Tweet
How many people have had their fortune rise and fall since 2005? And how many unknowns have entered the frame? As I'm making this thread up as I go along there's probably more deserving contenders, but here's my take on it:
THE FALLERS:
1. Antonio Tarver. You'd have to go back to April 2003 to find an opponent who wasn't part of Tarver's Jones Jr/Johnson mix, though those two opponents were the very reason for his zenith. Five bouts took place between Tarver and Roy/Glen, five of which it's possible to argue he won them all, or certainly got the physical advantage. He was The Man in the Light-Heavyweight division, and his fame had grown to the level where he could star in the new Rocky film as a brutal heavyweight. Yet just two months ago he suffered a defeat that was nothing short of humiliating and turned Tarver - and his Rocky role - into a public joke.
2. Ricky Hatton. Richard Hatton's curious blend of holding opponents while hitting them or giving them a "lickle nudge" had seen him become - more by default than anything else, perhaps - the Ring's Fighter of the Year 2005, and The Man at 140. However, a disastrous HBO debut at 147 saw him hold on to his undefeated record by a perilliously close margin and plan to return to 140 with his metaphorical tail between his legs. "The worst part of it was," explained Hatton, "I spent a month in America and I still didn't get a suntan R kid."
3. Jeff Lacy. Like Tarver, seems to be in hiding, with no opponents cited and nothing planned. Entered March 2006 as a 21-0 undefeated IBF champion with a 81% KO ratio. Left March 2006 with his first loss and over 1000 punches landed on his person. Don't believe da hype! (Weirdly, Boxrec have got his fight total of 21-1-0 as "23 fights"
)
Bubbling under... Eric Morales doesn't qualify as he's been showing age for some time and took a wide defeat in 2005. However, Hatton's place can easily be taken by Toney, depending on what happens with Peter. Turning up hideously out of shape and only managing a draw with the mediocre Rahman, Toney's mouth is suddenly not so amusing as embarrasing. "How much did you pay to get him ranked?" Toney barked to Maskaev's manager. Hey, James... say what you want, Maskaev was able to BEAT Rahman.
THE RISERS:
THE UNKNOWNS:
1. Carlos Baldomir. Right. Okay. So a guy we've never heard of that's 35 years old with 9 losses and 6 draws on his record will see out the end of 2006 not only as The Man at 147, but with a PPV title challenge to Floyd Mayweather? I'll believe it when I see it.
2. Surging Lyncanthropy. Although Wlad is the heavyweight of choice to most today, back at the start of the year the heavyweight titlist landscape was 100% different to what it is now and Brewster was becoming regarded as the saviour of the division. Then along comes a relative unknown with a reputation for not having much of a chin...
THE FALLERS:
1. Antonio Tarver. You'd have to go back to April 2003 to find an opponent who wasn't part of Tarver's Jones Jr/Johnson mix, though those two opponents were the very reason for his zenith. Five bouts took place between Tarver and Roy/Glen, five of which it's possible to argue he won them all, or certainly got the physical advantage. He was The Man in the Light-Heavyweight division, and his fame had grown to the level where he could star in the new Rocky film as a brutal heavyweight. Yet just two months ago he suffered a defeat that was nothing short of humiliating and turned Tarver - and his Rocky role - into a public joke.
2. Ricky Hatton. Richard Hatton's curious blend of holding opponents while hitting them or giving them a "lickle nudge" had seen him become - more by default than anything else, perhaps - the Ring's Fighter of the Year 2005, and The Man at 140. However, a disastrous HBO debut at 147 saw him hold on to his undefeated record by a perilliously close margin and plan to return to 140 with his metaphorical tail between his legs. "The worst part of it was," explained Hatton, "I spent a month in America and I still didn't get a suntan R kid."
3. Jeff Lacy. Like Tarver, seems to be in hiding, with no opponents cited and nothing planned. Entered March 2006 as a 21-0 undefeated IBF champion with a 81% KO ratio. Left March 2006 with his first loss and over 1000 punches landed on his person. Don't believe da hype! (Weirdly, Boxrec have got his fight total of 21-1-0 as "23 fights"
)Bubbling under... Eric Morales doesn't qualify as he's been showing age for some time and took a wide defeat in 2005. However, Hatton's place can easily be taken by Toney, depending on what happens with Peter. Turning up hideously out of shape and only managing a draw with the mediocre Rahman, Toney's mouth is suddenly not so amusing as embarrasing. "How much did you pay to get him ranked?" Toney barked to Maskaev's manager. Hey, James... say what you want, Maskaev was able to BEAT Rahman.
THE RISERS:
THE UNKNOWNS:
1. Carlos Baldomir. Right. Okay. So a guy we've never heard of that's 35 years old with 9 losses and 6 draws on his record will see out the end of 2006 not only as The Man at 147, but with a PPV title challenge to Floyd Mayweather? I'll believe it when I see it.
2. Surging Lyncanthropy. Although Wlad is the heavyweight of choice to most today, back at the start of the year the heavyweight titlist landscape was 100% different to what it is now and Brewster was becoming regarded as the saviour of the division. Then along comes a relative unknown with a reputation for not having much of a chin...
Comment