Tua vs. The Greats

[Quarry]

12-round Fights , Prime for Prime

David Tua vs. Jack Johnson - Tua by KO

David Tua vs. Mike Tyson - Tua by TKO

David Tua vs. George Foreman - Foreman by TKO

David Tua vs. Larry Holmes - Holmes by UD

David Tua vs. Muhammad Ali - Ali by UD

David Tua vs. Sonny Liston - Liston by UD

David Tua vs. Evander Holyfield - Tua by TKO

David Tua vs. Rid**** Bowe - Tua by UD

David Tua vs. Joe Louis - Tua by KO

David Tua vs. Joe Frazier - Tua by TKO

David Tua vs. Lennox Lewis - Lewis by UD

David Tua vs. Rocky Marciano - Tua by TKO

David Tua vs. Floyd Patterson - Tua by KO

David Tua vs. Vitali Klitschko - Klitschko by UD

David Tua vs. Wladimir Klitschko - Tua by KO


9-6 (8 KO's)

Not bad.

you obviously ain't ever watched Tua vs Chris Byrd

[res]

I don't think size is that important in boxing. I can think of lots of small and mid size heavyweights who hit hard and can take a punch. And lots of big heavyweights that don't hit that hard or take that good of punch. Tua was good, but I never saw anything in him that made me think he could beat some of the best fighters ever. Guys like Patterson and Marciano had loads of skill on Tua which would help them beat him I think.

.

But we are not talking about a heavyweight that does not hit hard, we are talking about one with lethal punches. We're also not talking about one that cannot take punches. I like Marciano as a fighter, have defended him plenty of times, but this just isn't realistic. His style was horrible for this type of match.

[Holtol]

But we are not talking about a heavyweight that does not hit hard, we are talking about one with lethal punches. We're also not talking about one that cannot take punches. I like Marciano as a fighter, have defended him plenty of times, but this just isn't realistic. His style was horrible for this type of match.

What I meant, is just because Marciano was smaller then Tua does not mean he can't take as good of punch as Tua or punch as hard. There are many instances of this in boxing and it may be the case with Marciano and Tua. I think Marciano was better at mixing up his attack and avoiding punishment which I think is more important, and it would allow Marciano to beat Tua.

[res]

What I meant, is just because Marciano was smaller then Tua does not mean he can't take as good of punch as Tua or punch as hard. There are many instances of this in boxing and it may be the case with Marciano and Tua. I think Marciano was better at mixing up his attack and avoiding punishment which I think is more important, and it would allow Marciano to beat Tua.

I don't know that a point about a species of fighter that we aren't actually talking about sheds light on anything. a major reason (not the only reason) that large fighters who can't punch, can't punch, is because they are not skilled at channeling their body weight into their punches. Their arm punchy. Tua is not one of these guys. Furthermore i don't know that the case has been made for smaller guys being able to take punishment from guys THIS much larger who are infact heavy punchers.

Tua's power is routinely compared to Tyson's, i think this is a fair assessment.

What we have to envision are fighters like Ted Lowry (who frequently fought in the 170's) taking 10 rounds of punishment from a guy like Mike Tyson (enough to lose a UD) and making it through the fight like he did with Marciano.

This stuff is difficult to imagine.


Marciano's punching power was measured at about 1000 Psi. This has been topped by many modern heavyweights.

[Jim Jeffries]

lennox was just beyond him skills wise AND physically.

i think depending on the matchups tua could be competitive with some of them. notice how the ones i pick tua to beat either is not very big , doesn't have a great chin , etc.

i'm just interested in talking about the styles matchup and analyzing how the fight would go.

a lot of the other people here seem to just want to say "_________ is greater! tua would lose!"

what's the fun in saying that?

It's too bad that when given the opportunity and payday of his career, Tua decides to show up unmotivated and 245 lbs. That's the problem with fantasy match ups involving Tua, it depends which version shows up. I don't think even the best version beats Lewis, but he certainly could've made it less one sided and added more credibility to your vs ATGs predictions.

I would pay good money to see (the best version of, say against Ruiz or Ibeabuchi) Tua fight Marciano, Frazier, Norton, Tyson, Dempsey, Max Baer, Louis and even lesser guys like Lyle, Morrison, Shavers, Quarry, Golota and Sanders.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

lennox was just beyond him skills wise AND physically.

i think depending on the matchups tua could be competitive with some of them. notice how the ones i pick tua to beat either is not very big , doesn't have a great chin , etc.

i'm just interested in talking about the styles matchup and analyzing how the fight would go.

a lot of the other people here seem to just want to say "_________ is greater! tua would lose!"

what's the fun in saying that?

It isn't just about, "greatness." There is a reason Tua didn't achieve his own greatness, or even threaten to do so. That ties in with why he loses most, possibly all, of these fights.

He was just a mediocre fighter with decent handspeed, a great chin, & a great punch (though a limited offense overall). His short-comings were, simply, massive.

He is badly out of his depth against most men on your list.

[Forza]

Tua would need more than his famous left hook to take down the greats. Yeah he has some impressive wins over ruiz and moorer but those guys don't hold a candle to 60s 70s 80s HW boxers

[Holtol]

I don't know that a point about a species of fighter that we aren't actually talking about sheds light on anything. a major reason (not the only reason) that large fighters who can't punch, can't punch, is because they are not skilled at channeling their body weight into their punches. Their arm punchy. Tua is not one of these guys. Furthermore i don't know that the case has been made for smaller guys being able to take punishment from guys THIS much larger who are infact heavy punchers.

Tua's power is routinely compared to Tyson's, i think this is a fair assessment.

What we have to envision are fighters like Ted Lowry (who frequently fought in the 170's) taking 10 rounds of punishment from a guy like Mike Tyson (enough to lose a UD) and making it through the fight like he did with Marciano.

This stuff is difficult to imagine.


Marciano's punching power was measured at about 1000 Psi. This has been topped by many modern heavyweights.

I have not seen many psi tests on boxers. Marciano punched hard enough to break bones, punched hard enough to knock out Walcott for a few hours. I think Marciano would hit Tua more often with his best shots. I think Tua would have a harder time hitting Marciano.

If Tua ran 15 miles a day during training he might not even be much bigger then Marciano. I used to run almost every day and I weighed 160 pounds. The last 8 years I have not trained as much now I weigh 230 pounds and I am not that fat.

[The Surgeon]

Tua is in over his head with this crowd. He packs alot of power in his left hook, the rest of his shots are nothing to get excited about. He has a good chin but he isnt unhurtable Rahman and Barrett dropped him and Lewis had him scared to press. His stamina is impressive and even more so given how fat he is. His speed in general aint great and his skills are sub par.

There is a case for him to win some of these fights, given styles and such but i make him underdog against all except Patterson and Marciano and each of those guys is in with a real shot of winning too. Tua has no consistancy and depends on the left hook too much, top fighters know how to adjust and take that from u

[The Surgeon]

Actually thinking about it the basic Tua is in with a great shout against the great Frazier imo. Damn that was hard to type!