# Great fighters we lost too soon
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526
**Category:** The Game Room
**Tags:** boxing-wrestling-mma
**Created:** [August 12, 2022, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526 "2022-08-12T01:46:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CastletonSnob1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob1)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2022, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/1 "2022-08-12T01:46:50Z")
Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of the death of Salvador Sanchez. This made me think about what other great fighters died too young.
What fighters do you think we lost too soon?
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2022, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/2 "2022-08-12T01:54:36Z")
[Benny Paret](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Paret)
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2022, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/3 "2022-08-12T07:32:14Z")
He wasn’t killed but [Michael Watson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Watson) very nearly died and was left with permanent brain damage after a fight with Chris Eubank in 1991.
There was a period in the late 80’s and early 90’s where the british middleweight division threw up a series of utterly brutal fights. With Eubank, Nigel Benn and Watson right in the thick of it.
What happened to Watson was a tragedy but watching those fights back now I’m amazed it was only him so badly affected.
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2022, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/4 "2022-08-13T08:10:20Z")
Sorry, still slightly off topic but relevant to my last post. I’ve just realised that the sons of Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn are [scheduled to meet](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/62521776) in October.
A part of me welcomes the possibility of a display similar to their fathers fight but the humanitarian in me would be appalled.
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### Author:  [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2022, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/5 "2022-08-13T08:22:25Z")
this might interest some of you
> **[The best boxing fights that did not happen](https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/the-best-boxing-fights-that-did-not-happen/ss-BB1grbSn?ocid=MSNHP_U646&pc=U646&cvid=b0c53c35f4b54fb7a73871bd4d86c744)**
>
> With a Terence Crawford-Errol Spence fight on the MayPac trajectory, at best, boxing fans are frequently reminded can't-miss fights frequently do not happen. Various stumbling blocks have impeded much-anticipated bouts. Here are the modern era's...
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2022, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/6 "2022-08-13T08:28:14Z")
Nice one,
Hearns - McCallum, Foreman - Shavers, and Norton - Frazier would be top of my list.
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob1)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/7 "2022-08-13T13:40:31Z")
Weren’t Norton and Frazier sparring partners? I know they were both trained by Eddie Futch.
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/8 "2022-08-13T13:50:25Z")
ETA - mis posted
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob1)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/9 "2022-08-13T14:07:39Z")
Regarding Foreman-Shavers, I can’t see any outcome besides an early Foreman KO.
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### Author:  [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/10 "2022-08-14T02:31:47Z")
As far pro wrestling goes it is shame Bruiser Brody died before he got to go to the WWF and have a feud with Hulk Hogan in the late 80s.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2022, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/11 "2022-08-14T04:36:25Z")
Audie Murphy. Died way too young.
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/12 "2022-08-14T11:29:54Z")
> [@CastletonSnob1](#):
>
> Regarding Foreman-Shavers, I can’t see any outcome besides an early Foreman KO.
I think you are right. I’ve said it before but it bears repeating, there is not much scarier in boxing than early Tyson, but Foreman on the heavy bag may be that thing.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-fighters-we-lost-too-soon/969526/13 "2022-08-15T16:49:38Z")
Shavers could knock out a rhinoceros with one punch. There was always the possibility he could catch George with that one punch. At Foreman’s best he wouldn’t have a problem with Shavers, but he had several low points in his career where Shavers would have had the opportunity to get in a ‘lucky punch’.