Boxing is a sport of triumphs and heartbreaks, where even the most talented fighters sometimes fall short of greatness. Over the last 13 years, the careers of several promising boxers have been cut short or marred by unfortunate circumstances, leaving them as "what could have been" stories in the annals of boxing history. Here’s a look at ten such boxers whose potential was never fully realized.
Matt Korobov, a fighter with a stellar amateur pedigree, saw his professional career unravel due to misfortune. After being knocked out by Andy Lee in his debut, Korobov lost a unanimous decision to Jermall Charlo for the WBC middleweight title in a fight many believed he had won.
His next fight against Immanuwel Aleem initially ended in victory but was later overturned to a draw due to a scoring error. Injuries further derailed his career, leading to losses against Chris Eubank Jr., Ronald Ellis, and an eventual forced retirement.
Sergey Derevyanchenko, a former Olympian, often found himself on the wrong side of decisions in his professional career. Despite securing his first title shot early on, he has suffered six losses in his last nine fights, including his most recent defeat to Christian Mbilli.
Among his notable losses are a split decision to Daniel Jacobs, a controversial unanimous decision to Gennadiy Golovkin, and majority decision losses to Carlos Adames and Jaime Munguia, the latter of which saw him knocked down by a body shot in the 12th round. At 38, Derevyanchenko may go down as one of the best fighters to never win a major title, despite five attempts.
Martin Murray, known for his endurance and physical prowess, never managed to capture a title despite several close encounters. He fought Felix Sturm to a draw in Germany for the WBA middleweight title and lost a controversial unanimous decision to Sergio Martinez in Buenos Aires.
Murray also lost a split decision to Arthur Abraham in Germany. His career was defined by missed opportunities in title fights, leaving him with the unfortunate label of a perennial contender.
Dmitry Pirog retired undefeated after winning the middleweight title by knocking out Daniel Jacobs. Despite a planned fight with Gennadiy Golovkin, a back injury prematurely ended his career.
Pirog’s 4-0 record in title fights and unique fighting style marked him as a potential star in the middleweight division, but health issues cut his career short just as he was on the rise.
Batyr Akhmedov’s career has been marked by several controversial losses. His first such setback came against Mario Barrios in a junior welterweight title fight, despite knocking Barrios down twice. He then lost a split decision to Alberto Puello and a majority decision to Kenneth Sims Jr.
With only 13 fights under his belt, Akhmedov’s career has been underwhelming, lacking any significant title victories to his name.
Known as the "King of Draws," Badou Jack has had several close and competitive fights end in a draw, including bouts against Adonis Stevenson and James DeGale.
A draw against Lucian Bute was later overturned to a disqualification due to Bute’s positive drug test. Jack also suffered a first-round knockout loss to Derek Edwards in 2014, a low point in his career. Despite these setbacks, Jack’s impressive skillset has earned him success in three different weight classes, although his biggest fights often ended in disappointment.
Lucas Matthysse’s career, remembered for its ups and downs, was like a rollercoaster. Early losses to Zab Judah and Devon Alexander, both by controversial split decisions, set a mediocre tone for his career.
After a series of impressive wins, Matthysse lost to Danny Garcia in a fight where he was heavily favored, and later suffered a surprising defeat to Viktor Postol. Despite his bright moments, Matthysse’s career was often filled with missed opportunities and disappointing outcomes.
Mauricio Herrera’s career took a downturn after a controversial loss to Danny Garcia in Puerto Rico, a fight many believed he had won. Afterward, Herrera lost five of his next nine fights and never regained his previous form.
His career was filled with tough battles, but the controversial decision against Garcia stands out as a moment that could have drastically altered his boxing trajectory.
Darnell Boone, known for his toughness and durability, faced some of the best boxers without much preparation or support. He knocked down Andre Ward, knocked out Adonis Stevenson, and fought to a draw with Sergey Kovalev.
Boone turned professional in 2004, but his career never had the star direction, as he frequently lost to more talented fighters, often in competitive bouts. Boone remains active, primarily challenging undefeated prospects.
Gabriel Rosado is a true professional who has outlasted many of his peers. His career has had its share of unfortunate moments, including a split-decision loss to J'Leon Love and a similar outcome against Daniel Jacobs, followed by a controversial draw with Luis Arias. However, Rosado finally had his moment of redemption when he knocked out Bektemir Melikuziev.
Although Rosado never won a world title, his career has been marked by resilience and determination in the face of adversity.