Remebering Tyson

[PLATE]

I would always put Louis over Marciano although I always respect Marciano's chin, stamina and punching power to give him a chance. Louis will win as long as he keeps that damn left up! Not sure I agree with Tyson over Lewis by UD, you think Tyson's stamina and heart will last against a quality opponent such as a peak Lewis? I think that Tyson could blast out a cold Lewis though, depends which Lewis turns up on the night. Lewis could be a slow starter, the best of Tyson was usually in the 1st 5 rounds I think if Lewis weathered those I'd fancy him to win.

Its ironic, you guys, that no less of an authority than Joe Louis himself declared that he could never have beaten Marciano

As for Lewis vs Tyson? I think prime Lewis was just too much of a good thing for prime Tyson, who even Buster Douglas managed to make look crude and inferior. Lewis would certainly not have underestimated him as he had Rahman and McCall; he would've dominated with his superior skills, reach, ring intelligence etc A fabulous puncher like iron mike would always have a chance of course, but Lennox would've destroyed him in the rematch

[Benny Leonard]

Its ironic, you guys, that no less of an authority than Joe Louis himself declared that he could never have beaten Marciano

As for Lewis vs Tyson? I think prime Lewis was just too much of a good thing for prime Tyson, who even Buster Douglas managed to make look crude and inferior. Lewis would certainly not have underestimated him as he had Rahman and McCall; he would've dominated with his superior skills, reach, ring intelligence etc A fabulous puncher like iron mike would always have a chance of course, but Lennox would've destroyed him in the rematch

He said he didn't like to be smothered which really didn't matter because he adapted to that style before and won by KO. He may not have liked to be smothered but he sure knew how to deal with it after he saw it once.
And for Rocky, Rocky also said that he liked "room" to get off his punches. Give Louis room and your dead.
How long did it take Rocky to knockout a Shot version of Louis?
It took Rocky 12+ rounds to knockout out Walcott when Louis did it in quicker fashion years before while being past his prime.


Louis was also a nice guy and liked Rocky. If Louis talked straight and said he would have KO'd Rocky, that would have made him look bad...especially given all he had built up over the years of being a "Black" Man in a White America...with a "White" Champion in Rocky Marciano.

After Louis saw the style once...Godoy II




Tyson vs. Lewis:

Lewis's best bet is to show up like he does in his rematch mentality. Tyson at his best was over after Spinks. All the proof of what a good trainer can do for you and how important motivation plays in this. What is surprising and a shame, was how young Tyson was since he should have only gotten better and stronger as he aged into this mid-late 20's.
Same happened to Lewis when he met Rahman when Lewis didn't come completely prepared.

Tale of the Tape would always make Tyson look small compared to the rest of the big boys...but he still did beat bigger fighters.

I could see Lewis at his best beating Tyson at his best...quite possible. It might actually be a boring fight though. Lewis would probably try to keep tying him up.


Lewis would trouble Louis as well...as well as troubling, well, knocking out Rocky.

[them_apples]

Rocky would have been sparked had he fought a Prime Louis. If Wallcott had more in the gas tank he would have won too.

[JAB5239]

The Sharkey fight always had a smell to it though Sharkey was always a bit of a strange character

I'll have to respectfully disagree on this. I've watched the Sharkey fight more than a dozen times and if one fight stands out as legit, its this one. We'll all draw deifferent conclussions when talking about Carnera's career, but even Sharkey's wife claimed this fight was on the level.

[TheGreatA]

Louis was a shadow of what he used to be when he fought Marciano and he was still competitive for 6 rounds with the use of the left jab only. That's literally the only thing Louis had left at that point of his career, his jab.

[GJC]

Walcott proved that Marciano could be getting well beat for 12 rounds and win in the
13th, with his chin, stamina and punch he will always have a chance. I'm of the view that in ten fights Louis wins 7 or 8 of them.

[GJC]

Rocky would have been sparked had he fought a Prime Louis. If Wallcott had more in the gas tank he would have won too.

Walcott lost because he got hit by a fantastic punch wasn't really a stamina problem.

[TheGreatA]

Walcott lost because he got hit by a fantastic punch wasn't really a stamina problem.

It's only my opinion but Walcott spent more time against the ropes in that fight than in any other fight of his that I've seen. I don't think he had the legs to move around for 15 rounds as he did in the first Louis fight. He seemed to be conserving energy against Marciano which gave Marciano more opportunities to land his big right.

Perhaps in his prime he could have survived the 15 round distance.

Footage of the first Louis-Walcott fight:

[GJC]

It's only my opinion but Walcott spent more time against the ropes in that fight than in any other fight of his that I've seen. I don't think he had the legs to move around for 15 rounds as he did in the first Louis fight. He seemed to be conserving energy against Marciano which gave Marciano more opportunities to land his big right.

Perhaps in his prime he could have survived the 15 round distance.

Walcott put a lot into that fight and gave Marciano a good hiding really, probably didn't fight as cagily as he could. Think it comes down to the fact that you only need a split second to land and Marciano beat him to the punch. A hell of a right though don't think many would have beaten the count after that.

[BritishFightFan]

Easily the most exciting and entertaining pugilist of all time.

He was like a modern, better version of Jack Dempsey from the '30s.

Even though he was just 5'10 I feel that he could have been the greatest Heavyweight of all time if he had have been mentally strong and not so complacent against mediocre fighters such as Douglas. He let arrogant, hubris scum like Don King manipulate him and make him think he was infallible and that was his downfall, but he still has a great legacy because not many men can match the twelve Heavyweight World title fight wins that he attained in his career.