By Robert “Big Moe” Elmore: You might be wondering who Shawn Porter and Chris Algieri are. They are actual boxers. Moreover, these are those fighters that no one knows and really don’t give them a chance to win going into a major title fight. Porter upset Devon Alexander and took his IBF title as well.
Chris Algieri beat Ruslan Provodnikov in a WBO junior welterweight title bout. If one were to closely comb through our favorite fighters resume we would find more than a few Shawn and Chris’s on there. While many people dismiss these fighters, these are the most dangerous fighters one can face.
These fighters are looking for a name and a pay day and what better way to knock off a big name. While we call these fighters tomato cans or say “they are no competition” to the A level fighters, they are just the opposite. For example, in 1987 then undisputed welterweight champion Donald Curry challenged unknown British fighter Lloyd Honeyghan. Curry totally dismissed Honeyghan giving him the nickname the Ragmuffin Man. Honeyghan’s awkward style gave Curry fits throughout the fight. Curry quit on his stool in the 6th round.
Also in 1987, Thomas Hearns made history by becoming the first fighter to win titles in four different weight classes. In his first defense of his WBC middleweight title, he was stopped by Iran Barkley after dominating the first two rounds and some of the third (This fight still pains me to watch because Hearns is one of favorite fighters). The rematch at light heavyweight was no better and Hearns lost again via split decision.
In 1975, Muhammad Ali faced Chuck Wepner. He toyed with Wepner for 8 rounds until he was knocked down (Wepner did step on Ali’s foot and then landed a punch). There are many more of these occurrences in boxing and they continue to happen.
Could we really imagine what Marvin Hagler career would have been like had he lost to the likes of a Wilfred Sypion or a Fulgencio Obelmejias (aka Philly Obel)? Or if Ray Leonard lost to Kevin Howard? Or Muhammad Ali lose to Glen Folley? An A level fighter losing to another A level fighter sits well with some fans (depending on who you ask).
The interesting part about this whole scenario is those same people who call opponents bums or tomato cans are the first ones in line celebrating when the that tomato can beats an upper echelon fighter. Let Floyd Mayweather lose to Marcos Maidana or Manny Pacquaio lost to Chris Algieri and see if the comment section of a blog doesn’t have close to 400 comments. I’m not a big Gennady Golovkin (GGG) fan (though I do enjoy watching him fight) but people are itching for him to lose and they don’t care to who.
If he would have lost to Curtis Steven or Adama Osamanu, he would have totally been dismissed by most of the public. One lost does not dismiss a body of work that a fighter has accomplished. It pains me that one my favorite fighters, Thomas Hearns, is often remembered by his loses to Leonard and Hagler. I recognize his whole body of work. Hearns has 14 categories of “the first boxer to do this”. Again, every fighter is a potential threat. If an A level fighter doesn’t think his opponent is a threat, then why train?
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