Making it

If a boxer hasn't come the route of a glittering, high-profile amateur career, how much harder is it for a young pro to establish themselves on the scene and make it in the early days? I think we can all come up with a prime example of a high-profile British Olympic heavyweight boxer that struggled to make any impact as a pro, but what's your best example of a successful pro boxer who came through without any (or limited) amateur pedigree?

Gavin Rees. OK, not the best boxer ever to walk the earth - but still a LWW world champion and a European LW champ. Can't really find anything about his amateur career - leading me to believe he didn't have much of one. Certainly haven't heard it discussed in glowing terms of reference.

if we aren't limiting it to British fighters, Hopkins and Martinez would be good examples of fighters with little or no amateur experience.

Matt Skelton. Not top drawer by any means but could throw a punch or two, had a WBA world heavy shot and many people have heard of him.

Especially the police...

Peter Quillin is on the cusp of a World Title shot and had only 8 or 9 amateur fights.

Randall ' Tex ' Cobb, who fought Holmes for the heavyweight crown :

“I only had two fights as an amateur and lost both of them. Heck, I figure I didn’t have much of a future there. So I turned pro.”

Rocky Marciano didn't do much as an amateur, either.

HumanWindmill wrote:Randall ' Tex ' Cobb, who fought Holmes for the heavyweight crown :

“I only had two fights as an amateur and lost both of them. Heck, I figure I didn’t have much of a future there. So I turned pro.”

Rocky Marciano didn't do much as an amateur, either.

That's a great quote!

He is a really funny guy, iade.

I have a collection of his on my hard drive which I've read a hundred times or more, and they still make me laugh to this day.

Pretty sure Sergio Martinez went pro within 2 years of waking in to a boxing gym.

Also the recently beaten and former champ Wilfredo Vasquez Jr had no amateur experience.

https://www.606v2.com/t9819-qa-with-sergio-maravilla-martinez

Martinez mentions his amateur record here. Also, at the top in the biography part I think it explains about him turning to boxing late.

HumanWindmill wrote:He is a really funny guy, iade.

I have a collection of his on my hard drive which I've read a hundred times or more, and they still make me laugh to this day.

Those crazy Saturday nights, eh Windy!

Mr Bounce wrote:Matt Skelton. Not top drawer by any means but could throw a punch or two, had a WBA world heavy shot and many people have heard of him.

Especially the police...

he was a world champion kickboxer before boxing i think

eddyfightfan wrote:

Mr Bounce wrote:Matt Skelton. Not top drawer by any means but could throw a punch or two, had a WBA world heavy shot and many people have heard of him.

Especially the police...

he was a world champion kickboxer before boxing i think

Yeah he was.

I think Manny Pacquiao is a good shout. Barely any amateur fights (if any?). There's a fair few Mexicans who seldom fight amateur aswell.

I seen Matt Skelton being chocked out in Pride from someone placing their forearm across his throat and pushing down. He's not an MMA fighter though so i don't think any less of him. He definately had a lot of experience in the fight game before he started boxing.