45:, is a fighter in individual combat sports with comparatively poor or diminished skills who may be considered an easy opponent to defeat, or a "guaranteed win." Fights with tomato cans can be arranged to inflate the win total of a professional fighter. Similarly, a fighter whose record consists of wins over easy opponents is referred to as a "can crusher". The phrase originates in the childhood pastime of kicking a can down the street—a boxer is advancing his career with minimal effort by defeating a tomato can and notching a win. "Tomato" refers to blood: "knock a tomato can over, and red stuff spills out."
57:. Sometimes a formerly successful boxer who is past his prime and who has seen his skills diminish is considered a tomato can if he can no longer compete at a high level. Such an individual is an attractive opponent if his name still carries prestige but his diminished skills make him an easy conquest. When referring to a distinguished fighter, opponents with passable careers who simply are not at the same level can also be considered tomato cans. Most fighters who are considered tomato cans are
165:, who was ranked WBO no. 11 and IBF no. 14, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ruiz Jr. got up from the canvas in round 3 and won the contest by technical knockout in round 7 having given Joshua a convincing beating, with Joshua's trainer later saying that Joshua had been severely concussed. Joshua was originally scheduled to face undefeated WBA no. 2 and WBO no. 3 ranked heavyweight Jarrell Miller, who was replaced by Ruiz Jr. after Miller failed three drug tests.
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in favor of the major conference team, in exchange for paying the less-renowned school a financial windfall. Like the tomato can in boxing, the less-renowned school can occasionally perform far beyond expectation, serving as potentially major embarrassment for the major college and having major
61:, because at lower weight classes one must maintain a certain level of fitness in order to make weight, whereas a heavyweight who once fought at a trim 205 pounds could conceivably gain 150 pounds and still fight in the same division.
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in modern sports history. Douglas was widely regarded as a tomato can, lined up to provide an easy victory for Tyson at that time. Later, Douglas lost his first title defense against
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in Tokyo. The victory over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, at the hands of the 42–1
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One characteristic which may account for the use of the "tomato can" metaphor for a bad boxer is the tendency to leak "tomato juice" (i.e., blood) when battered.
114:. In a surprising turn of events, Wepner scored a disputed knockdown in the ninth round, and survived 19 seconds short of the distance, before losing by
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boxers generally regarded as tomato cans have been known to provide surprising challenges to champions and in several instances, cause shocking
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106:. A former nightclub bouncer, Wepner was nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder" and was considered a washed-up contender with a mediocre record.
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selected Wepner as a tomato can to provide an easy victory for Ali after his famous win over
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in that they serve to enhance the stature of someone the promotion uses to draw a crowd.
310:, New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, inducted October 29, 1982, Retrieved on June 20, 2024.
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On June 1, 2019, undefeated unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion
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This article is about the sports phrase. For the foodstuff, see
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Douglas, has been described as one of the most shocking
392:"Tomato Cans: James (Buster) Douglas vs. Mike Tyson"
871:List of deaths due to injuries sustained in boxing
205:A webcomic based on the idiom with the same name,
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83:Victory over a tomato can is not a certainty.
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375:Page 2's List for top upset in sports history
320:"Tomato Cans: Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner"
102:, a lightly regarded but popular boxer from
355:"The Moments": Mike Tyson vs Buster Douglas
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342:Chuck Wepner, The Real Rocky
238:Job (professional wrestling)
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18:Tomato can (sports idiom)
469:Semi-professional boxing
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831:List of boxing families
515:London Prize Ring Rules
137:James "Buster" Douglas
73:professional wrestling
271:. September 23, 2018.
169:Outside combat sports
866:List of boxing films
841:Dementia pugilistica
776:Ancient Greek boxing
675:Short straight-punch
79:Surprises and upsets
851:Bare-knuckle boxing
562:Lineal championship
489:White-collar boxing
464:Professional boxing
269:"UFC News Archives"
243:Journeyman (boxing)
228:Gatekeeper (boxing)
94:On March 24, 1975,
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397:Sports Illustrated
284:"Tomato Can Blues"
183:mixed martial arts
120:Sylvester Stallone
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735:Check hook
700:Styles and
685:Liver shot
670:Bolo punch
602:Long count
582:Tomato can
577:Journeyman
572:Gatekeeper
494:Kickboxing
418:(webcomic)
255:References
179:kickboxing
133:Mike Tyson
104:New Jersey
85:Journeyman
39:tomato can
720:Head fake
702:technique
233:Glass Joe
122:'s movie
55:glass jaw
811:Compubox
750:Footwork
725:Slipping
655:Overhand
650:Uppercut
607:Outpoint
587:Knockout
358:Archived
217:See also
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