world champions who didnt start well

i thought i would use the fountain of knowledge that is 606v2 to try and find out examples of world champions who didnt make great starts to their careers. the first example i can think of is sheffields own johnny nelson, losing his first 3 fights on points.

JMM also lost his first bout, via DQ granted, but you only need to look at the amount of 0-1-0 records on boxrec to understand that the commitment needed to become a champion is above and beyond what most people are prepared to suffer.

the reason i ask is i find it interesting the kind of people who become world champions, for all our critisms of different boxers anyone that steps through the ropes and has the dedication to box professionally deserves credit and there are examples of people who weren't born brilliant, but rather learned and practiced all their skills to become world champion.

i would really appricate any other examples that you can think of.

Billy Conn is always one that springs to mind, don't know the exact stats but his early career was massively patchy, which considering he is to many experts a top 10 light heavy weight of all time is pretty impressive. Should be said though that Conn had literally no amateur fights so is perhaps understandable.

Henry Armstrong and Bernard Hopkins are probably the storied ones, eddy, though Carlos Monzon lost fairly early on, also.

Bhop lost very early on.

Manny was blasted out in the lower weights by two pub fighters in his early days.

Jess Willard was disqualified in his first bout and then knocked out shortly afterwards by a club fighter.

Bernard Hopkins lost his first pro fight

Jersey Joe Walcott and Carmen Basilio didn't hit the ground running, either. Each of them had a pretty chequered career early on, and each of them had already retired at least once before hitting the big time.

didnt know about hopkins, makes you glad they stuck with it

Steve Robinson. Don't know the exact details but I think he lost something like 5 out of his first 10 fights or something along those lines.

Johnny Nelson lost something like his first 5 fights and went on to be World Champ at Cruiser, good turnaround and example of what knuckling down can do.

Thing to remember with Conn was the fact he was literally no more than a boy when he started out and was still physically maturing fighting in and around the light welterweight limit before becoming comfortable at Light Heavyweight, this in itself may explain his lack of power higher up the weights.

Pedro147 wrote:Johnny Nelson lost something like his first 5 fights and went on to be World Champ at Cruiser, good turnaround and example of what knuckling down can do.

he lost his first 3 on the trott, and 5 of his first 11 over all, he also hit a bit of a losing streak mid career

Jesus Chavez lost in his 5th pro fight and went on to become a 2 weight World Champ!

ray austin also lost his debut fight, on points over 4 rounds.

oliver mccall also lost his second ever professional bout

Michael Bentt on his pro debut got sparked by Jerry Jones in under a round.

alma wrote:

eddyfightfan wrote:

Pedro147 wrote:Johnny Nelson lost something like his first 5 fights and went on to be World Champ at Cruiser, good turnaround and example of what knuckling down can do.

he lost his first 3 on the trott, and 5 of his first 11 over all, he also hit a bit of a losing streak mid career

I think Nelson campaigned a lot at heavyweight in the early days if memory serves

He started off as a light heavy/cruiser early on, in middle of his career he campaigned at heavy a little bit.

Went 10 rounds with Corrie Sanders so he musnt of had a bad chin.

J.Benson II wrote:Michael Bentt on his pro debut got sparked by Jerry Jones in under a round.

They didnt know he was an southpaw apprantly!

Colonial Lion wrote:Jess Willard was disqualified in his first bout and then knocked out shortly afterwards by a club fighter.

For a second there I thought you were referring to Dempsey as a club fighter.

Too be fair on Willard, he quit against Cox as opposed to being knocked out. I believe he hadnt even been floored up until he fought Dempsey.

Nonito Donaire lost a UD very early on. Now a unified champ.

Think that Alexis Arguello was 16 when KO'd in his fourth fight (thought it was his first, I must say!). Sandy Saddler was also extremely green when stopped for the only time in his life in what was just his second fight, if memory serves.

Terry Downes lost early in his career and went on to briefly hold a world title.

He lost to Dick Tiger who also lost a few times before having an average career.

i have read somewhere that ali wasnt all that for his first couple of years boxing (before he turned pro) but he put the effort in and stuck with, and the rest is history. dont know how true that is, but i'd at least like to think its true.

Maurice Hope. He dropped a decision early on I think before winning a world title.

eddyfightfan wrote:i have read somewhere that ali wasnt all that for his first couple of years boxing (before he turned pro) but he put the effort in and stuck with, and the rest is history. dont know how true that is, but i'd at least like to think its true.

Not so sure, eddy. I know he was a Golden Gloves champion etc, can't have been all bad.

Gatti lost one early on before going on to be a multi weight world champ.