Riddled: 10 modern day fighters who rarely had luck on their side

In the past 13 years, several fighters have seen their legacies cut short due to various circumstances, or just simply never reached their full potential. Let’s call them ‘hard-luck fighters’

As Sergiy Derevyanchenko prepares to face Christian Mbilli on Saturday at Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada, on ESPN, it’s a fitting time to revisit this list of boxers whose careers were marred by misfortune.

Sergiy Derevyanchenko

Derevyanchenko, a former Olympian, has faced tough luck in his professional career. Despite being fast-tracked to a title, he’s 3-5 in his last eight fights, with no stoppage losses. His losses include: a split decision to Daniel Jacobs; a disputed but unanimous decision to Gennadiy Golovkin; a unanimous decision to Jermall Charlo; a majority decision to Carlos Adames; and a close unanimous decision to Jaime Munguia at super middleweight in which a 12th-round body shot knockdown proved the difference. 

At 38, Derevyanchenko might go down as one of the best fighters never to win a major title, despite having fought for one four times.

Matt Korobov

Korobov, a fighter with a stellar amateur pedigree, had his career derailed by misfortune. After being knocked out by Andy Lee in his HBO debut, Korobov lost a debated unanimous decision to Jermall Charlo for the WBC middleweight title in fight many felt he won.His next fight against Immanuwel Aleem was initially announced as a win but later overturned to a draw due to a scoring error. 

Injuries further plagued his career, leading to losses against Chris Eubank Jr. and Ronald Ellis, and a forced goodbye to the sport.

Martin Murray

Murray, a durable and physical fighter, never managed to secure a title despite multiple close calls. He drew with Felix Sturm in Germany for the WBA middleweight title; lost a contentious and unanimous decision to Sergio Martinez in a rain-soaked event in Buenos Aires; and fell to Arthur Abraham by split decision in Germany. Murray’s career was defined by near-misses in title fights, and he never quite managed to shake off the tag of being a perennial title contender.

Dmitry Pirog

Pirog retired undefeated, having won the middleweight title with a knockout of Daniel Jacobs. Despite being scheduled to face Gennadiy Golovkin, a back injury ended his career prematurely. Pirog’s 4-0 record in title fights and his unique style made him a potential star in the middleweight division, but his career was cut short just as it was taking off.

Botirzhon Akhmedov

Akhmedov’s career has been marked by controversial losses. His first defeat came against Mario Barrios in a junior welterweight title fight, despite knocking Barrios down twice. He then lost a razor-close split decision to Alberto Puello and a majority decision to Kenneth Sims Jr. With just 13 fights, Akhmedov’s career is trending towards one filled with bad luck, with no significant title wins to his name.

Badou Jack

Known as the “king of the draws,” Jack has had several close fights that ended in draws, including bouts against Adonis Stevenson and James DeGale. A draw against Lucian Bute was overturned to a disqualification due to Bute testing positive for a banned substance. Jack also suffered a first-round knockout loss to Derek Edwards in 2014, adding to his turbulent career. Despite being a fine fighter, Jack’s career was far from smooth, with his biggest fights often ending in frustration. A testament to his quality, however, is the success he had in three separate weight classes.

Lucas Matthysse

Matthysse, a junior welterweight, had a rollercoaster career. Early losses to Zab Judah and Devon Alexander, both ending in contentious split decisions, set the tone for his career. After a string of impressive wins, Matthysse lost to Danny Garcia in a fight he was favored to win and later suffered a surprising stoppage loss to Viktor Postol. While his career had its highlights, it was also filled with missed opportunities and hard-luck moments.

Mauricio Herrera

Herrera’s career took a downward turn after a controversial loss to Danny Garcia in Puerto Rico, a fight many believed Herrera had won. After that, Herrera went 4-5 and never looked the same. His career was filled with tough fights, but the Garcia decision stands out as a moment that could have dramatically changed his trajectory.

Darnell Boone

Boone, known as a tough and durable fighter, took on some of the best in the sport with little preparation or backing. He knocked down Andre Ward, knocked out Adonis Stevenson, and drew with Sergey Kovalev on undercards. Despite turning pro in 2004, Boone’s career never had direction, as he took on fighters who were more talented but often found ways to make the fight competitive. He remains active, mostly challenging undefeated prospects.

Gabriel Rosado

Rosado was a true professional who outlasted many of his peers. His career had its share of hard-luck moments, including a split decision loss to J’Leon Love, later turned to a no-contest, a tough split-decision loss to Daniel Jacobs and a controversial draw with Luis Arias. However, Rosado finally had his redemptive moment when he knocked out Bektemir Melikuziev. Despite never winning a title, Rosado’s career was marked by resilience and determination in the face of adversity.