Who are your favorite "Tough Luck" fighters?
I'm talking about guys that, for whatever reason, didn't reach that upper level of fighters. Maybe a guy that never got the opportunity to prove his worth in the upper echelon. Maybe a guy that didn't get a fair shake when he did. Maybe a guy that was limited by injuries or inactivity when he seemed to be on the verge of reaching that level.

I'm watching Katsushige Kawashima vs. Jose Navarro right now, and Navarro was one of those dudes. That was a tremendous fight that I thought Navarro clearly won. Lost three other times in world title fights, all decision losses and two of them in his opponent's territory. A fun as hell fighter to watch.

looks like Jamie Moore will be that way now

Zab

I don't think Zab fits this at all. The guy has had millions of opportunities to turn his career around and has failed. He has gotten a ton of opportunities, plus he was the man at 147 after beating Spinks and he was at the top of the sport for a small period of time.

Jhonny Gonzalez. A very good fighter, but could never get that timely win.

Monte Meza Clay. He was only 5'2", so that always hindered him. By the time he got his shot in an eliminator against Jorge Solis, he wasn't the same fighter. never recovered from a wrist/elbow injury.

He would be my choice too.

Oba Carr.

How is Zab not tough luck?

All the talent in the world, never came in fat or flabby, just blessed with a less than stellar chin. Known primarily for a right hand from Kostya and a shimmy afterwards even by people who know dick about boxing. Gave all he had in several fights and still lost almost every time he got on the big stage.

Zab is the very definition of tough luck.

Gave all he had in several fights...for about four rounds. Then the mental midget fell apart and would somehow wind up in close fights that he should have run away with.

I don't feel sorry for Zab one bit and I don't know how anyone can. The guy is more about partying on the Strip than about fighting [at least since the Floyd fight]. He has fucked HIMSELF more than anyone has screwed him...after doing the chicken dance against Tszyu he couldn't control his emotions and grabbed the referee by the neck. He got a shot at Mayweather after he LOST TO CARLOS BALDOMIR. That is GOOD luck. That would be like Margarito losing to Paul Williams and then getting the Cotto fight immediately afterwards. He's been going the distance with guys like Ryan Davis, Edwin Vazquez, Ernest Johnson, Rafael Pineda, Omar Weis...
If anything Judah has cost himself more money than any fighter out there.

this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G8f11o5K9I

Paul Briggs. Never in a bad fight...

In a way, Glen Johnson.

pollo valenzuela...

Oh man that is definitely one. So close to beating Adamek two different times, then he didn't get a big shot again and hung em out. My favorite at 175 never to win a belt.

Ruben Castillo. Just a terriffic featherweight of the 1970's-80's. Slick boxer. At one point in his career he was like 65-5. Four of his losses came in championship challenges to Alexis Arguello, Sal Sanchez, Juan LaPorte and JCC.

Talk about wrong place at the wrong time.

Second Adamek fight was very competitive but not close. It just took the wind out of Briggs' sails. Anyway, Briggs was all-fighter and a good choice here.

Antonio Diaz, though who knows what will come of his second career (not banking on him to beat Ortiz, but stranger things have happened).

At this rate, I have to imagine David Lopez will one day end his career without ever getting a title shot.


I don't agree on Zab fitting the bill either, but for that... like you mentioned in your opening post, Navarro received four shots at a title. He was robbed once, but the other three losses were legit. Nothing really holding him back, other than his own ability to get over the hump.

I agree with Jose Navarro, always a personal favorite of mine.

I'll add Dale Brown.

Add Yaqui Lopez to the list...a terrific and tough light heavyweight who had five shots at a world title only to run into guys like Matthew Saad Muhammad, John Conteh, Victor Galindez and Carlos DeLeon. He arguably beat Conteh and Galindez but never broke through. He's also the kind of person you'd root for...a humble, blue-color all-around nice guy.

by those standards do we consider Juarez tough luck considering he ran into Soto, JMM and John in quests for titles? Dude has always been a solid fighter when not fighting for a title but could never get over the hump

agreed 100% on Yaqui

I agree 100% on Juarez. The only thing that would limit that is he was his own worst enemy. Just never threw enough damn punches!



Oh man, I love Antonio Diaz. That guy has been in some memorable wars and the way he fought Shane Mosley even though he was badly outgunned, you gotta respect that. Glad to see him getting a second chance in the spotlight. I think he would have given Zab a tough fight if Super had the balls to take it.

Rocky Juarez is not a victim of tough luck, he's a victim of his own mental shortcomings. When he's on the big stage, he fights like a sparring partner.

Jesus Salud. I was a little young when he was in his prime but I wish he would have had a couple more high profile fights.

Jerry Quarry

Adan Vargas is perfect for that list.

A step further is Jesse Burnett, piss poor management, terrible decisions against the best in the game. I can't think of a single fighter that had more shit decisions go against him. Beats Galindez in a title eliminator and doesn't get his long awaited shot at the title for a couple years after. I loved him growing up.

Anybody that's never heard of Jesse, Box rec him and look at the names. This should be called the Jesse Burnett thread.


George Chaplin was a local Heavyweight who got ruthlessly robbed twice against a young and tremendously hyped Greg Page. He fought Dokes tough and lost to Coetzee & Cooney. But the hideous decisions against Page probably kept him from getting a title shot.


Edit: For the lazy http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human...5&cat=boxer

Guillermo Jones - the REAL P4P #1

Jesus Chavez

Nah, Zab is the very definition of overrated. His talent has been overstated for years. He is fast, that sums it up.

but look at the list of who he fought for titles

JMM
Barrera twice
Soto
John

arguably the best at their divisions when he fought them. Mental shortcomings or not thats a hard list to overcome to get your belt.

yeah yeah I know he should have been more active but lets not solely dismiss this as his doing when his list is a who's who of good/great fighters at 126 and 130

Not to mention, MAB 1, Soto & john1 were all very entertaining fights.

I've actually always been a Juarez fan, but where I come short of defending him is his lack of credible wins to actually merit so many title shots. His most notable wins are against a used-up version of Barrios, and Raheem in a fight where both looked terrible.

Navarro's actually in the same exact boat, which is why I questioned him from jump. Both have the Olympic pedigree, which was enough to get them a first title shit. Since then, their basis for receiving title shots has been, "Well he came close in his last title shot," although sadly there might still be hope for Rocky, whereas Jose is all but done.

Ike Ibeabuchi

Cosign. A good fighter in a tough era.

From back in the day Jerry Quarry would be the definition of tough luck. Matter of fact I think he had "Hard" and "Luck" tattoed on his fists.

I'm a huge Lopez advocate. Guy was a fighter's fighter, was in some terrific rucks and always gave as much as he had to give.

One small aside is that the phrase is 'blue collar', otherwise we'd all be cheering for the smurfs...



Another name I wouldlike to throw into the ring, with depressing inevitability, is Carl Thompson. Had to retire because nobody would fight him (at an official 40), which was a theme throughout his career. Not the most talented but always in shape and tough as old boots. Put his balls on the line spectacularly every time he went out.

Juarez came immediately to mind. I also agree he's taken 4 of the toughest roads to a title. Most guys will get a belt fighting for a vacant strap or against a weak champ but Rocky tried to do it against some great fighters. It sucks but I also think he has some mental shortcomings as well. He is who he is.

For the record, I thought he beat MAB the first time.

Merqui Sosa def fits this bill. He fought a who's who of the best in his time and they were all very good to great fighters, dude could just never get over the hump and he has a win over Glen Johnson. Fought Liles, Little, Toney, Nunn, Jones Jr, Prince Charles, etc.

I would say Shane Mosley, for what he COULD HAVE achieved. His losses to Vernon Forrest really derailed his career. I'm not sure what you mean by "tough luck", but Shane somehow comes to mind for me.

I'm going to say Jason Litzau.

He could be so hard to beat if he fought differently. I remember his main objective was to be entertaining and it costs him his first loss on HBO. Then he was beaten down by Guerrero. I think he lacks a bit of skill but he has the height, reach and jab to give guys fits at 126. He's a bit chinny but I think with teh right trainer and game plan he could've been more successful. Hopefully now the warrior mentality is on the back burner and he's actually worked on his fundamentals. He'll be on ESPN this month.

Love him or hate him, he's either going to knock someone out or he's getting knocked out. I'm probably the only dude still checkin for the American boy

I know but I was going off of DH's def

I was going to say Fernando Trejo, Larry Mosley types

Zack Padilla
Lamar Parks

How in the HELL can you be "Tough Luck", after making millions while on roids? The 2nd fight with ODLH!

I'd say Martin Castillo. Alot of his misery is due to the fact that dudes eyebrow ridges are like knives. During his best years I would say that Supafly was the BEST division, and he was the best in it (would have to rethink that based on later results)

I understand he got robbed in his first try at a title, due to cuts (didnt see it). Fought alot on Solo Boxeo (saw him completely undress Alex Munoz several years before Mijares did - thats wehn I became a huge fan)

... finally got some shot at limelight underneath Pac/Morales PPVs. First dominated Morel, altho that was boring as fuk, but the 2nd time he was a great WAR w/ Munoz. I though this could be his chance to get some HBO exposure...

then his next fight he's stopped on cuts w/ a rookie Nashiro (altho it was a tough fight, but Castillo was coming on).

Has to take months off while they shave his brows, fights a bit more, doesnt look great, he's getting along in years, and then gets completely blown away by Hotpants. Superfly had already lost its luster by then, and Castillo didnt have much to show for being a top fighter in the best division

****

I hate his goofy personality, but count me as another fan of the American Boy. Please note hes fighting some schmuck for the troops on Wed on ESPN2. I agree w/ what homie said above - dude could have served himself by using his length and boxing, but Litzau was either gonna KO or get KTFO. As soon as Ghost fight was signed i knew homie was gonna get stretched. But i hope he comes back and entertains.

Emanuel Augustus do they come any more hard luck than him? But he's a terrific competitor and entertainer.



Zab doesn't fit the bill. To be hard luck you'd have to have difficulties that were out of your control, not of your own making. Like getting robbed or bad injuries etc etc Zab had every advantage over guys like Kosta Tzsyu (with the exception of toughness) and Cotto and blew it. He wanted easy wins and when he couldn't hurt someone with a single punch he struggled.

Jhonny G was never the same after Izzy fucked him up.

Omar Sheika.

This was actually the guy I had in mind when I posted this and I was just waiting for someone to mention him. Guy was in a ton of exciting fights, and he was so close to pulling out a win against Lacy. That twelfth round of the Lacy-Sheika fight was Rocky Balboa style.

Can't mention Sheika without Scottie Pemberton.

Depending on where Katsidis goes, you might mention him. He's run into Casamayor and Juan Diaz for his only two losses and it has a lot of people citing him as a B fighter. He looked a ton better against Escobedo and seemed to box a lot better. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a belt [a real one, not another sham interim title].

augustus doesn't fit the bill either, he is self induced shit. If he wasn't such a fuck up he probably only would have lost 20 fights. I hate that dude.