Unqualified fighters getting title shots have been happening pretty much as long as boxing has existed. Which fighters have been the least deserving? Here's a few off the top of my head... Sean Mannion vs. Mike McCallum Pete Rademacher vs. Floyd Patterson Tom McNeely vs. Floyd Patterson Jose "King" Roman vs. George Foreman
This was the first one to come to mind. Eddie Croft came out of a 3 year retirement, and 3 straight losses (5 Ls in his last 6 bouts), and fought Erik Morales for the WBC title. Morales said something in an interview that it was supposed to be an exhibition bout or something. :dunno:
Almost every title defense of Zsolt Erdei And Felix Sturm. Jamie Pittman Noe Alcoba George Blades DeAndrey Abron Danny Santiago Paul Murdoch Ruben Varon Bobby Gunn is probably the worst though.
True, but Chavez wasn't the first (or the last) former great champ to get a undeserved shot based on his great career.
Roberto Duran against William Joppy was pretty bad. There could really be a few different threads on this subject...the faded champs/names that got title shots, the wost mandatories, and then those easy discretionary defenses.
True, and to be honest, I wasn't even thinking of the ex-stars who scored title shots based on their name value. I was mostly thinking about no-hopers who received title shots.
MAGO's welterweight title challenges. McCullough's title shots vs. Larios. Sheika's title shots. Loser Venezuelans getting WBA shots.
Didn't you read broadwayjoe's post? Although Smokin' Joe was 69 years old, the Roy Jones fight still made sense from a financial perspective. It doesn't qualify.