From Champ to Stepping stone: Sad or necessary?

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As i sat watching a once world champion in Demarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (37-18-1) being worn down to a comfortable UD loss at the hands of a young up and comer past month i got to thinking. What about all the one time world champs that end up becoming stepping stones for the sport’s next generation? Makes sense i suppose the transition. A fighter like Chop Chop even at 37 years of age still has enough skill and plenty of experience to be a excellent learning tool for any young upstart coming through the ranks, Corley is the sort of fighter that tests whether the Dulorme’s of this world are ready for the next.

Corley, a former champ now in his twilight seems destined to see out his career providing that much needed test to fighter’s on their way up, but by no means is he the only one, so let’s honour a couple more. Lovemore Ndou (48-12-)2 recently put his weary and almost 40 year old frame to the test against a young contender Kell Brook. Robin Reid (40-7-1) recently came out of retirement to try and hoist the prize-fighter title into his grasp and seems likely to fight on. Nate Campbell (34-8-1) has been a vessel for the likes of Funeka and Ortiz on their way to bigger things in recent times. Carlos Baldimor (46-13-6) recently saw a run of 16 years without being stopped halted by the cinnamon kid Saul Alvarez whose star continues to rise in the sport. All of these fighters were once champions and find themselves on a slow slide down the ranks.

Some like Glen Johnson (51-15-2) manage to make the transition from champ to stepping stone and then back again, but fighter’s like him are the exception and not the rule.

Others have reached the dizzy heights of success only to fall tragically low in defeat. Evander Holyfield (44-10-2) is now fighting into his fourth decade and looks tragically punch drunk as a result. Then of course there is Roy Jones jr (54-8-0), who seems determined to follow the same path. This despite having been brutally knocked out in 3 of his 8 losses and all by fighters that wouldn’t of touched him in his prime.

So is all of this a sad or necessary part of the sport?

In truth it might be a bit of both. Many fighters can’t let go for financial reasons, others can still see all the moves in front of them but no longer have the legs to execute them. Others are simply disillusioned. But then there are fighters like Corley. Watching this one time champ last month I didn’t feel sadness or pity, I felt proud. Corley worked hard kept it clean asking some new questions of his opponent in the process and Dulorme will be a better prospect for having faced
him. The higher they get in the sport; the more shocking it is when they fall. Holyfield sounds punch drunk; Roy jones is selling his legacy off for 500k pay days in foreign lands, handing his opponents dramatic KO victories in the process. But others hold the middle ground, testing the new talent whilst reminding us of the past. When old meets new and weary experience meets the insatiable hunger of a young lion it can be sad, but it doesn’t have to be.

morales is an excellent example, he is fighting at a higher level than the others you mentioned but he is getting beat by fighters he would have schooled 5-10 years ago, and there seems to be a line round the block to que up and get these names on people CVs

true, i know golden boy are looking to put Khan in there with him after Judah too. EEK