The Never Was.

[Bronson66]

Howard Davis was one of the fastest boxers I ever saw. Amateur record 125--5. He won an Olympic gold medal, big things were expected of him as a pro. He was a semi-flop though, with a pro record of 36--6--1. He was lacking something--maybe a punch--or chin, I really don't know. He never won a title or did big things.

He made a successful life for himself anyway but died in 2015 of lung cancer.

He had more talent than Jim Watt,who beat him,but never seemed to relish the give and take of exchanges,often being slightly out of range with his punches.

[Bronson66]

The other thread, 'the fall from the top' (e.g. Roy Jones Jr.) got me thinking about the ones I thought (and others) showed great promise but then fizzled out without ever making a splash.

John Collins

Out of Chicago he fought in the early 80s. Has a very impressive string of KOs against limited competition.

Being pushed by the new cable networks, ESPN and USA, Etc. he appeared on TV several times.

But, although undefeated, his first step up in competition proved a disaster.

Manhandled by Tony Sibson, he was stopped in two rounds.

Went back to a short string of KOs, then tried stepping up again against Robbie Simis, and was stopped in one round.

End!

34-2-1 (30 KOs)

Hedgemon Lewis looked very promising but found his level and that was that.

[Kid Cauliflower]

Howard Davis was the only fighter (of the five golds) from the class of '76 that didn't win a title.

His chin was OK but he seriously lacked power. Got off the floor against Rosario late in the fight. That says something. El Chapo hit hard.

He had two shots at the title and came up short by decision both times. Watts and Rosario.

Won almost all of his other fights. Lost to Camacho in a non-title fight; drew with Meldrick Taylor; and was only stopped once (in what should have been his last fight,) by Buddy McGirt. ***

His hands were lighting fast and he won his five Olympic fights with two stoppages and three 5-0 shutouts. I am not certain, but I don't think he lost a single round.

He was the 'darling' of the Olympics, getting more TV attention than even Leonard.

In fact, those O Games may be the only time Sugar Ray Leonard WASN'T the most popular fighter in the room. ***

Davis was dominating his opponents and the announcers loved him, while it was the Brothers Spinks who stole the nation's heart.

One could say that Davis is a perfect example of a fighter who couldn't make the adjustment to the professional game. His dominant amateur boxing style just didn't translate to prize fighting.

** He retired after the McGirt fight, than foolishly tried to come back eight years later as a MW and did as poorly as one might expect, losing a third try at some title called the WBU. He suffered his second KO when stopped in two rounds.

*** SRL won all his fights by shutout as well, but no stoppages.

I think you found the explanation.

He was also so fast he was hard to hit, but his chin may have been at least decent anyway. As I vaguely remember (I don't know if I do) he did not react well to punches, kind of like Vlad in that department.

But perhaps most poignant to me is the fact that virtually every time he faced anybody with enough name power for me to still remember, he lost, with the exception of the draw with Taylor. His style apparently worked fine at the the low and middle echelons of the pros but always failed on the final slope.

[Ben Bolt]

Manhandled by Tony Sibson

Tony Sibson was among the middleweight top five. Still, he was no match for world titleist Marvin Hagler.
After Marvin had smashed him into pieces, I remember Tony saying (I don’t recall the exact words):
“I never realized there was such a gap to the absolute top”.

It was in the days when it still meant something to be a champion. The days before our “beloved” boxing orgs created title inflation.

[The D3vil]

Guy from my town that so many thought would be a champion

Duke "I Got Next" Tanner was supposed to be a factor & was trained by Angelo Dundee at one point

He was undefeated but got caught a life sentence for drug trafficking as his first offense at like 23 or something.

He ended up getting pardoned by ***** in like his mid 40s or something after serving I think 20 years.

Crazy story,

Oh my God, Tr u mp is censored on this site?

[Kid Cauliflower]

Many upon many fighters... I dare say one could present a fairly cogent argument that a majority of professional fighters had this characteristic. Did anyone ever enter professional prize fighting with the attitude: 'I know I am but a journeyman, and might even be a decent gate keeper if I train like a beast." I think the olympics is perhaps a different story. Many fighters probably did the thing out of loyalty.

I think everyone comes in a star and the process of subtraction starts. It is a fascinating process.

I does not seem unlikely to me that guys have come into boxing with that attitude, knowing full well they are never going to be a champion. This would be in hard times like the depression to eat. Maybe I have seen too many boxing movies.

[QueensburyRules]

I think you found the explanation.

He was also so fast he was hard to hit, but his chin may have been at least decent anyway. As I vaguely remember (I don't know if I do) he did not react well to punches, kind of like Vlad in that department.

But perhaps most poignant to me is the fact that virtually every time he faced anybody with enough name power for me to still remember, he lost, with the exception of the draw with Taylor. His style apparently worked fine at the the low and middle echelons of the pros but always failed on the final slope.

- - Wlad reacted fine enough to log one of the great all time heavy records since Joe Louis, 64-5-0 with an 83% KO record.

Comparing him to Howie Davis would be like comparing U to jelly...

[billeau2]

I does not seem unlikely to me that guys have come into boxing with that attitude, knowing full well they are never going to be a champion. This would be in hard times like the depression to eat. Maybe I have seen too many boxing movies.

When I fought and taught fighting in Karate, my guys were so good they would walk away from tourneys having to fight each other for first place (I always got DQ'ed because of the way I was taught lol... running joke in our club). That made them very very good... Some of them could have easily gone in to full contact fighting on the circuits (we were in college)... and if they did and were successful that would make them excellent. NOW... we have our first real step. whom among them might fight professionally?

This usually takes about 90% (I am guessing here from experience) out of the game: They come in having done well, and they fight others similar... from this group will emerge some guys who are truly gifted... Everyone starts out a bad a ss but some will win at this level.

Now KC at this time? I do not believe anyone who makes it will say: "Hey I could be a decent journeyman." They have not even really lost any real fights yet... This becomes the point where in boxing, one was a Golden Gloves stand out, etc, In martial arts, one fought well regionally... ( For example, I remember the first time in San Francisco where our guys fought in a professional MMA tourney)... Still a long way from Pride, or the UFC, or even leagues in countries like Japan.

IF a guy becomes a professional now, again... I do not see any acts of contrition... Even if trainers have told them "you will never be the champ" when you win and win and win... you get very confident. As a matter of fact, I think guys still are confident even if they lose... Because everyone at this level is a fighter. So I do not see a turning point emerge until later. When life, or just the realization that genetics plays a part... and one's performance eventually tell a story.

I learned how to fight very well, Having been trained in a legit fighting club coming up in ****** Ryu Sh Ran Ryu Karate. but I have a unique vantage point: I am not a "fighter." I do not like to fight... I am that guy who avoids conflict until I get angry? and then? You have opened up the gates of Hell and I will drag you through them over and over again... lol. Which is to say... When I train fighters, I can see their psychology from an objective perspective.... at least when I used to train fighters... They are supremely confident. Even when they lose, they look for a cause outside their simple lack of ability.

I know the post is wordy lol... But this is why I think guys never come in with that attitude of "I can be a decent competitor." I would say they all believe they will be the man! Only when things start to happen, and the losses accumulate do they change their mind set.

[billeau2]

- - Wlad reacted fine enough to log one of the great all time heavy records since Joe Louis, 64-5-0 with an 83% KO record.

Comparing him to Howie Davis would be like comparing U to jelly...

How did he "react" to Corrie Sanders? What is your conspiracy for that one brother Tong? That is until he "avenged" that defe... Oh wait a minute!!! He never did "avenge" that defeat!!! And Lewis, who "won" against his brother (who was also buckled by an out of shape Sanders) was ducking Vlad because he never gave a rematch? After retiring?

Come on tard, lets hear it!! Why the double, triple, standard?

[Kid Cauliflower]

Tony Sibson was among the middleweight top five. Still, he was no match for world titleist Marvin Hagler.
After Marvin had smashed him into pieces, I remember Tony saying (I don’t recall the exact words):
“I never realized there was such a gap to the absolute top”.

It was in the days when it still meant something to be a champion. The days before our “beloved” boxing orgs created title inflation.

Love your phrase title inflation. Better add "rampant" though.