10 Worst Nicknames In Boxing History, Ranked
Highlights
- Butterbean: The lovable, overweight character's nickname doesn't do justice to his toughness and power in the ring.
- The Cincinnati Kid: Tim Austin's nickname draws unflattering comparisons and didn't live up to the cinematic legend.
- The Legend: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.'s nickname seems like an attempt to bask in his father's glory rather than establish his own legacy.
Boxing has seen its fair share of memorable and iconic nicknames, from "Iron" Mike Tyson to "Sugar" Ray Leonard. These monikers often add an aura of mystique and intrigue to a fighter's persona, making them larger than life. However, not all nicknames are created equal.
Some are cringe-worthy, nonsensical, or downright embarrassing. In this list, we'll explore the 10 of the worst nicknames in boxing history, ranked from slight cringe to downright cringy!
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The ten best one-hitter quitters the sport has produced.10 Eric Esch: Butterbean
The Heavyweight Boxer With An Unorthodox Fighting Style
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 5'11.5" |
Weight | Around 400 Pounds |
Notable Achievement | King of the 4-rounders; Multiple Toughman Contest Champion |
While the name Butterbean might sound quirky, it doesn't exactly inspire fear in opponents. Instead, it conjures up images of a lovable, overweight character, not a heavyweight knockout artist. This nickname, though memorable, doesn't do justice to the toughness and power that Butterbean possessed in the ring. Eric received the nickname when he was forced to go on a diet (consisting mostly of chicken and butterbeans) to meet the Toughman 400-pound (181 kg) weight limit.
9 Tim Austin: The Cincinnati Kid
The Boxer Who Didn't Live Up To His Nickname
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 5'7" |
Weight | Bantamweight (Approx. 118 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | IBF Bantamweight World Champion |
Tim Austin's nickname, "The Cincinnati Kid," is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it pays homage to his hometown - which is a common practice in boxing.
On the other hand, it draws unflattering comparisons to Steve McQueen's iconic role in the film The Cincinnati Kid. Unfortunately for Austin, his career never lived up to the cinematic legend, and so his nickname seemed not only to be an ill-fated choice but also one that has stuck around.
8 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: The Legend
Basking In His Fathers Glory
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 6'0" |
Weight | Middleweight (Approx. 160 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | Former WBC Middleweight World Champion |
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. inherited a legendary legal name from his father, the iconic Julio Cesar Chavez. However, his nickname, The Legend, seems like an attempt to bask in his father's glory rather than establish his own legacy. While it's not the worst nickname on this list, it's certainly one of the most unoriginal and uninspiring.
7 Andrew Golota: The Foul Pole
A Tumultuous Career Filled With Disqualifications
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 6'4" |
Weight | Heavyweight (Approx. 240 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | Contender in several world heavyweight title fights |
Andrew Golota had a tumultuous career filled with disqualifications for low blows, leading to his less-than-flattering nickname, "The Foul Pole." While it's true that Golota's ring conduct was less than sportsmanlike, this nickname does little to boost his image as a professional athlete. It's more likely to invoke images of a baseball field than a boxing ring.
6 Audley Harrison: A-Force
A Fighter Who Didn't Live Up To The Hype
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 6'5.5" |
Weight | Heavyweight (Approx. 255 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist in Super-Heavyweight Boxing |
Audley Harrison's nickname, "A-Force," is an example of a cringy attempt to sound tough and intimidating. The problem is, that the nickname feels more like an attempt to force an image on a fighter who didn't live up to the hype. Harrison's professional career was marked by disappointment, and his nickname did nothing to change that perception.
5 Samuel Peter: The Nigerian Nightmare
An Unoriginal Start
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 6'2" |
Weight | Heavyweight (Approx. 240 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | Former WBC Heavyweight World Champion |
While some might argue that his nickname, "The Nigerian Nightmare," is a nod to the great American football player, Lawrence Taylor, it still comes across as unoriginal. Plus, it's a nickname that has already been associated with a different athlete, making it confusing and derivative.
4 Zab Judah: Super
The Epitome Of Trying Too Hard
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 5'7.5" |
Weight | Welterweight (Approx. 147 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | Multiple-Time World Champion in Light Welterweight and Welterweight Divisions |
Zab Judah's nickname, "Super," is a prime example of a boxer trying too hard to sound powerful and impressive. While Judah had a respectable career, the nickname feels like an oversell, leaving fans to wonder if he focused more on the image than the substance of his fighting skills.
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Doesn't Quite Evoke The Image Of A Warrior
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 6'6" |
Weight | Heavyweight (Approx. 230 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | Contender for World Heavyweight Title; Known for his fight against Larry Holmes |
Gerry Cooney's nickname, "Gentleman," is a puzzling choice for a sport as brutal and unforgiving as boxing. While striving for sportsmanship and respect in the ring is admirable, a nickname like Gentleman seems out of place in the world of professional pugilism. It doesn't quite evoke the image of a warrior ready for battle.
2 Two-Ton: Tony Galento
A Humorous Reference To His Physique
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 5'9" |
Weight | Heavyweight (Approx. 235 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | Known for his bout against Joe Louis and his unorthodox fighting style |
Nicknamed "Two-Ton" Tony Galento, this colorful and unapologetically brash heavyweight boxer is perhaps best known for his larger-than-life persona both inside and outside the ring.
The nickname "Two-Ton" was a humorous reference to his robust and stocky physique, which he embraced with a sense of humor. Galento once infamously said that he'd fight anyone for a steak dinner, cementing his reputation as a charismatic but unorthodox character in boxing.
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A Nickname Given By The Media
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Height | 6'2.5" |
Weight | Heavyweight (Approx. 200 Pounds) |
Notable Achievement | World Heavyweight Champion; Known for his comeback victory over Max Baer |
While "The Cinderella Man" might not be unflattering in the traditional sense, it was an unusual nickname for a professional boxer. James J. Braddock earned this nickname during the Great Depression when he made a remarkable comeback in the 1930s, going from a struggling, almost forgotten fighter to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.
His nickname, The Cinderella Man, was given to him by the media to highlight his underdog story, a nickname that is more associated with fairy tales than with the tough and gritty world of boxing.
While a nickname can be a powerful tool to shape a fighter's image, it can also be a source of ridicule when chosen poorly.
