Successsful fighters who took up boxing at a late age

Discussion in 'General Boxing Discussion' started by ArturoGatti, Dec 27, 2007.

  1. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    I know Dwight Braxton (Dwight Muhammad Qawi) started boxing in his early twenties while he was in prison, and went on to become a feared world champion.

    Who else?
     
  2. Hex-One

    Hex-One "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Bernard Hopkins!
     
  3. Erratic

    Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Rocky Marciano
     
  4. Erratic

    Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    He didn't start that old, but he went back to boxing when he was in prison.
     
  5. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    how old was he?

    I don't want to turn this into a mma vs. boxing thread, as I like both sports, but would you guys agree that it's easier to become a good mma fighter than a good boxer, if you start out late?
     
  6. Erratic

    Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    I think Marciano was in his late teens or early twenties. I'll have to go check that one again.
     
  7. CleanYourClock

    CleanYourClock "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    I think Marciano was 25 ..

    I think Ray Mercer started late as well ..
     
  8. CleanYourClock

    CleanYourClock "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Correction , Marciano was 24
     
  9. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    :eeeek:

    maybe when he turned pro. I mean boxers who started training boxing late.
     
  10. CleanYourClock

    CleanYourClock "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Ray Mercer was 28
     
  11. *Z*

    *Z* WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    No.
     
  12. CleanYourClock

    CleanYourClock "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Thats hard to tell but , I think Marciano went right into the pro ranks ..
     
  13. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    okay, but i don't think Mercer did. He was a highly decorated amateur, no?
     
  14. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    :dunno:
     
  15. joony

    joony "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    william joppy
     
  16. Rubio MHS

    Rubio MHS Undisputed Champion

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    • Ron Lyle (prison)
    • George Foreman (had barely a dozen fights when he won the Gold Medal)
    • Rocky Marciano (didn't start seriously boxing until his 20s)
    • Michael Grant (didn't start his amateur career until he was in his 20s)
    • Ray Mercer
    • Sonny Liston (started boxing in prison when he was around 20)
    • Lawrence Clay-Bey
     
  17. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    I am not sure if I would consider him very succesful. :lol:
     
  18. Rubio MHS

    Rubio MHS Undisputed Champion

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    If you make millions of dollars, I'd say you are.
     
  19. ArturoGatti

    ArturoGatti WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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    i meant guys who had successful careers in the ring.
     
  20. Rubio MHS

    Rubio MHS Undisputed Champion

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    He was a top-3 contender, fought on HBO a number of times, beat Andrew Golota and fought for the World Heavyweight Championship. :dunno:
     
  21. Erratic

    Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Hasim Rahman started boxing at age twenty.
     
  22. Method

    Method Scrub

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    Julian Letterlough, RIP.
     
  23. meetthefeebles

    meetthefeebles Drunken Geordie Bastard

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    If memory serves, the guy who is fighting Chagev for the HW title in January, Matt Skelton, came from K1 and didn't start boxing until well into his thirties.

    Does he count? I've seen him fight a fair few times, and he's pretty poor, to be fair, but I suppose getting a world title shot means he's been pretty successful... :dunno:
     
  24. Rubio MHS

    Rubio MHS Undisputed Champion

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    I remember when Skelton transitioned into boxing. I had no idea he'd do this well. I don't even know when he started kickboxing or if he had an amateur boxing career.
     
  25. Andrew

    Andrew "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    What about Cleybey then? :lol:
     
  26. Rubio MHS

    Rubio MHS Undisputed Champion

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    I was thinking more of his amateur career. He got started as an amateur pretty late, and he was a very successful amateur. He knocked out Joe Mesi to make the US Olympic Team, which he captained. In the Olympics, he scored a standing eight-count against Wladimir Klitschko, nearly beating him. He was a two-time AAU Super Heavyweight Champion and won a Bronze Medal at the World Championships.
     
  27. Tam Tam

    Tam Tam "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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  28. meetthefeebles

    meetthefeebles Drunken Geordie Bastard

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    His first pro boxing fight was in 2002- he was thirty-four and came after he'd been kickboxing from 1998-2001. He had no amateur career.

    Whilst I wish him well and all, I can't see him beating Chagev next month. He is very slow and ponderous, even for a HW. His last fight against Michael Sprott was one of the most boring fights in recent history- both fighter's seemed to heavy to even bother throwing punches :doh:
     
  29. Arben

    Arben "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    Actually, Hopkins was boxing as an amateur up until he went into prison. He trained while in prison, and then took his time off after he got out and worked construction.
     
  30. joony

    joony "Twinkle Toes" McJack

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    hopkins had 90 some amateur fights prior to turning pro.
     

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