By John Barrie: Unfortunately we haven’t yet perfected time travel so when pitting fighters from different eras against each other we can only speculate as to what would be the outcome. This piece is going to lay out 10 heavyweight fights from some of the greatest fighters in history that I’m sure I’m not alone in saying would have been real mouth-watering contests. Alas, we will never see them, but we can imagine! And whilst imagining, we can have fun speculating on the results..
When I talk about a certain fighter, I’m only going to include them in a contest when they were at their absolute peaks, not when they were faded versions of themselves. There is a span in every fighter’s career when he hits this peak, when he fights out of his skin and is at the top of his game. In some fighters, Holyfield for example, this peak can seemingly last for years, in others, like Buster Douglas, the peak may be very short indeed, but that’s where I want you to put them when you weigh up the contest.
I just want to say that I mean no disrespect to any fighters here who I’ve got down as losing. I have nothing but the deepest, sincerest respect for these men who got to the very top of the hardest and bravest sport in the world. I salute them all.
Ok, let’s look at our ten top fantasy heavyweight battles!
1 MIKE TYSON (peak 1986-1989) vs. DAVID TUA (peak 1996-2002)
If styles make fights, then this would surely be the most explosive fight of all time. Tua was (indeed, is) at his best when his opponents came at him. When they stood off and boxed (Byrd, Lewis) he could look bad, but when he let himself go he was a wrecking ball of a fighter. He would have faced in Tyson a man who stood right in front of him. Both were similar height and weight. Would Tyson have knocked him out? I doubt it very much. Tua has shown over the years that he possesses one of the best chins in history. Whilst no man is knockout proof, he has looked the closest to it. Skills-wise Tyson was very under-estimated and super-fast to boot. Tua also is very skilful in his own way. I find this a very hard one to call. If anything, maybe Tyson on points. Mike had a great chin too, and only crumbled after much sustained punishment so I doubt Tua could blow him away, but Tua could sustain serious pressure throughout the duration of a fight. For sure, this would have been a hell of a battle and I’m gonna chicken out and call it a draw!
2 CHRIS BYRD (peak 200-2004) vs. MICHAEL SPINKS (peak 1985-1987)
Care to call this one?! – The two slickest heavyweights of all time in what would have been a very interesting contest! Spinks was probably the hardest puncher, but Byrd, at his best, was the most elusive fighter there ever was. He made Ali look slow! Spinks too, was very unorthodox and completely befuddled Holmes and Cooney. Maybe this could have stunk the joint out. On the other hand it could’ve have been the best exhibition of boxing skills the world has ever seen! For me, I take Byrd on a split decision.
3 MUHAMMED ALI (peak 1966-1975) vs. LENNOX LEWIS (peak 1995-2002)
That Ali was a clever and slick boxer there can be no doubt. But he loses this fight by knockout if a Lewis with mean intentions turns up, and by points if Lewis chooses to fight that way. In Lewis you had probably the most complete heavyweight of all time. He had it all. Speed, power, technique, skill, size and a very sharp boxing brain. Ali had much of this too but he lacked power. Certainly he didn’t have the power to trouble Lewis, and at barely 220lb, I believe he would have found Lewis far too big and technical. Whilst Ali was a highly tuned and skilful boxer, he had a lot of limitations and did very well at the time with what he had. This was a man who basically played out his entire career with two punches – a jab and an overhand right. He had no uppercut or hook to speak of – both were more like slaps (though very fast slaps for sure) and he hardly threw a body punch in his whole career. I think he was fortunate to have been around at a time when the heavies out there were tailor made for him. In more recent times, I think he would struggle badly, and would be knocked out by many of the modern (last 20 years)heavies. Lewis here by KO or points then, depending on what how he wanted to go about it.
4) JOE FRAZIER (peak 1969-1975) vs. EVANDER HOLYFIELD (peak 1990-1997)
Another epic battle. This, I feel, would have similarities to the Holyfield/Cooper fight where Bert left Evander no choice but to stand and trade. Frazier knew no other way to fight but come straight forward so Evander would have to adopt a similar tactic. No fighter in history ever threw combination punches as effectively as Evander when he had all guns blazing and I think this would have finally got to Joe – though I believe it would have been in the later rounds, maybe 10, 11. Joe finally succumbs.
5) WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO (peak 2005-present) vs. GEORGE FOREMAN (peak 1990-1994)
you may wonder why im not including the foreman of the early 70’s in this equation? I believe that the bigger, calmer and arguably more powerful George part 2 was the superior fighter to his earlier, cruder self. How does he get on here though, against a man really coming into his own? Klitschkos jab is a truly humbling weapon, though George had a ramrod of a jab too. If George starts sticking his big punches on Wlads jaw it could all be over, (although I think Wlad is more resistant than people give him credit for) Boxers and movers always gave George trouble though and Wlad can do both very well – as well as hit with concussive force. I dunno! It’s an interesting one. I still believe Vitali is the better of the two brothers and I think he beats big George, but here i think George could catch Wladimir if he fights aggressively as he did against Cooney for example. If, however, he doesn’t motivate himself to attack then he could be outboxed easily. But I’m sitting on the fence for this one!
6) IKE IBEABUCHI (peak 1996-1999) vs. LARRY HOLMES (peak 1978-1985)
Ok – heres a guy who would have been champion if he had stayed out of trouble for sure. Definitely the most wasted talent in all heavyweight boxing history. Ike turned in absolute master-classes against a peak Tua (the fight of the century for sure) and Byrd. Very skilful and powerful with a granite chin, along with a body hewn from marble, walking around at 230-240lb. This guy was a real handful and would’ve gone on to great things. Holmes was one of the greatest of all the champions and was another fighter who had it all. He is out-weighed and out-powered here though. To win this fight he would have to use all his superior experience and employ all his considerable skills, but I’m not sure even that would have been enough. Unfortunately Ike wasn’t around long enough for us to really gauge him. But from what I saw he would have had too much for Larry. I like Ike here to wear Larry down and stop him late, then again, I like Larry on points! In other words, I don’t know!
7) BUSTER DOUGLAS (peak 1988-1990) vs. SONNY LISTON (peak 1959-1964)
In James Douglas we have another example of a wasted talent. His peak star shone brightly for only a couple of years, but they were an awesome 2 years. The Douglas who fought Mike Tyson may well have been one of the finest fighters of all time. He was truly spectacular that night, with an awesome arsenal of blows from all angles. Razor sharp, fast and accurate. After that fight that man vanished and it was a ghost who turned up against Holyfield. What happened? Only James knows for sure, but here we must judge him on that performance and the half dozen fights leading up to it where he looked great as well. Sonny, at 212lb, was known as the ‘big bear’ in his day. But he was active in a very weak era full of very small heavyweights. Douglas outweighs him here by more than 15lb. Unless it was a fix, if the feather-punching Ali could KO him then you can’t give him much hope against the big-hitting contemporary men. I like Douglas here by a knockout in the middle rounds.
8) JOE LOUIS (peak 1936-1942) vs. RAY MERCER (peak 1989-1996)
How would Joe Louis, basically a cruiserweight at barely 200lb, cope with today’s big men? Personally I don’t think he figures. Joe was a super-talented boxer but he was operating in an exceptionally weak era (look again at the tapes, especially at Baer, Sharkey etc) and his record is deceiving cos of the mediocre opposition he was fed (‘bums of the month’) he was also floored quite a few times. Mercer was a naturally big man who hovered around 220lb and, when he turned it on, more than lived up to his name of ‘merciless’. He also owned a granite chin and there’s no way louis knocks him out. I like Joe today in the cruiserweight division but I think Mercer blows him away in 5 rounds
9) JACK DEMPSEY (peak 1918-1927) vs. CORRIE SANDERS (peak 1996-2004)
Dempsey came from an era when rudimentary boxing skill was in its infancy and the old tapes are evident of this. Tough he was, but he was more brawler than boxer and at 185lb was basically a light- heavyweight. Sanders outweighs him by more than 50lb and hits much harder. He was also very fast and unorthodox. When he was on his game he was a serious handful (ask Wlad, Bobby Cyzy, Al cole among many others) he was down a few times but was in no way weak-jawed (consider the pounding he took from Vitali without folding) so I doubt very much if Dempsey can hurt him. If Corrie comes out blazing I see this ending very quickly, 1 or 2 rounds.
10) NIKOLAI VALUEV (peak 2005-present) vs. ROCKY MARCIANO (peak 1947-1955)
Ok, come on now, seriously, can Rocky beat the giant?! Even you die-hard Rocky fans must see the reality! Rocky worked in an era of very small heavies and he himself averaged 185lb. In Valuev he gives away 150lb in weight and 16 inches in height! Its easy to poke fun at the big man but he is developing all the time and up to now has made light work of some of the decent heavies around (Barratt, Ruiz, Etienne) They say he cant punch his size and that may be true but I sure wouldn’t like to get one from him on the chops! There’s no way Rocky wins this. His bravery keeps him in there but as soon as the big man clumps him a few times he breaks down within 3 or 4 rounds. The ring wouldn’t be big enough for a man of Rockys size to hide, unless he used slippery tactics like Byrd, Jones etc. Rocky was a forward going fighter who didn’t trouble himself much about the finer aspects of the sport. Valuev with ease.
Well, that was fun! I could think of lots more fights we’d love to see but that’ll do for now to get you all debating and hating! I look forward to reading your opinions about these fights. At the end of the day that’s what it is, opinions. You don’t have to call me names if you disagree with me! Thanks for reading.