Gene Tunney: Would his style be effective in any era?

[ShoulderRoll]

Well he would have to fight top black fighters in other era's. When you don't do that there are going to be questions and he doesn't get a pass from me for that.

That's fair. I don't approve of drawing the color line.

[HOUDINI563]

Rossman was a nothing. He happened to get a title shot and win against a champion who did not train for the fight. In the rematch Mike was obliterated. Rossman best wins were against Mike Quarry who he beat twice after losing the first two. Aside from his win against an unprepared Galendez every time Mike moved up he was stopped. Rossman was a human punching bag against the first tier light heavyweights he fought.

[The Old LefHook]

Yes, it would, Shudder.

[billeau2]

50 years later of Tunney’s final fight, Mike Rossman was ranked the #1 light heavyweight.

There’s no doubt, Tunney is an ATG, Rossman isn’t. Few, or no one, remembers Rossman.
Still, I’m sure of, that he would have dominated Tunney.

50 years of boxing evolution.

Probably because Tunney was ranked as a heavyweight. Tunney could easily be considered a top 5 ATG in either catergory, but as a ight heavy he is #1 on many lists.

[Marchegiano]

I'm not so sold on Tunney but to be fair to him I'm just now getting around to actually looking at divisions outside of HW.

As a HW I was told forever he's an ATG but he only has one name.

As a LHW he was never champion so I'm kinda leery of the ATG title there too.

That said, as a guy on film he might be considered the first modern fighter. Looks more like a 50s guy doesn't he? Like the tail end of black and white fights not the beginning. I can certainly see how he's impressive but as far as actually rating the skills and stuff like that I really ought to do more research.

[billeau2]

I'm not so sold on Tunney but to be fair to him I'm just now getting around to actually looking at divisions outside of HW.

As a HW I was told forever he's an ATG but he only has one name.

As a LHW he was never champion so I'm kinda leery of the ATG title there too.

That said, as a guy on film he might be considered the first modern fighter. Looks more like a 50s guy doesn't he? Like the tail end of black and white fights not the beginning. I can certainly see how he's impressive but as far as actually rating the skills and stuff like that I really ought to do more research.

The most impressive thing about him is how flawlessly he combines the classical and preclassical style. He moves in ways, at various times, using both different fighting distances, uses punches from both eras... I never would have imagined any one could do such a thing. He has so many things he can do in the ring. Very much a scientific fighter, with deliberate fighting lines, angles and hand placement...

I would just as soon not rank him as a heavyweight and call him one of the top five ever... IMO don't care about belts, so much... Tunney beat some ATG comp, he beat Greb and Dempsey. My logic is: No one that I can imagine beats him at light heavy. He outthinks the thinking boxer/puncher that is Michael Spinks, and has the power to KO Spinks. Charles would be one of the toughest fights I could see for Tunney, but Tunney could fight Charles off his back foot all day if he wanted to do so. Jones might be tough, but Tunney could move off line so fast. Hard to imagine Roy catching him consistently... fast feet reposition faster than a punch lands... People are skeptical of this so here is the proof: stand in front of a friend, make a situation where he can touch your head... your forehead or something. Let him try to tap you, speed it up and try to block it. It might be tough, certainly not easy unless the guy throwing is really slow... Now this time as he throws, as soon as you see his body move step over a little bit... easy to avoid right?

Tunney was precise and could outwork his opposition... Sort of like Ray Robinson with a bit less overall of God's gifts.

[billeau2]

Tunney versus Carpentier. Notice the following: Tunney fights at a distance, in close when Carpentier chooses to clinch, all ranges. Tunney counters consistently, he shows to be a great finisher, despite carpenteir showing incredible resolve and surviving... Most fighters would have gone down lol. If you look at the blow that won the fight, it looks to me like a liver shot, perfectly placed. This fight shows the many tools Tunney brings. His power was good enough that he could fight at heavyweight. Notice how he sets up the line on which he counters Carpentier... yet when they are at a close distance Tunney can go to the body with hooks, etc.

[Ben Bolt]

Probably because Tunney was ranked as a heavyweight. Tunney could easily be considered a top 5 ATG in either catergory, but as a ight heavy he is #1 on many lists.

Tunney was a top fighter of his era. But we must realize, it was 100 years ago. Every sport and its athletes have evolved (a lot) during the years.

Actually, Tunney is one of my favorite heavies (and lt. heavy). For two reasons:
1) I’m very fond of matadors taming bulls, i.e. when a technician controls a KO puncher.
2) The personality outside the ring, his interest in literature says he probably was a guy who reflected on life.

From one thing to another. Read a good quote by Sonny Liston. In 1965, Liston was in Vegas to watch the Muhammad Ali vs Floyd Patterson fight.
A reporter asked him: “Sonny, have you ever seen the tape of your fight against Ali in Lewiston?”
“I don’t have to. I was there.”

[billeau2]

Tunney was a top fighter of his era. But we must realize, it was 100 years ago. Every sport and its athletes have evolved (a lot) during the years.

Actually, Tunney is one of my favorite heavies (and lt. heavy). For two reasons:
1) I’m very fond of matadors taming bulls, i.e. when a technician controls a KO puncher.
2) The personality outside the ring, his interest in literature says he probably was a guy who reflected on life.

From one thing to another. Read a good quote by Sonny Liston. In 1965, Liston was in Vegas to watch the Muhammad Ali vs Floyd Patterson fight.
A reporter asked him: “Sonny, have you ever seen the tape of your fight against Ali in Lewiston?”
“I don’t have to. I was there.”

The bolded So? Not all things evolve. Its debatable whether every sport has evolved. Watching tape.... Understanding what should be looked at.

This is Spinks against Dwight Braxton. Spinks fighting a tough hombre, himself a great light heavy... Compare how Spinks loks to Tunney... The assortment of punches, the ability to cleanly counter, the different things done in the ring, footwork, etc... To me Tunney looks a lot stronger.

[The Old LefHook]

Tunney is smoov. No monkey chops can beat Gene.