Tweet
Check out his Wiki. Brutal stuff.
If someone wants to copy-paste a load of it in the thread that'd be cool. I'd pick out the best bits myself but I'm posting this from my phone.
-
Check out his Wiki. Brutal stuff.
If someone wants to copy-paste a load of it in the thread that'd be cool. I'd pick out the best bits myself but I'm posting this from my phone. -
Brian Nielsen (born April 1, 1965 in Korsør) is a former professional boxer from Denmark. He is the former IBO and IBC World Champion, neither of which has ever been recognized as a legitimate world title. Nielsen is arguably the most popular Danish prize fighter ever, and during his career he defeated a number of famous boxers - all of whom were in their late 30's and 40's and on the downslide of their careers.
Nielsen's pro career looked obscure at first, and his first professional match is remembered in Denmark for the very negative description Nielsen was given by commentator Knus Esmann. However, after his win over 41 year old overweight ex-World Boxing Association champion James 'Bonecrusher' Smith in October 1994 (Nielsen headbutted Smith causing a large cut. The referee stopped the bout and awarded Nielsen the win despite his foul), Nielsen began to be recognized, although he was never once world ranked by a recognized body or ever competed for a recognized world title.
Throughout his career, most of his opponents were carefully handpicked. All of the named opponents were far past their primes, and almost all of his fights took place in the friendly confines of his home country, Denmark. His 'name' opponents were Bonecrusher Smith (41 years old), Tony Tubbs (37 years old), Mike 'The Bounty' Hunter (37 years old), grandfather Larry Holmes (48 years old), Tim Witherspoon (42 years old), and Orlin Norris (36 years old). Many of these fights were won by Nielsen under extremely strange circumstances, with Smith, Tubbs, and Hunter all losing on sudden and bizarre injuries, the normally durable Witherspoon repeatedly falling to the canvas under cuffing punches that did not appear to be damaging, and Holmes losing on a controversial split decision. Nielsen was also knocked out in 10 rounds by rugged journeyman ****y Ryan (a comparatively youthful 32 years old) in 1999.
Although Nielsen is often billed as a champion, and even an all-time great in Denmark, he has never held a recognized major championship belt. He won his IBO belt by defeating obese journeyman Tony LaRosa, and his IBC belt by stopping obscure clubfighter Troy Weida.
Some mistakely believe that Nielsen is the only professional boxer in world history to have equalled Rocky Marciano's record of going 49 matches in a row undefeated. However, this is false. Many boxers have more consecutive wins, such as Julio Cesar Chavez, who won his first 87 bouts. Chavez also achieved this against world champions and top contenders, whilst Nielsen never boxed a contender except for Mike Tyson who easily defeated him.
Nielsen never pursued an actual world title challenge against heavyweight king Lennox Lewis, nor showed any interest whatsoever in fighting any ranked contenders, such as Rid**** Bowe, Michael Moorer, Ray Mercer, Andrew Golota or any of his other contemporaries, instead favouring middle-aged opponents who had peaked in the 1970's and 80's. He was however always interested in a fight with ageing ex-champ Mike Tyson, which he achieved on October 13, 2001. The 35 year old Tyson bludgeoned Nielsen with relative ease, knocking the grossly overweight Dane down in the 3rd and hammering him throughout six one-sided rounds, after which Nielsen quit on his stool citing an eye injury (despite there being no apparent damage around either of his eyes). After the loss he told Showtime's Jim Grey that Tyson 'could never knock him down' despite being knocked down. After Tyson, Nielsen fought only twice more then retired, having never been a world ranked fighter, never defeated a world ranked fighter, and never having contested an actual world title.
lol -
An objective appraisal, lol.Comment
Comment