Underrated former light heavyweight champion John Conteh – skill and style

John Conteh was one heckuva a fighter.

He reminded me of a smaller Muhammad Ali. He was good-looking and charismatic.

Conteh was one of 10 siblings, born to an Irish mother and West African father. Money was scarce. His father introduced him to boxing when he was 11.

He loved it.

Boxing Masterclass – John Conteh

Learning his craft quickly, Conteh captured gold at the British Commonwealth Games.

Conteh turned professional in 1970, competing in a loaded light heavyweight division – but fighting heavyweights. Conteh was triumphant in 11 successive bouts until being upset by spoiler Eddie Duncan.

Many thought Conteh should move up to the heavyweight division. Muhammad Ali, who sparred with Conteh in 1972, was not one of them.

Conteh was fighting in Las Vegas on the same card that featured Ali against Joe Bugner. He knocked out a shop-worn Terry Daniels, who had fought Joe Frazier 13 months before. Conteh weighed 182 pounds.

After the fight, he asked Ali for some career advice.

Ali, never shy, provided it.

“Yeah, get out of my division!”

In his 19th fight, Conteh, not yet 22, won the European light heavyweight title and, a little over two months later, defeated Chris Finnigan to collect the British and Commonwealth titles. The fight was close. Conteh wobbled Finnigan late in the 15-rounder to secure the decision.

Conteh was a world champion a year later, but for several years now, some have criticized him.

John Conteh vs Yaqui Lopez HD

Is the criticism fair?

Not really.

Conteh’s career was brief. He fought 39 times, winning 34, with 24 by knockout.

After defeating Finnegan, Conteh met former WBA light heavyweight champion Vincente Rondon. The Venezuelan’s high water mark had been winning the WBA light heavyweight title by knocking out Jimmy Dupree in 1971. Rondon made four successful defenses before facing WBC world champion Bob Foster.

In the opening round, Foster tagged Rondon with jabs to the head and midsection. Rondon tried to be more aggressive in the next heat and paid for it. A cracking right hand, followed by a left hook, put Rondon on the seat of his pants. He was up quickly but hurt. A minute later, Foster nailed him with another right and two dynamic left hooks that collapsed Rondon.

Rondon,35, lost five of his next nine fights before facing Conteh at Empire Pool (later renamed Wembley Arena) in 1973. Conteh overwhelmed the older man, stopping him with a combination in round nine.

Conteh defended his EBU European light heavyweight title against tough veteran Tom Bogs at Wembley on March 12, 1974. Bogs floored Conteh with a looping right in round one. Conteh got up at the count of eight and held on, allowing his head to clear. By round three, he was in control, ripping Bogs with fast and slashing blows – one of which opened up a cut over Bogs’ left eye. The fight was soon over.

Conteh fought a rematch against Finnegan two months later. The two battled for five rounds. Conteh’s punches carved up Finnegan’s face.

Finnegan’s corner stopped the fight after five rounds.

Finally, securing a title shot, Conteh thrilled his fans by capturing the vacant world light heavyweight title over Jorge Ahumada at Wembley in 1974 in a barn-burner.

Ahumada roughed Conteh up early and hurt him, but the young warrior found his second wind and fought back. Conteh dominated the last few rounds to earn the decision.

Conteh defended his crown twice in 1975, but his priorities were changing. The 24-year-old liked the nightlife and hit it hard. His hands were also becoming a problem.

He returned to the ring after a 15-month layoff to face the durable contender Yaqui López in Copenhagen. Conteh started fast, bagging the early rounds with sharp combinations and effective boxing.

The rugged Lopez did better in the middle rounds, catching Conteh with hard head shots. Conteh used his jab to keep Lopez off balance. Lopez was bleeding in round 11 as Conteh cruised to victory.

The WBC took Conteh’s world title after he refused to defend it against Miguel Angel Cuello in 1977. A year later, he fought Olympic gold medalist Mate Parlov, who had knocked out Cuello to win the title.

Southpaw Parlov was awkward – more boxer than puncher. After 15 rounds, Conteh appeared to have the edge. One ringside judge agreed, while the two others tabbed Parlov as the victor.

Conteh was back in the ring three months after losing to Parlov. He knocked out little-known Leonardo Rogers. A draw against Jesse Burnett raised eyebrows. Conteh was down twice. Rumors of heavy drinking continued. The rumors were fact.

“It just became more and more and more,’ Conteh told Daniel Matthews of Dailymail.uk.co in 2019. “It got to the point where one was too many and 100 wasn’t enough.”

Four months later, Conteh traveled to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to fight all-action warrior Matthew Saad Muhammad.

Muhammad had captured the light heavyweight title by surviving a vicious pounding for several rounds by hometown fighter Marvin Johnson in Indianapolis, Indiana. Muhammad stunned the crowd and Johnson by winning by knockout in round eight.

Conteh took the lead against Muhammad, easily outboxing him. As expected, though, Muhammad (bleeding from a cut near his left eye) refused to bend. He battled back, as did Conteh. Round 14 tipped the fight for Muhammad after he knocked Conteh down twice. Muhammad won the fight by unanimous decision.

It seemed everyone was in favor of the rematch except Conteh.

⚡️ John Conteh: Britain’s Forgotten World Champion

“I never wanted to be there,” Conteh said in an article by Steve Bunce.

Muhammad knocked Conteh down five times. The referee stopped the fight in round four.

Conteh’s career near the top was over, even though he fought one more time, winning by knockout over a fighter with as many wins as losses.

John Conteh was 30 years old.

Was Conteh overrated or underrated?

Overrated? No. Conteh achieved a lot in a short period.

Underrated? Yes. The expectations were huge for Conteh – perhaps unfairly so.

Still, Conteh was a world champion at 23.

Whatever demons he had (he stopped drinking over 30 years ago), Conteh kept at bay long enough to achieve the highest level.