Tournament of Champions

[geribeetus]

Interesting you would favor Jack Dempsey to beat Mike Tyson? Perhaps it's my lack of Dempsey fights I have watched(Only four ashamedly ) but I would favor that Dempsey and Tyson would both try to wade in and tee of on the other, but from what I have seen Tyson appears to be a tad quicker with his punches and a quite a bit more fluid in his hips at dipping with punches. I'm curious to hear on what your view on how Dempsey would up-end Tyson?

i put tyson ahead on mine, but i regularly change my mind about it. tyson had the quicker hands and smoother combinations, but i never count dempsey out with his stamina and chin. dempsey may have been less explosive than tyson, but he was lighter on his feet which would favor him since both tended to leap in with their hooks. i'd argue that dempsey was about as strong as tyson due to his experience with wrestling. he also had a thicker chest and arms than mike. i consider this relevant since i'd expect a ton of clinching between the two. tyson was surprisingly manhandled in the clinch by the naturally much smaller holyfield.

overall i'd rate tyson as the more physical fighter, but dempsey could beat anyone with his guts and grit.

anyhow, on to my chart. i'm sure i'll catch some flak for putting tyson ahead of ali. perhaps baer over frazier and liston too. i consider baer an absolute monster on his well trained good days though.

[alishuffle]

I'm surprised how many pick Max Schmeling over Michael Spinks.

[cardinalslugger]

how did you guys fill the chart in? what program?

[freudianfloyd]

how did you guys fill the chart in? what program?

I used paint, and just copy and pasted the names.

[StarshipTrooper]

Interesting you would favor Jack Dempsey to beat Mike Tyson? Perhaps it's my lack of Dempsey fights I have watched(Only four ashamedly ) but I would favor that Dempsey and Tyson would both try to wade in and tee of on the other, but from what I have seen Tyson appears to be a tad quicker with his punches and a quite a bit more fluid in his hips at dipping with punches. I'm curious to hear on what your view on how Dempsey would up-end Tyson?

The truth is the two of them are so similar I would consider it an even money fight. The tie-breaker was I have Dempsey rated higher on my ATG Heavyweight list.

Poet

[StarshipTrooper]

I'm surprised how many pick Max Schmeling over Michael Spinks.

While Michael Spinks was an ATG at Light-Heavyweight he was never an outstanding Heavyweight and his trainer Eddie Futch said as much in an interview. Schmeling on the otherhand gets underrated quite a bit.

Poet

[freudianfloyd]

While Michael Spinks was an ATG at Light-Heavyweight he was never an outstanding Heavyweight and his trainer Eddie Futch said as much in an interview. Schmeling on the otherhand gets underrated quite a bit.

Poet

I also feel Schmeling is underrated, but I feel that since Spinks was able to trouble and controversially beat Larry Holmes, albeit at the tail of his career, that he would be able to give Schmeling alot of trouble. Schmeling also had lapses in his career where he struggled or lost to fighters that will never be ATG's. Spinks, besides the Tyson fight, was never dominated, and went on to beat Holmes in the rematch, and Gerry Cooney. He also beat fighters at light heavy in a very tough era, with fighters such as Dwight Muhammad Qawi, and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

[StarshipTrooper]

I also feel Schmeling is underrated, but I feel that since Spinks was able to trouble and controversially beat Larry Holmes, albeit at the tail of his career, that he would be able to give Schmeling alot of trouble. Schmeling also had lapses in his career where he struggled or lost to fighters that will never be ATG's. Spinks, besides the Tyson fight, was never dominated, and went on to beat Holmes in the rematch, and Gerry Cooney. He also beat fighters at light heavy in a very tough era, with fighters such as Dwight Muhammad Qawi, and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

The problem is that what Spinks did at Light-Heavy has no real bearing on a Heavyweight matchup though. Spinks had a grand total of 6 fights at Heavyweight and none of them can really be held up as evidence that he would do well against Schmeling. Schmeling on the hand has a win over Louis that out weighs ALL of Spinks' fights at Heavyweight COMBINED.

Poet

[freudianfloyd]

The problem is that what Spinks did at Light-Heavy has no real bearing on a Heavyweight matchup though. Spinks had a grand total of 6 fights at Heavyweight and none of them can really be held up as evidence that he would do well against Schmeling. Schmeling on the hand has a win over Louis that out weighs ALL of Spinks' fights at Heavyweight COMBINED.

Poet

The Louis win was a great win, but that is really where Schmeling peaked. Not to take anything away from Schmeling, but Louis was under trained and not taking the fight serious. Also, Louis was not quite in his prime, which can be seen by his destruction of Schmeling in the rematch.

I can see the fight going either way, I just think the Spinks style would give him problems.

[StarshipTrooper]

The Louis win was a great win, but that is really where Schmeling peaked. Not to take anything away from Schmeling, but Louis was under trained and not taking the fight serious. Also, Louis was not quite in his prime, which can be seen by his destruction of Schmeling in the rematch.

I can see the fight going either way, I just think the Spinks style would give him problems.

Well, Spinks' herky-jerky style can make anyone look bad but that doesn't mean he'll win. I'd also point out that Spinks' best win as a Heavyweight came in his first fight against a past-prime, unmotivated, and out of shape Holmes. In the rematch Holmes was screwed out of a clear win.

Poet