Boxing Careers Worst Ending: The sport of boxing is renowned for its rich past, which is defined by the victories and tragedies of its fighters who enter the ring with the intention of leaving a lasting legacy. Many boxers went on to become legendary figures that we will never forget, while some had the worst luck possible, losing their bright futures due to injury or death.
These boxing careers worst ending serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable and frequently brutal nature of the sport. Although boxing may lead to fame and wealth, it can also result in terrible personal tragedies and unanticipated occurrences that ruin a career.
10 Boxing Careers That Had The Worst Possible Ending
Check out the boxing careers worst possible ending below:
1) Emile Griffith And The Haunting Memory
World champion in the welterweight and middleweight classes, Emile Griffith was renowned for his talent and sportsmanship. But disaster and scandal befell his career in the end. Benny “The Kid” Paret was fatally injured by Griffith after the fighter mercilessly battered him in a 1962 bout.
The majority of people think that Griffith’s rage, which was evident when he violently defeated Paret, sprang from the previous weigh-in when Paret insulted Griffith for being homosexual. Griffith was so enraged by this that Paret had to physically restrain him. According to reports, Griffith carried remorse for Paret’s demise and had dreams about him and the battle for more than 40 years, despite the intense hostility between the two boxers. His life was shadowed by the incident, which followed him till his death.
This battle served as the inspiration for the 2005 documentary Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story, along with the extensive media coverage and criticism of boxing that followed.
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2) Gerald McClellan Suffered A Tragic Brain Injury
Gerald McClellan was the WBC and WBO middleweight champion. He was a strong and aggressive fighter. On the other hand, a brawl with Nigel Benn turned his career into something truly terrifying.
Gerald McClellan made a challenge against WBC super middleweight champion Nigel Benn in February 1995. In round one of the fight, McClellan successfully took Benn out of the ring, and in round eight, he scored another knockdown. However, the referee, Alfred Azaro, came under fire after McClellan took many serious blows to the back of the head throughout the bout without his stepping in. In the tenth round, McClellan was hit hard by Benn and chose to drop to the canvas. He then took a knee and lost consciousness, which required emergency hospitalisation.
After emergency surgery, McClellan suffered severe brain injury, blindness, and hearing loss while unconscious for eleven days. He can now move around a little with the use of a cane, but his eyesight and short-term memory are severely compromised. As a result, his boxing career came to a premature end, casting a dark cloud over the sport in general.
3) Rubin Carter And The Triple Murder
Middleweight boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter was imprisoned at the height of his career after being falsely convicted of three murders in 1966. When fresh information surfaced in 1985, Carter was freed; nevertheless, at that point, his boxing career had been a wasted chance. Later on, he started supporting others who had been unfairly convicted.
Carter disclosed that he was suffering from terminal prostate cancer in March 2012. He had three to six months to live, according to the physicians at the time. Furthermore, on April 20, 2014, Carter’s carer and roommate, John Artis, verified that the 76-year-old had passed away from his sickness.
4) Pernell Whitaker Was The Defensive Maestro
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker won world titles in several weight classes and was praised for his skill in defence. But tragedy struck when he was killed after being hit by a vehicle.
On July 14, 2019, at around ten o’clock at night, Whitaker was murdered by a car that struck him while he was crossing the roadway in Virginia Beach at the junction of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road. He was fifty-five. Whitaker’s death was attributed by an autopsy to “multiple blunt force trauma.”
The boxing world was left empty after Whitaker’s death, which is evidence of the loss of a real legend.
5) Edwin Valero – The Murder We Never Saw Coming
The legendary Venezuelan boxer Edwin Valero has a spotless record of 27 victories—all by knockout. However, after being charged with murder, his career took a terrible turn.
In Valencia, Carabobo, on April 18, 2010, authorities discovered the death of Valero’s wife, Jennifer Carolina Viera de Valero, 24, in a hotel. This led to Valero’s arrest. Three stab wounds had occurred to her. Valero was discovered hanging by his trousers in his cell the day after he was brought to the police station. At 1:30 am, his promising boxing career came to an unexpected and abrupt end when he was declared dead.
6) Vinny Pazienza’s Career Took A Tragic Turn
The “Pazmanian Devil,” Vinny Pazienza, was a captivating and unrelenting combatant. But after suffering a serious vehicle accident that left him with a fractured neck, his career tragically changed.
Pazienza was a passenger in a car that was engaged in a head-on accident in Warwick, Rhode Island, on November 12, 1991. The automobile was travelling at an estimated 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). The crash caused Pazienza to suffer two broken vertebrae and a dislocated vertebra. The driver of his vehicle sustained a head injury, while the driver of the following vehicle only sustained minor wounds.
Pazienza filed a lawsuit against both drivers and won $926,000. The District Court for the District of Rhode Island determined that Pazienza’s passenger’s driver was exclusively at fault.
7) Wilfred Benítez Was Bipolar, Yet Brilliant
Puerto Rican boxing sensation Wilfred Benítez became the first world champion at the age of just 17. He was noted for his technical mastery and defensive prowess, which earned him the moniker “Bazooka.” Unfortunately, Benítez’s bipolar disorder and other mental health problems caused his once bright career to collapse.
Despite his deteriorating condition, Benítez travelled to Salta, Argentina on November 28, 1986, to compete against middleweight Carlos Herrera. It took Benítez seven rounds to be stopped. To make matters worse, the promoter took his passport, paperwork, and money for the fight, leaving him stuck in Argentina for more than a year.
In 1988, he was allowed to take a plane back to Puerto Rico after being located and a great deal of haggling and negotiations on the part of the authorities.
As his health deteriorated, Benítez relocated to Tucson, Arizona in 1990, where he attempted a resurgence under the guidance of Emanuel Steward, the trainer for Kronk. This did not work either, since he had lost his past four battles 2-2. Six days after turning thirty-two, on September 18, 1990, he fought and lost against Scott Papasadora in Winnipeg, Canada.
8) Terry Norris’s Career Ended After A Tragic Incident
American boxer Terry Norris, popularly known as “Terrible” Terry, was gifted. However he was unable to handle the various ups and downs in his life and work. He lost a startling match to Luis Santana in 1991. His well-being was affected by the loss and personal difficulties, and he subsequently said that he had constant suicidal thoughts during that time. In 1992, he was able to successfully return to the scene. But in 1997, he suffered yet another blow to his career and mental state after a fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. Leonard was knocked down by a strong strike from Norris, and sadly, his brain was injured as a result of the force of the impact.
The end of Norris’s career began with his injury to Leonard. After the match, Leonard announced his retirement from boxing, and the incident had a lasting impact on Norris. Leonard’s injuries caused him much sorrow and guilt, which weighed hard on his conscience. Despite carrying on with his fighting career, Norris never was the same fighter. His abilities began to wane, and he went on to lose more bouts, leaving a damaged legacy. These sad circumstances ruined the latter years of his career in the ring, yet he finished with a record of 47 wins, 9 defeats, and 30 knockouts.
9) The Death Of Salvador Sánchez Left Fans Mourning
Mexican boxing phenomenon Salvador Sánchez rose to prominence at a young age, having won the WBC Featherweight championship at the age of 21. Although Sanchez’s career appeared promising, he lost his life in an instant when his Porsche 928 sports vehicle collided early on August 12, 1982, while travelling from Querétaro to San Luis Potosí on the federal highway. His career and life were abruptly ended by a fatal vehicle accident when he was just 23 years old. His passing left admirers lamenting a remarkable skill.
10) Controversy Surrounded Sonny Liston’s Career
An intimidating heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston was a formidable opponent. But scandal dogged his career, particularly in the two bouts he had with Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay). Liston’s decline encompassed legal troubles and substance abuse, and his life took an enigmatic and sorrowful turn in 1970 when he was discovered deceased under suspicious circumstances. After looking into it, the Las Vegas police ruled out any possibility of foul play and attributed his death to a heroin overdose. It was well known that Sonny was a heroin addict (at least at the time).
These are the 10 Boxing careers that had the worst possible ending. Let Us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
