Paul Williams The The Top 15 Most Ducked Boxers In The World (With Video)

The first time Paul Williams fought Sergio Martinez it was because no one wanted to fight them so they did the only thing they could fought each other.

There are many instances where fighters cant find fights so they fight little known fighters or another guy that cant find a fight.

I do believe however that the “ducked” fighter club is getting smaller and smaller by year. They are becoming the “not enough money” club.

Fighters don’t get ducked because people are afraid to fight them anymore. They are getting ducked because they are not worth the money.

This is my list of ducked fighters and it was a hard one to put together but once I combed the many weight divisions and looked up and down this is the list I have put together.

Most of these fighters are a combination of big, powerful, and very awkward. Most of these fighters are not American or are not known in the United States.

#15: Dmitry Pirog (17-0 14 KO)

Pirog would be higher but he just won his title and is going to be ducked for years to come. He is a slick Russian middleweight fighter who clocked “The Golden Child” Daniel Jacobs into oblivion to win the WBO title.

He is 17-0 (14 KO) and doesn’t fight like your typical robotic European fighter. He reminds me of a poor mans Roy Jones Jr.

You add that to his power and his relative lack of exposure and he is a middleweight that no top tier guy is going to want to fight.  

#14: Sergiy Dzinziruk (37-0 23 KO)

If Williams is the most avoided man in boxing than what does that make Dzinziruk? He called out Williams for a very long time and never got a fight with him.

He won the WBO light middleweight title with a unanimous decision win over Daniel Santos and had a hard time finding big name fights.

He also expressed interest to fight in American but only made it here last year after Showtime agreed to air his last bout. If he gets more air time in the U.S. he could be headed for bigger fights.

#13: Gabriel Campillo (20-3 7 KO)

Campillo used to be the WBA light heavyweight champion and most people probably have no idea who he is. Well no one would fight him and he eventually had to defend his title against an 8-0 fighter.

Nobody wants to fight this guy because he isn’t worth the money and is a big tricky southpaw fighter. There is almost no way that you can look good in a fight against him.

He has three losses but also has some quality wins under his belt. Fighters like him have a tough time landing big fights because they are to good for their own good.

#12: Nonito Donaire (24-1 16 KO)

Donaire is a fighter that would have much higher on the list a few years ago. After his brutal knockout of Vic Darchinyan he was the toast of the boxing world but couldn’t get a fight.

He has since fought a bunch of smaller fights and it took him awhile to get back onto American television. The reason he sits at number 12 is the fact that he has been mismanaged as well as ducked.

He finally has a bigger fight lined up but it is still on a small pay-per-view. Hopefully he can get a win and get his career back on track.

#11: Troy Ross (24-2 16 KO)

Ross is a fighter that I really like to watch and wish could get a big break. The former Olympic fighter has never gotten the big stage to show what he can do and it’s a shame.

He is a hardworking fighter who shows up in shape for every fight and comes to fight. He did get a chance against Steve Cunningham for the IBF title but lost when the fight was stopped after he injured his eye.

That was only his second career loss to date. He gets avoided because he is a big strong southpaw that knows how to box.

Ross is an accomplished actor as he portrayed fighter John Henry Lewis in the movie Cinderella man, the young champion in Resurrecting the Champ, and Floyd Patterson in Phantom Punch.

#10: Elio Rojas (22-1 13 KO)

Rojas fights in the loaded featherweight division but has yet to land a big time fight. He had a fight with Yuriorkis Gamboa scheduled but it fell through.

Although he holds a title he has almost no notable names on his resume. It could be because he is a big, speedy, hard hitting fighter.

His best win was he last defense when he beat Guty Esadas Jr.

#9: Ali Funeka (30-3 25 KO)

One of my favorite fighters of the past few years is Funeka. I’m not sure if its his size, his all action style, or the fact he keeps getting screwed but keeps coming back.

He is so hard pressed to find fights that he fought two times when his opponent came in overweight only to lose each time. Even his best win is surrounded in controversy.

He knocked out Zahir Raheem in the fourth round either right at the bell or after the bell. At any rate this guy is a good fighter and one that can’t seem to get a break.

He gets avoided because he a massive lightweight and can crack as well as stay on the outside and box.

#8: Steve Cunningham (23-2 12 KO)

Cunningham is a very interesting case as far as ducked fighters go. He has fought almost all of the top guys are cruiserweight and beaten most of them.

The reason he falls into this category is once he fights them he probably isn’t getting another chance to. He has beaten current cruiserweight title holders Guillermo Jones, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, and Marco Huck.

Only Wlodarczyk was a titlist at the time when they fought. Jones and Huck wanted nothing to do with him since they won their titles. Huck usually fights lesser opposition. 

Only one of those men, Wlodarczyk, has given him a rematch because he beat him on a tight decision the first time. He also beat fellow list member Troy Ross.

He gets avoided because like Ross he is a big strong cruiserweight who shows up in shape. He also has a massive wingspan and can box with the best of them.

#7: Sakio Bika (28-4-2 17 KO)

Bika has gotten some chances but has failed every time he has got them. He has lost to two of the best super middleweights of his time in Joe Calzaghe and Lucian Bute.

He also had a chance against Markus Beyer but the fight was a technical draw. Since the Bute fight in 2007 he hasn’t got close to a title although beating some decent competition.

Andre Ward finally stepped up to the plate and will fight him late this month. If he loses that but looks decent no fighter is going to come near him.

He gets avoided because he is a freakishly strong fighter, is rough, and has one of the most awkward styles you will ever see.

#6: Beibut Shumenov (10-1 6 KO)

Shumenov is the current holder of the WBA and IBA light heavyweight titles but isn’t going to get a call to fight against Jean Pascal anytime soon.

He won the title in ninth fight against fellow list member Gabriel Campillo. He lost to Campillo and then fought him again because well no one wanted to fight either one of them.

He has since defended his title against an undefeated but unknown fighter that no one else wanted to tangle with. He seems to have a bright future ahead of him but don’t be shocked if he has a hard time finding fights.

He doesn’t get the call because he is a strong fighter that is limited, has a pressure style, a good chin, and a never say die attitude.

#5: Vitali Klitscko (41-2 38 KO)

There aren’t many good fighters in the heavyweight division but the good ones want nothing to do with Klitschko.

His last two fights were against dreadful opponents but the blame isn’t on him. He wants the big fights but no one will sign them.

I don’t think I need to tell you why he is avoided or who he is. Enjoy the highlights though.

#4: Wladimir Klitschko (55-3 49 KO)

Wladimir is in the same boat as Vitali but it is actually much worse for him. He has an undefeated mandatory that refuses to fight him and a British loudmouth who wont sign the contract.

Opponents are so afraid to fight him that he has to fight the 14-0 British heavyweight champion in his next fight. People will say he is scared to fight Haye but get serious about that.

#3: Sergio Martinez (45-2-2 24 KO)

Martinez got a late start to boxing but man is he a rare talent. He is one of the most athletic fighters that has ever graced the ring and has a style that few could pull off.

He hangs his hands low sticks his chin out and dares you to hit him. The problem is you cant and your going to look foolish most of the time.

He couldn’t get a good fight so he stepped in on short notice to fight Paul Williams and it paid off big time for him. It got his name out there and a shot at middleweight title holder Kelly Pavlik.

He took full advantage by winning the middleweight title and taking a rematch with Williams. The fact it took him this long to get to the world stage shows you how ducked he is.

#2: Paul Williams (39-1 27 KO)

This is something that gets less credible with every year he fights. He gets good fights but still isn’t getting the big time fights he should be getting.

Fighting another guy who is ducked by everyone else doesn’t make you less ducked in a way but with a win here he could be on to bigger and better things.

Although he fought from welterweight to middleweight he had to settle for second rate fights and had to deal with Kelly Pavlik pulling out of a scheduled fight with a staph infection.

Although he has the chance to be 40-1 he is still widely unknown. He gets avoided because he has a huge wingspan, a crazy work rate, and power to go with all of that.

#1: Celestino Caballero (34-2 23 KO)

This is in my book at least the no doubt choice for number one. Caballero has chased Juan Manuel Lopez for what seems like forever and has even chased him up in weight.

He is getting interest from HBO now and the money might start to come for him. If that happens there is no way Lopez or Yuriorkis Gamboa can keep ducking him.

He is a former super bantamweight champion and has a lot of good wins on his resume. He hasn’t lost since 2004 and would of unified the titles at super bantamweight if the other champions would of fought him.

He is a big fighter, has good power, and a very awkward style. He is a fighter I like to watch and hopefully he can get past another B level fighter and get the big ones.