80s Contenders as good as the 70s Contenders

[uncle ben]

Relatively speaking. This is an oft repeated accusation, which I think is a way to denigrate Tyson and to a lesser extent, Holmes. The 80's generation of heavies introduced the first really skilled super heavies. Almost like the father generation of today's super heavies. For some reason, I consider Holmes an 80's fighter so I'll group him with the 80's for the purpose of this post.

Maybe it's because since it came right after the 70's, people consider it "weak" in comparison. Some things the 70's had going for it was the showmanship and charisma of Muhammad Ali who was really skilled at promoting his own fights and building up public interest, the fact that you had 3 fighters considered ATG's in or near their prime that got to fight one another and it was the first era of boxing shown in color.

But, that aside, if we consider the top talents (excluding the Big 3 Frazier, Foreman, Ali) of the 1970's, they weren't any more remarkable than the top talents of the 80's. Now, the top 70's talents tended to be more consistent, but they weren't really better per se. Think of the following hypothetical fights all at their best versions:

Jerry Quarry vs Michael Spinks
Ron Lyle vs Pinklon Thomas or Bonecrusher Smith
Ken Norton vs Tony Tucker or Tim Witherspoon
Jimmy Ellis vs Buster Douglas
Trevor Berbick vs Earnie Shavers
Jimmy Young vs Tony Tubbs

Now, regardless of who you'd favor, one has to admit, none of the above fights are a foregone conclusion. Out of the matchups above, either has a chance to win it and you really wouldn't expect any blow outs.

Also, the top 80's guys may have been more formidable H2H over the heavyweight contenders of generations past simply due to being bigger along with their skill level and would've likely been top rated contenders in any era of boxing. Some could beat the champions of today or run them very close. Would Tony Tubbs really not make it as a top contender in the 50's? Would Tony Tucker really fail to crack the top 10 in the 60's?

I think the 80's were stronger than many like to give credit for.

[Humean]

I'd say there was more than 2 distinct eras over the course of the 70s and 80s at heavyweight. But be that as it may I do tend to agree that the 80s heavyweight contenders are badly underrated historically, only marginally worse than the 70s and it was a lot stronger crop than the other previous decades. Both Holmes and Tyson are now underrated historically.

[clemenza]

Uncle Ben, I like the category here, but the 70's also had George Chuvalo, Oscar Bonavena , Mac Foster, Buster Mathis , Chuck Wepner, Ernie Shavers, Cleveland Williams , Ernie Terrill, Randy Neumann, much Deeper and I think the Golden Era of Heavyweight Boxing

[billeau2]

I'd say there was more than 2 distinct eras over the course of the 70s and 80s at heavyweight. But be that as it may I do tend to agree that the 80s heavyweight contenders are badly underrated historically, only marginally worse than the 70s and it was a lot stronger crop than the other previous decades. Both Holmes and Tyson are now underrated historically.

True statement. The so called 80's had a lot of talent, even guys like Witherspoon, but not the level of finish that the fighters in the 70's had. In the 70's guys fought each other a lot, and learned a lot consequently. Guys like Norton and Lyle, who would probably have been average if they never fought up, became skilled guys who could find a way to be a real threat.

I think that boxing benefits tremendously when fighters are in a small room so to speak... in other words, when they have the opportunity to fight other talented fighters consistently and cannot take easy fights.

I will use Witherspoon again as an example as I am partial to him... If he had not been denied by King, and fought consistently, his inconsistancy would have probably left him and he would have been a lot stronger fighter. It was worse in the nineties when you had guys like Bowe on one side, Tyson on another, and here is lewis and nobody was engaging each other.

[OctoberRed]

Uncle Ben, I like the category here, but the 70's also had George Chuvalo, Oscar Bonavena , Mac Foster, Buster Mathis , Chuck Wepner, Ernie Shavers, Cleveland Williams , Ernie Terrill, Randy Neumann, much Deeper and I think the Golden Era of Heavyweight Boxing

^^^^^ this right here.

[uncle ben]

Uncle Ben, I like the category here, but the 70's also had George Chuvalo, Oscar Bonavena , Mac Foster, Buster Mathis , Chuck Wepner, Ernie Shavers, Cleveland Williams , Ernie Terrill, Randy Neumann, much Deeper and I think the Golden Era of Heavyweight Boxing

They were good fighters, but think of it this way....take away Tyson and Holmes from the 80's and would say Chuvalo, Bonavena or Mac Foster have reigned without mercy in the 80's? I don't think so. I think they would have won some and lost some. They'd be right up there in the mix, but I wouldn't expect them to be dominate fighters.

[OctoberRed]

They were good fighters, but think of it this way....take away Tyson and Holmes from the 80's and would say Chuvalo, Bonavena or Mac Foster have reigned without mercy in the 80's? I don't think so. I think they would have won some and lost some. They'd be right up there in the mix, but I wouldn't expect them to be dominate fighters.

Agreed. They would at the mid-tier level at best.