Boxers whose careers were cut short...what if?

[GhostofDempsey]

Thinking of some fighters whose careers have been cut short due to untimely death, injury, prison, early retirement etc. How would their careers have played out? Destined for all-timegreatness, falling short of ATG status but still HOF worthy? Or? Feel free to add names to the list.

Stanley Ketchel

Pancho Villa

John Henry Lewis

Salvador Sanchez

Edwin Valero

Gerald McCellen

Tony Ayala

David Reid

Paul Williams

Ike Ibaebuchi

Toss in Ali for the three years he lost while banished from boxing, and George Foreman if he doesn’t retire the first time around.

[Eff Pandas]

Sky's the limit or who's to say for several of them.

I think Ike & Tony woulda went away for something sooner or later regardless, but if they hadn't I'm sure both woulda went on to win belts.

I think Paul was basically done & had seen his best days by the time he had his accident so he's the only one who I'd be most critical of doing much of anything. He was 30 & was about to get clobbered by Canelo. So a Canelo KO L is probably the only thing he missed out on.

[PulpFriction]

I don’t know much about Salvadore Sanchez but many on this site thru the years have spoken very highly of him. I always think of Valero when i think of “what if” w/ boxers. Guy was really explosive and entertaining to watch. Shame he went the route he did.

[Anthony342]

Well maybe not cut short, but what about guys like Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard who had prime years in the middle of their careers cut out? We would have seen them fight more. Also kind of an interesting what if scenario.

[QueensburyRules]

Thinking of some fighters whose careers have been cut short due to untimely death, injury, prison, early retirement etc. How would their careers have played out? Destined for all-timegreatness, falling short of ATG status but still HOF worthy? Or? Feel free to add names to the list.

Stanley Ketchel

Pancho Villa

John Henry Lewis

Salvador Sanchez

Edwin Valero

Gerald McCellen

Tony Ayala

David Reid

Paul Williams

Ike Ibaebuchi

Toss in Ali for the three years he lost while banished from boxing, and George Foreman if he doesn’t retire the first time around.

- -If gonna toss in Ali, than Dempsey and Louis both lost over 3 yrs...jus sayin...

[JAB5239]

- -If gonna toss in Ali, than Dempsey and Louis both lost over 3 yrs...jus sayin...

Dempsey didn't lose 3 years, he chose to take 3 years off as the public was demanding a fight with Wills.

[Willie Pep 229]

Dempsey didn't lose 3 years, he chose to take 3 years off as the public was demanding a fight with Wills.

The public wasn't demanding a fight with Wills the NYSAC was. The public would have accepted any Dempsey fight.

Those three years off were the product of several causes: a worn fighter who was finally enjoying the fruits of a brutal ten year run; a desire to break off from Doc Kearns whose contract ended with 1925; lucrative offers that didn't necessitate being punched in the face (repeatedly).

[JAB5239]

The public wasn't demanding a fight with Wills the NYSAC was. The public would have accepted any Dempsey fight.

Those three years off were the product of several causes: a worn fighter who was finally enjoying the fruits of a brutal ten year run; a desire to break off from Doc Kearns whose contract ended with 1925; lucrative offers that didn't necessitate being punched in the face (repeatedly).

I'd have to look it up again, but their was a poll done on who the public wanted to see Dempsey fight and Wills was the clear winner. And taking 3 years off isn't the same as having 3 years taken away my friend. And need I remind you he took two years off between fighting light heavyweights Carpentier and Gibbons

[JAB5239]

The public wasn't demanding a fight with Wills the NYSAC was. The public would have accepted any Dempsey fight.

Those three years off were the product of several causes: a worn fighter who was finally enjoying the fruits of a brutal ten year run; a desire to break off from Doc Kearns whose contract ended with 1925; lucrative offers that didn't necessitate being punched in the face (repeatedly).

This is from boxrec concerning the poll I spoke about in my other post. It's neither here nor there though as I'm not trying to make this about Dempsey-Wills, only reiterating the point that Jack chose to take this time off and that it wasn't cut short.

During Dempsey's title reign, pressure mounted for him to defend against Wills. In a poll conducted by more than 500 newspapers, Wills was picked as the boxer the public most wanted to see Dempsey fight. Wills got 131,073 votes. Tommy Gibbons finished second, trailing by about 6,000 votes.

[QueensburyRules]

Dempsey didn't lose 3 years, he chose to take 3 years off as the public was demanding a fight with Wills.

- -Hard to make a Wills fight with no promoter of note willing to do that and Kearns attaching every sum in every Dempsey bank account he could get his grubbies on.

Lost years. Git thee to U minder for explanation.