HOF Boxers: Their First Loss Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bobbie 'Boogaloo' Watts

Hagler dropped a ten round decision to Watts in 1976, which he avenged in 1980 with a second round TKO. Two months after his loss to Watts, Hagler returned to Philadelphia and lost a decision to Monroe, whom he knocked out twice in 1977. Marvin also stopped Hart in 1976, and decisioned Briscoe in 1979, both of these bouts in Philly.

The Marvelous One finished his career with a record of 62-3-2, including 13 defenses of his middleweight title.

Answer: Sonny Banks

Banks knocked down Clay in 1962, but wound up losing the fight. Sonny died three years later from injuries in a nine round bout against Leotis Martin.

Answer: Jake LaMotta

Robinson had decisioned LaMotta in 1942, then lost to him in 1943, his first loss ever. Robinson then defeated LaMotta in their next four fights. Sugar Ray also defeated Armstrong once, and Zivic and Gavilian twice each, enroute to 175 career wins.

Answer: Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson lost his second fight, via a 3rd round KO to Joe Choynski in 1901. The two were arrested and jailed after the fight. Choynski taught Johnson boxing tactics in the cell. Armstrong, Conn, and Arguello all lost their pro debuts, then went on to win a combined 294 pro fights.

Answer: Max Schmeling

It's well known that Louis KO'd Schmeling in a round during his first title defense. However, Schmeling had KO'd Louis in the tenth round of a 1936 non-title bout. Louis did KO Baer and Sharky in non-title fights, and was destroyed by Marciano in his final career fight.

Answer: Joey Maxim

Maxim defeated Patterson in an eight round decision. Moore took the light heavyweight title from Maxim in 1952, just after Maxim stopped Robinson in a defense of the title. Boxing experts blamed that Robinson lost due to the heat.

Answer: Salvador Sanchez

Hall of Famer Salvador Sanchez knocked Gomez down in the first round, enroute to a brutal eighth round KO. Gomez did later decision LaPorte for the WBC title after Sanchez died in a car wreck, and Gomez defeated Lockridge for the the World Junior Welterweight title during his career. Neither Gomez or Sanchez ever fought Duran.

Answer: Salvador Sanchez, Mexico

Sanchez won 18 fights before his first loss when challenging for the Mexican bantamweight title. Monzon, maybe the greatest middleweight ever, lost his ninth pro fight, during his first year of professional fighting. Napoles, who would become one of the finest welterweight champs ever, lost his eighth pro fight in his native Cuba. Tiger, a future middleweight champ, was stopped in his seventh fight while challenging for the Nigerian middleweight title.

Answer: Michael Spinks

Spinks won gold in the 1976 Olympics, then won the light heavyweight title, before taking the heavyweight title on a disputed decision over Larry Holmes. In his 32nd fight, he was knocked out by Mike Tyson. Ali also was an Olympic Gold Medalist, but he had only been Heavyweight Champion before losing in his 32nd fight. That loss was to Joe Frazier, another Olympic Gold Medal Heavyweight, who lost his 30th pro fight to fellow Olympic Gold Medal winner George Foreman. Larry Holmes won 48 fights before losing to Spinks. Holmes never made it to the Olympics, having lost in the Trials to Duane Bobick in 1972.

Answer: Ezzard Charles

Ezzard Charles, who defeated Joe Louis by decision, later went the distance with Rocky Marciano, and won three times against Jersey Joe Walcott, took his first pro defeat via decision against Ken Ovelin. Norton was knocked out by Jose Luis Garcia in his 17th fight, which Kenny avenged five years later via fifth round KO. Jack Dempsey was decked by Fireman Jim Flynn in the first round in 1917, and returned the favor in 1918. Frazier lost to Foreman in 1973, going down five times for his first defeat.