Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bernard Hopkins and The 25 Most Hated Boxers In The Sport
With legal troubles and excuses mounting for Floyd Mayweather Jr.; boxing fans are finding it harder to support the formerly regarded P4P champ. However Lil’ Floyd isn’t the first in the boxing history to lose support or have their career defined by an unfavorable alter ego.
As a matter of fact, when we examine Mayweather’s role in boxing, he is as much hated as he is adored. There truly is a fine line between love and hate. If a fighter is lucky enough to make an impact in the sport, chances are they are a polarizing figure.
With most polarizing figures, you can find as much support for them as you do opposition. For the purposes of this article, I want to look at the fighters who I feel played the role of a heel more often than not. So let’s take a look at the 25 Most Hated Fighters in Boxing.
# 25 Pernell Whitaker
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The counter-punching southpaw had a style that made fighters look bad.
While mounting consistent offense, Sweet Pea would dodge punches and hold, and many times landing low-blow counters.
This did not give him a well-liked reputation.
# 24 Marvin Hagler
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Although many fans will tell you, Marvelous Marvin Hagler was a gifted fighter, he became widely known for making excuses and accusations.
His unorthodox training and mental toughness made him a very tenacious competitor, but when he thought he was robbed, he’d let you know.
“Even though the outcome wasn't the way it should have been, publicly I still feel in my heart I won the Sugar Ray Leonard fight.”
# 23 Erik Morales
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It's no secret to most boxing fans, when legendary boxer Erik Morales heard a decision he didn't like, he'd storm out of the ring.
Most of those times, he refused a post-fight interview. He got a lot of grief for his unsportsmanlike attitude in defeat.
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# 22 John Ruiz
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John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz is one of the most boring fighters to ever win a title.
His "one punch and hold" style made a 12-round fight seem like an old-fashioned 25-round bout.
Ruiz was highly criticized for his style and even left the sport for a short time due to his unpopularity.
# 21 Johnny Tapia
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Tapia was suspended from boxing for three years after testing positive for a banned substance in 1991.
The tattoo-covered fighter from New Mexico loved to mix it up and fight dirty.
Combine that with his big mouth, and he became an instant heel.
# 20 Ricky Hatton
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Don’t let the invasion of British boxing fans who travel for Hatton’s fights fool you.
The wise-cracking Brit has earned a reputation for getting very sloppy between bouts.
With his admitted drug addiction and knockout loses to elite opposition, Hatton is far from adored.
# 19 & 18 The Klitschko Brothers
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Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are loved in their home land of Ukraine; however they have become less than respected in the US.
They’re holding the entire Heavyweight division hostage with their vow to never fight each other.
With both Klitschko’s holding lineal Championships at Heavyweight and no one from the US able to take the titles from them, HBO has severed ties with the brothers and will no longer air their bouts, citing lack of interest.
# 17 Vic Darchinyan
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The Armenian southpaw has incredible power in both hands and at Bantamweight his power is even more devastating.
His indifference for the well being of his opponents and his somewhat self-serving demeanor has made him a villain.
# 16 Evander Holyfield
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Using his head as a battering-ram seems to be the most notable reason to place Holyfield on a most hated list.
However, his insistence on staying relevant in the sport is gaining some major opposition.
# 15 Carl Froch
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Out of all the fighters on the list, Carl Froch is the second to have an anti-fan page on Facebook. The “I Hate Carl Froch Fan Club” on Facebook, definitely qualifies Froch for this list.
Moreover his repeated bashing of Future Hall of Fame boxer Joe Calzaghe has earned the disdain of many fight fans across the pond.
# 14 Zab Judah
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I’m sure Referee Jay Nady would be the first in line at the I Hate Zab Judah convention.
After calling a halt to the bout in the second round of Judah vs. Tszyu, Judah grabbed Nady by the neck and pushed him toward the ropes in opposition to the stoppage.
his is just one of the many times Zab has lost his cool in the ring.
# 13 Max Baer
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Maximilian Adelbert Baer spent the bulk of his boxing career in the 1930’s, amassing over 71 wins with 53 of those wins coming by way of knockout.
Baer enjoyed playing the villain and was well known for taking cheap shots and then taunting the spectators.
Unfortunately, this behavior led to the death of one of his opponents, Frankie Campbell, in 1930.
# 12 Fernando Vargas
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Vargas learned to fight at the La Colonia Youth Boxing club in the Colonia of Oxnard, Calif.
While boxing took him to the heights of stardom he never could separate himself from the streets. Vargas compiled multiple convictions, including assault with a deadly weapon.
Fernando was also known for using his mouth to get under the skin of his opponents and pick a fight including the Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya.
# 11 James Toney
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Is there anyone who likes James Toney? I’m being somewhat facetious because this guy is a game fighter.
Toney’s sloppy ring appearances and his suspensions for illegal drug use are only a few reasons he belongs on this list.
Most notable, though, is his affinity for talking trash.
# 10 Ricardo Mayorga
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The cigarette smoking, beer swilling pugilist from Nicaragua has a big mouth to say the least.
The cover of the December 2003 Ring Magazine issue read "The craziest man in the sport: Mayorga lights up boxing."
During the press tour for his bout with Oscar De La Hoya, Mayorga stated "This clown sitting to the right of me has disrespected me. My strongest hand is my right hand, see his eye? I'm going to use it to detach his retina.....You're going to be my bitch in my bed anytime I want you. I hate bitches and I'm going to make you my little bitch."
Not to mention some very derogatory comments made about De La Hoya’s wife.
# 9 Prince Naseem Hamed
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The British boxer is best known for his wild ring entrances, at one time entering the ring on a flying carpet. However his most hated out of ring antic was definitely his trash talking.
When it was time to step into the squared circle, Prince would devastate his opponents with bombs then humiliate them with embarrassing jesters.
# 8 Antonio Tarver
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The Magic Man may have earned props from some fans when he said “Got any excuses tonight, Roy?” after the summation of rules by referee Tommy Kimmons for the Tarver vs. Jones bout but not this fan.
I think it completely sums up his arrogance in the sport and quite a few folks share my feelings.
# 7 Felix Trinidad
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Widely regarded as one of the best to come out of Puerto Rico, Felix “Tito” Trinidad was a brash talking fighter with devastating knockout power.
His love for all things Puerto Rican and his incredible wins over Mexican legends earned him the bad guy title.
# 6 Bernard Hopkins
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Many regard Hopkins as a boring fighter. He will undoubtedly be in inducted into the Hall of Fame but his trash talking is getting really old, no pun intended.
There are those of us who can tell Hopkins the promoter from Hopkins the fighter but those lines are beginning to blur since his reemergence in the sport.
# 5 Roy Jones Jr
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“Ya’ll must of forgot”, that Roy Jones Jr. is one of the fastest boxers to lace up the gloves and he let you know it, at one time delivering a humiliating KO to Glen Kelly with his hands behind his back.
Roy would imitate a fighting rooster in the middle of the ring and faint, when his opponent would bite, Jones would unleash both hands in an accurate flurry.
Then as if to punctuate his majestic feat, he’d give you the raspberry.
# 4 Muhammad Ali
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Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. but changed his name after converting to the Nation of Islam in 1964.
It was believed he did so in order to avoid registering for the draft and his opposition to the Vietnam War.
Ali was arrested, stripped of his titles and did not fight until he won his appeal in the Supreme Court four years later. Ali loved to talk trash and loved being the antagonist.
# 3 Antonio Margarito
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Spectators felt more pity than anger after Margarito received a one-sided beat down at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in 2010.
Although the suspension he received for illegally loading his hand-wraps has forever earned him a spot on the most hated list.
# 2 Mike Tyson
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If assaulting ex-wife Robin Givens, being convicted of rape, biting Evander Holyfield’s ear and assaulting two motorists after a fender bender isn’t enough to convince you of his unpopularity, I don’t know what will.
# 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr
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A slick defensive guru from Grand Rapids, Mich., Floyd is one of the best boxers ever. Moreover his undefeated record of 41-0 is a testament to his incredible boxing IQ.
However his out-of-ring conduct has been his downfall, while droves of fans still support him, Floyd has found a home as the heel.
Mayweather Jr. has been quoted as saying “I am the face of Boxing, I’m bigger than the sport” and “I’m better than Ali.”
These unwarranted statements and mounting legal issues, mostly of a violent nature, have solidified Floyd's place in boxing history as the Bad Boy “Money May”.
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