Michael Dokes: Lost potential

[soul_survivor]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1090377/3/index.htm

Interesting article from when Dokes was 17, it's sad to see such lost potential. Everything other fighters and trainers were talkin about came true. ***** had skills but was lazy.

Anyone who was around when Dokes was fighting, what did people make of him?

[U_TALKING_2_ME?]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...77/3/index.htm

Interesting article from when Dokes was 17, it's sad to see such lost potential. Everything other fighters and trainers were talkin about came true. ***** had skills but was lazy.

Anyone who was around when Dokes was fighting, what did people make of him?

6'3 220 of skill and blazing hand speed, had a mean streak like a fighter should.

Average power but if you let that big fellow touch you with those blazing hands enough time you are going to fall.

But as with a lot of genetically gifted athletes he did not work as hard as he should have to maximize his gifts.

And the addiction to coke took it all away him, and still he had enough god given talent to beat and compete with the best heavies in the world at the time.

I was very high on Dokes when he was coming up.

I met him in Vegas a few times and I was surprised at how big he was in person and I'm not a small guy, a guy that size with hands that fast was amazing.

R.I.P Dokes

[soul_survivor]

6'3 220 of skill and blazing hand speed, had a mean streak like a fighter should.

Average power but if you let that big fellow touch you with those blazing hands enough time you are going to fall.

But as with a lot of genetically gifted athletes he did not work as hard as he should have to maximize his gifts.

And the addiction to coke took it all away him, and still he had enough god given talent to beat and compete with the best heavies in the world at the time.

I was very high on Dokes when he was coming up.

I met him in Vegas a few times and I was surprised at how big he was in person and I'm not a small guy, a guy that size with hands that fast was amazing.

R.I.P Dokes

dang, didnt know he was on coke. ye seen his fights from back in the day, lookedl ike he had all the tools except the work ethic, sad sad sad!

[TBear]

Anyone who was around when Dokes was fighting, what did people make of him?

He was a hot prospect. I had my doubts when Ocasio held him to a draw and I wasn't fulfilled when he iced Ocasio in the return match. He did have good skills and was an alright boxer. I predicted his loss to Coetzee and after that he bulked up and lost some speed. Before bouts he would carry in a bouquet of roses and throw them to the ladies in the crowd. I think I enjoyed his later career more than as a prospect when Don King guided him to a championship. But he was impressive in the early stages. If you can find them check out his rematch with Ocasio, his fight with John L. Gardner as well as his bout with Lynn Ball if they are on youtube.

[U_TALKING_2_ME?]

dang, didnt know he was on coke. ye seen his fights from back in the day, lookedl ike he had all the tools except the work ethic, sad sad sad!

I think one of Dokes's lawyers who was defending him after he got busted with a kilo said to the judge “Michael Dokes buys ******* the way you and I buy potatoes.”

[MisterHardtop]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...77/3/index.htm

Interesting article from when Dokes was 17, it's sad to see such lost potential. Everything other fighters and trainers were talkin about came true. ***** had skills but was lazy.

Anyone who was around when Dokes was fighting, what did people make of him?

Oh what a sad tale this really is, Michael Dokes was a hot amateur, losing to Stevenson in the Pan-Am games. I personally hold the belief that he started in the pro ranks far too early, he was probably 17 or 18 when he boxed Ali in an exhibition. From then on he weaved quite a wonderful path through the division. I remember watching a handful of his fights growing up but sadly, by the time I was working in the sport, Dokes was past it. He no longer had the quick hands or the movement that had so many comparing him to a young Ali.

He had potential to be more than just a belt holder but he had none of the required tools, namely the dedication and the willingness to sacrifice certain aspects of his life.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Really good fighter, but like damn near every heavy of the 80s, he got doped up and fat.

He was a really good fighter when he was at his best. His fight with holyfield was excellent, one of the most underrated great fights, that doesnt get talked about much, but super exciting.

Was just a shell of himself in the 90s, he a decent run vs journeymen but then bowe crushed him in 1 or 2 rounds...

All in all, a good fighter, but just like every heavy in the 80s, his focus wasnt on boxing and it hurt his career immensely