was there ever a fighter managed worse then him? in his first 15 fights his opponents were a combined 364-80. including 3 undefeated fighters 27-0 righetti, 21-0 coetzee and 37-0 holmes. a 28-8 guy in his fith fight, 21-6 scott ledoux in his 6th fight. 32-4 evangelista in his 11th fight. is there any other olympian who was rushed that badly?
David Reid.
His career was killed the way he was managed. 
Forgot about him, think he was fighting for a title in his 12th fight against a prime champ. I know Holyfield fought for a title in his 12th fight but Holyfield was mature for a fighter and going against a slightly past it qawi
Davey Moore.
Thank God Ayala Jr was arrested when he was.
Poncey - Davey Moore.
Thank God Ayala Jr was arrested when he was.
So true.
I think they realized Leon wasn't a long-term prospect and tried to get as much out of him as they could as quickly as they could.
oblongo - I think they realized Leon wasn't a long-term prospect and tried to get as much out of him as they could as quickly as they could.
He was a bit of a loose cannon, but he actually did quite well for a guy thrown into the deep end. He became a bad punch line but in retrospect he did way better then he should have
JeffersonDArcyChoke - David Reid. <br><br>His career was killed the way he was managed. <img src="/images/phone/apple.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
David Reid's was rushed the way he was because of his eye injury. He was a good prospect but only had so many fights before his eyelid hit the canvas and everyone knew it. I saw him fight live in his second fight and by the end of the fifth, it didn't even look like he could see out of his eye because of the swelling. Glad he could make some dough before he had to hang them up, but after Tito got ahold of him, I knew he'd never be the same guy.
pharochuck -oblongo - I think they realized Leon wasn't a long-term prospect and tried to get as much out of him as they could as quickly as they could.He was a bit of a loose cannon, but he actually did quite well for a guy thrown into the deep end. He became a bad punch line but in retrospect he did way better then he should have <img src="/images/phone/apple.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
The guy had a great amateur career and a ton of skill, but he had no discipline. How is he doing now a days? Last I heard he was washing the glass at at a hockey arena (Joe Louis arena for the Redwings maybe?) The guy had some serious demons.
kanodogg2 - People will be saying the same thing about Brock lesnar <img src="/images/phone/droid.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Not a good comparison. Leon won a gold medal and fought the best HW ever with only 7 fights under his belt. No disrespect to Lesnar, but he was older, and less accomplished. He fought Mir, who is no Muhammad Ali, and lost.
kanodogg2 - People will be saying the same thing about Brock lesnarbrock had an easier to transfer skill set. with only wrestling he would have been successful. in pro boxing you have to learn on the job regardless of amatuer accomplishments. lennox fought for a title in his 21st pro bout, tyson and holmes were both in there 28th pro bouts. most guys fight stiffs for their first 10 bouts for a reason. in spinks first ten he had fought ali twice, ledoux who was at one point a top ten guy and another undefeated guy. most guys who are legends now would have been wasted if they would have faced that lineup out the gate.
Pete Rademacher (sp?) fought (and dropped) Floyd Patterson in his very first professional fight, after an Olympic Gold Medal. Leon was a notorious partier, who enjoyed his booze, drugs & women and didn't train much. That as much as anything hurt his career.
David Reid was KO'd (cold) by a fresh in the country JC Candelo in sparring. Joe Goosen's brother called him and told him to cash out asap. They didn't expect him to beat Trinidad, hell... he got a gift decision over a .500 Kirino Garcia, but they needed a big money fight to make up for his huge signing bonus.
Patterson was the Heavyweight Champ when he fought Rademacher BTW.
IIRC, Spinks was busted for coke in between the Ali fights.
^Correct, Ali's reaction to the news is where the famous "there is a chink in his armor" quote from Ali is came from.
I would say that the vast majority of fighters are managed very poorly. Living in Vegas, I have seen countless managers take fights that defied logic and/or where in overt contradiction to their fighter's best interest.