Imagine a prime (99-00) Tua against a prime (69-73) Joe Frazier, who would win?

[KO'er]

We all know it would be an out and out slugfest, and it would end very early, ala Frazier-Foreman and the 2 Liston-Cleveland Williams bouts. I think Tua would take the fight though.

Tua would have been around 230-235lbs in shape and that would be help him a bit, both have murderous left hooks but I can see Tua taking it in under 3 rounds. Both fighters would take big blows though. Frazier has the heart, but could his chin take Tua's power?

[nomadman]

I posted my break down of this fight in another thread, Tua vs the Greats, and answered a few follow up posts clarifying my initial take.

Just to summarise, and taken purely as a head to head matchup, I slightly favour Tua to beat Joe, but by no means would I ever think this was an easy night for either man.

My reasoning basically boils down to style. Tua would have no problems finding Joe right in his face all night long, and a fighter that stands in front of a prime Tua is going to be taking a whole load of murderous punches. Can Frazier survive a Tua onslaught? Ike did it, but Ike was a physically larger man that Frazier and spent large swathes of their fight boxing on the outside (he also reputedly paid a terrible physical price afterwards). Frazier doesn't possess the physical or stylistic advantages Ike had (height, weight, long jab, ability to drop overhand rights down from on high), and whilst he poses other difficulties (constant head movement, unwavering pressure) against Tua he'd be fighting a physically more resilient, harder hitting man than himself who'd be more or less trying to do the same things he was doing. I see this fight being fought almost entirely in the pocket, and in a physical battle of attrition, I'd have to favour Tua.

There are quite a few reasons for me to pick Frazier as well, though.

First off, Tua tended to fight a lot in spurts. Even in his prime there were times when he'd just shut down and stand in front of guys doing nothing. Frazier on the other hand fought every minute of every round, and never failed to capitalise on chances. If he survives any early flurries by Tua his pressure might begin to get to Tua (in a psychological sense) allowing him to take the decision. Joe might also have some success going to the body, a la Quarry. Tua's chin was granite, and virtually undentable, but his body was another matter, as Byrd showed. If Frazier can repeatedly target Tua's body (assuming Tua is well conditioned and around the 225lb mark) then he'd have a good chance of seriously slowing him and possibly even stopping him in the later rounds.

Joe would be putting himself in the line of fire of Tua's left hook though, which wouldn't spell good news for him if it landed. There's also the question of whether he could force himself to go against his nature and try to smother Tua (which tended to limit a large degree of his offence). My guess is he'd stand in the firing line trying to take Tua out of there, and once again that spells danger for him.

Like I said, not an easy night for either man, and quite an intriguing style matchup that isn't anywhere near as cut and dry as it looks on paper.

[RubenSonny]

Frazier beats Tuas ass on the inside.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Frazier makes Tua quit. Its not close, or pretty.

[RubenSonny]

Also Frazier and Tua fought nothing alike.

[IronDanHamza]

Different class of fighter.

[DarkTerror88]

UD or Late TKO for FoTC Frazier. But I think Tua is too durable to get TkOd so I'm going with a decision. I like Tua, but if Frazier can make the fast and accurate Ali miss and counter to the body. He can do it to Tua.

[nomadman]

Also Frazier and Tua fought nothing alike.

[RubenSonny]

Frazier - the greatest HW in-fighter, and a video of Tuas poor attempt at fighting on the inside. Right.

Don't try to patronize me you Lennox Lewis nuthugger.

[The Surgeon]

Joe Frazier for me, he was just a far better fighter, i see him out working and out hustling Tua to a UD or possibly a late stoppage because while Tua has a great chin he is only human thus can and has been hit, hurt and dropped, and as we know Smoking Joe Frazier could really whack.

Joe was Super Tough, freakishly so. So Tua would have to catch him flush with one of his Left Hook Bombs to get to him but i do give David a shot at that and feel if he did then he could Knock Frazier out. But id make bet on Joe and id expect to be winning some cash!