...or do they? Here are some bouts with a common theme --- namely, one fighter was well, well past their pomp, while their opponent was at, or near, the peak of their powers. Does anything change if these men are paired prime-for-prime, or was their real-world outcome simply meant to be? Willie Pep vs. Sandy Saddler (15 Rounds, Featherweight) Kenny Norton vs. Gerry Cooney (15 Rounds, Heavyweight) Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Oscar De La Hoya (12 Rounds, Jr. Welterweight) Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney (15 Rounds, Heavyweight) George Foreman vs. Evander Holyfield (12 Rounds, Heavyweight) Joe Louis vs. Rocky Marciano (15 Rounds, Heavyweight) Pernell Whitaker vs. Felix Trinidad (12 Rounds, Welterweight) Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao (12 Rounds, Welterweight) Kostya Tszyu vs. Ricky Hatton (12 Rounds, Jr. Welterweight) Larry Holmes vs. Mike Tyson (12 Rounds, Heavyweight) Some of these, I'm more confident about than others, but making my predictions... Pep MD15 Saddler Norton TKO8 Cooney De La Hoya SD12 Chavez Dempsey TKO8 Tunney Foreman TKO4 Holyfield Louis TKO10 Marciano Whitaker UD12 Trinidad De La Hoya UD12 Pacquiao Tszyu TKO10 Hatton Holmes UD12 Tyson In all, I only had De La Hoya retaining his victory over Chavez, & that's a very, very debatable fight, in which I once favoured Chavez. Some of the others too, though, were close, where I went for younger versions of the real-world losers.
I agree with most those picks. The only ones I DISAGREE with..... a prime Chavez beats DLH imo. And although most would probably pick a prime Holmes to beat a prime Tyson, personally I think its a pick em. The 88 Tyson would have a very good chance of taking out even the 81 Holmes. The reason being Mike's speed. And saying Hatton goes 10 with a prime Tszyu is pretty generous to Ricky. I think a prime Tszyu woulda smoked Hatton in under 6 rounds.
Dude...you are GREAT for this forum. I nominate you as best poster here. The fact that you chose thise specific examples proves you know the sport.
I tend to think that De la Hoya beats Chavez every day of the week. Oscar's to big, too fast and too powerful..even prime for prime. Cooney would likely also beat Norton. The other matchups could conceivably change....but not sure about Holmes vs Tyson or Tszyu vs Hatton.
I think Manny probably still beats Oscar. The disparity in footspeed just makes it a horrible match up for Oscar. Would be very close prime for prime though. And like X I think Tyson-Holmes is a pick 'em. I personally think the same of Hatton-Tszyu. Think I agree with the rest of your picks.....though for style (height) reasons Whitaker would never have an easy night with Tito.
Willie Pep vs. Sandy Saddler (15 Rounds, Featherweight) -- I still say Sandy had Pep's number and he'd be the favorite to beat him Kenny Norton vs. Gerry Cooney (15 Rounds, Heavyweight) -- Norton was a much better fighter, but he froze and waited to get hit against every big puncher he ever fought... Cooney may not have been much, but he hot like a train and he'd still hit Kenny no matter what and stop him Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Oscar De La Hoya (12 Rounds, Jr. Welterweight) -- Hell, Chavez gave a spirited enough resistance in the return bout when he was completely done to convince me that at the peak of his powers, he gets it done versus Oscar Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney (15 Rounds, Heavyweight) -- Dempsey always would have trouble with Tunney, but I can see him stopping him because he'd be able to put together a more sustained, sharper attack George Foreman vs. Evander Holyfield (12 Rounds, Heavyweight) -- Foreman by KO in a great fight where holyfield fights hard but is outgunned Joe Louis vs. Rocky Marciano (15 Rounds, Heavyweight) -- I think Louis is able to outpoint him with the sharper punches and with his jab... but he'd be forced to work all night Pernell Whitaker vs. Felix Trinidad (12 Rounds, Welterweight) -- Whitaker bamboozles that robot Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao (12 Rounds, Welterweight) -- could go either way... fighters who could match or exceed his speed always gave Oscar trouble Kostya Tszyu vs. Ricky Hatton (12 Rounds, Jr. Welterweight) -- I think Tszyu is one of the more overrated fighters in the last 20 years, but I think he'd beat Hatton... that fight was still winnable for him and he was JUST missing on some of his power shots Larry Holmes vs. Mike Tyson (12 Rounds, Heavyweight) -- Larry by late TKO against an increasingly frustrated Iron Mike
