Soup's On

Attention, Peter McNeeley: Underdog heavyweights—good ones and tomato cans alike—have paid the price

Pete Rademacher got a title shot in his pro debut in '57, was felled by Floyd Patterson, retired at 17-6-1 in '62.

Henry Cooper lost to Muhammad Ali twice; in 1966 he was one of three Europeans battered by Ali in a four-month span.

Brian London told his comer Ali was "effin' quick" after Round 1 of their '66 fight, was KO'd—and booed from the ring—in the third.

George Chuvalo could, if nothing else, endure abuse. The Canadian champ never hit the canvas in 97 bouts.

Chuck Wepner, the Bayonne Bleeder, proved a durable punching bag, lasting 10 rounds before Sonny Liston KO'd him in 1970.

Alfredo Evangelista, the European kingpin in the late '70s, landed but one solid blow in a KO loss to Larry Holmes in 1978.

Renaldo Snipes, tough, unbeaten but ultimately overmatched, suffered a crushing loss to Holmes in '81.

Randall (Tex) Cobb went the distance in a championship bid against Holmes in 1982, but the bout was gruesomely one-sided.

James (Buster) Douglas, the 42-to-1 shot who whipped Tyson in '90, gives underdogs like McNeeley reason to hope.