What If Gene Tunney Had Not Retired?

[Perfect Plex]

Lets Gene stays on for a few more years, does he still retire champion. How does he do with his next contenders?

[Kid McCoy]

Lets Gene stays on for a few more years, does he still retire champion. How does he do with his next contenders?

Sooner or later I think one of the early 30s contenders would have knocked him off. Baer or Sharkey on form (which isn't a guarantee) could do the job or maybe someone like Loughran who gave Tunney a hard fight years before. I don't see him lasting til Louis' reign.

[sonnyboyx2]

Sooner or later I think one of the early 30s contenders would have knocked him off. Baer or Sharkey on form (which isn't a guarantee) could do the job or maybe someone like Loughran who gave Tunney a hard fight years before. I don't see him lasting til Louis' reign.

Your hate for Gene Tunney is plain to see

[M26]

Lets Gene stays on for a few more years, does he still retire champion. How does he do with his next contenders?

I would easily favor a prime Gene Tunney over Max Schmeling, Jack Sharkey and Primo Carnera. In his prime he would probably beat every champion between him and Joe Louis.

The answer to your question depends on whether or not Tunney could keep both his amazing skill, his speed and motivation into his mid thirties. He was 31 when he retired, and probably had a few good years left in him.

I see Tunney dominating the division until the arrival of Max Baer. Tunney would by then be 35-36 years old, and I can see a well-prepared Baer snatching the title.

[sonnyboyx2]

I would easily favor a prime Gene Tunney over Max Schmeling, Jack Sharkey and Primo Carnera. In his prime he would probably beat every champion between him and Joe Louis.

The answer to your question depends on whether or not Tunney could keep both his amazing skill, his speed and motivation into his mid thirties. He was 31 when he retired, and probably had a few good years left in him.

I see Tunney dominating the division until the arrival of Max Baer. Tunney would by then be 35-36 years old, and I can see a well-prepared Baer snatching the title.

Baer never had the skills to compete with Tunney, he had the punch but Tunney was good enough to avoid that ever landing

[Heavy Bag]

I think he would of reigned a few more years. And honestly unless he really aged, I'd favour him over Bear, Sharkey, & Schemling. Although Joe Louis is a whole different story.

[SBleeder]

Baer never had the skills to compete with Tunney, he had the punch but Tunney was good enough to avoid that ever landing

Would he have been able to evade Baer's punches 6-7 years after he fought Dempsey? Tunney would not have been in his prime against a prime Baer.

[bklynboy]

Would he have been able to evade Baer's punches 6-7 years after he fought Dempsey? Tunney would not have been in his prime against a prime Baer.

Yeah, I think he might have a hard time against Baer. I had to look things up. He was born in 1897 so he would have been 35 in 1932. Even though he stayed in great shape and didn't get hit too much he would have had a hard time keeping off a young lion such as Baer. Still I think he would taken Schmelling and Sharkey from 1928-1931.

He may have had trouble with a fighter like Light Heavy "Slapsy-Maxie" Max Rosenblum but I think he could have easily held onto his title while piling up victories against middle of the road fighters (such as the Ks are doing now). He could have fought and won 4 fights a year for 3 years and retired as champion.

[Sugarj]

Hmmm, I favour prime Tunney against Baer.

But in 1934 Tunney would have been 37, which in those days was seen as ancient for a world class boxer and Baer looked very powerful against Schmelling and Carnera around this time.

I've got a feeling that Tunney would have seen off Schmelling, Sharkey and Carnera in the very early 30s......but Baer? Its a big doubt at in late 1933 or 1934.

[Great John L]

Tunney was 30 Years old in 1928. Nearing the downhill period of a regular fighter. But the 1930s had a drop in the true talent of heavyweights, with a few obvious exceptions. Sharkey, Baer, and Schmeling, and Braddock when he was properly trained, would be tough foes. But still, they wouldn't be able to handle even an older Gene. The difference in skill was too great. Sharkey would be outboxed as would Schmeling, Baer would be slapped around the ring, and Braddock would probably be KO'ed. Eventually, Gene would face Joe Louis, at which point, already past his prime, he would be KO'ed and probably vanish from the division. Prime for Prime, Joe beats Tunney. Past prime Tunney could put up a good fight, but would go down much easier.