. They had fought to a draw a few months earlier, but this time Pendleton beat him. When Pendleton beat him his record was 32-17-4. Spann lost later that year to Ray Oliveira and called it quits. Pendleton held the title until he ran into Rafael Ruelas in Feb. 1994 in a fight that was televised here in the U.S. He beat Jorge Paez along the way. Ruelas beat Pendleton in a great fight that saw Rafael get off the canvas twice in the 1st round to slowly wear down Freddie. It was a memorable fight, a great performance for Ruelas and a disappointment for Pendleton.
Pendleton's last fight was a knockout loss to Ricky Hatton in Oct. 2001. Although not a great champion Pendleton had many good wins in his career, and perhaps is best known for the sheer number of fights he had with other world class fighters from lightweight through welterweight.
Final career record:
W 47 (34 ko's) | L 26 | D 5 | Total 78
Braddock was a good fighter. After he lost in a light heavy title fight he was just a bum until he had to fight for his family then he started winning.
Anyone who could outpoint Max Baer was good, plain and simple. Although Max sometimes clowned in the ring and often didn't train very well he had a big punch and was tall (6'3") with a long reach. The movie "Cinderella Man" portrayed Baer unfairly as a playboy with a temper and a ruthless manner in the ring. He was a celebrity and a bit of a ladies man, but nothing compared to Wilt Chamberlain! . After Baer killed Frankie Campbell in the ring he was so broken up about it that he paid for Campbell's 3 children to go through college. "Cinderella Man" also portrayed the Max Baer-Braddock fight as an exciting battle, which it wasn't. It was mostly a jabbing battle and neither fighter was seriously hurt during the fight.
Anyone who could outpoint Max Baer was good, plain and simple.
Yep, though nothing flashy about him as far as footwork or handspeed goes, Braddock was a good, tough and very well schooled fighter...Primarily an outside boxer, who possesed a good jab & right cross from out there. But he wasn't shy about coming inside either, and was pretty adept at that part of the game, as well (good uppercuts in there and his short hooks weren't bad either).
Comment