This is a fight in which Mercer maybe could have actually outboxed his opponent. Mercer on the other hand gained his solid chin reputation while never facing a puncher like Tua and you can bet Tua would hit him. I think it would end up being a war and a close decision left up to the judges, unless Tua did the once unthinkable and stopped Ray.
Mercer was in with Lewis and Morrison. I'll take those two guys (especially considering the ridiculous punishment they unleashed on Ray) over a David Tua. Mercer's chin was proven like few others. He didn't go into his shell and become a bitch like Tua did either. That said, Tua outworks Mercer and beats him with a close decision. His bigger shots catching the judges eye a little more often.
I was referring to Mercer's chin. If Mercer could stand up to the kind of stuf that Morrison and Lewis out to him, I think we should assume that he could deal with Tua, IMO.
I'd take mercer by decision. he'd jab the shit out of tua and control him at times w/tha stick. and when they slugged mercer would be able to hold his own.
Mercer wins but I think it would be a pretty good brawl at times. Mercer definitely has the jab and toughness to beat Tua but his good but not great power and lack of mobility allow Tua to make it a fight.
Distance fight 100 times out of 100. Hard to say who wins to be honest. a PRIME Mecer lost a decision to an ancient Larry Holmes. Gimme the Tua of the Ibeabuchi fight to beat Ray in a close decision. Destruction and Mayhem has shared his wisdom!!
Mercer always had problems with guys that could box him and use their legs a bit. Larry was able to box effectively and still had that jab. Damiani made Mercer look ordinary until Ray landed that uppercut that broke his nose. The Tua of the Ibeabuchi fight has the best shot but Mercer would keep that jab in his face and tie him up when he managed to get past it. If Tua had a more consistent body attack he might have been able to break down Mercer but I think he'd follow Ray around far too much and eat to many stiff jabs. Tua's hands weren't as fast as Morrison's so he wouldn't catch Mercer with nearly as many hard shots in the early going. I think there would be some great exchanges every now and then but Mercer's jab and chin get him past Tua.
Probably. Mercer however would have certainly lost to Ibeabuchi. According to the logic of Destruction and Mayhem!!
You guys are kind of forgetting that a young/prime Tua was fairly quick and not very fat. When he knocked out Ruiz, he was barely over 200 lbs.
Why? he didn't "certainly" lose to the VASTLY BETTER Lennox Lewis Ibeabuchi would have a tough time with Mercer, I have no doubt
I'd just like to take this oppotunity to draw to everybody's attention that David Tua is fat. -Just keeping it real people.
Prime Mercer was shit. Lewis decided to go to war with him (to prove his mettle) and that's the only reason it was a close fight. Jesse Fergonson beat him for heaven's sake!! Morrison was clowning him until his chinny chin chin and lack of stamina let him down. Who's this "prime Mercer" y'all speak of? :: Destruction and Mayhem is amused!!
The dude the went toe to toe with an undefeated David Tua, setting all manner of punch stat records in the process...proving stamina, chin and resolve. The dude that crucified Byrd..proving power, ability to adjust to cagey fighters, accuracy. Mercer was shit. Shit shit shit shit shit! Mercer would only beat chinny fighters or those lacking stamina or heart. Ibeabuchi was obviously none of those things. As for Mercer suddenly becoming a boxer and jabbing up tua? It's reasons like this why I get weary of discussing boxing with some of you fools. That was never Mercer's style and he wouldn't just suddenly adapt to this just because he's facing Tua. Tua at his best outworks Ray and wins on power. Chins were equal and so power would be the deciding factor. Destruction and Mayhem has Spoken!!
Mercer's entire offense was predicated around landing his jab, what are you talking about? Mercer would have KO'd Byrd as well Being forced to go toe-to-toe against David Tua is not an indication of excellence at all... that's the whole point with Tua, it wasn't difficult for world-class guys to confuse and discourage him... And Lennox scared him with power... Ibeabuchi was not a super power puncher at all, Mercer hit harder than he did Like so many, you overrate Ibeabuchi enormously and pick only the worst showings of Mercer's career (he was erratic, NO ONE is disputing that) as some sort of "evidence" that he has no chance against Ibeabuchi, which is beyond stupid
No WAY Mercer would have KO'd Byrd. No way. None. Mercer didn't punch anywhere near as hard as Ibeabuchi. Mercer's punch is the most overrated punch in history...the myth has been created by the Morrison fight. Destruction and Mayhem has Spoken!!
C'mon, Mercer would never in a thousand years have stopped Byrd, and I highly doubt he would've beaten Tua. Ibeabuchi wasn't forced to go toe-to-toe with Tua, he chose to.
Ibeabuchi was not a particularly hard puncher, I don't know where you guys got the idea he was a big hitter, because he clearly wasn't why couldn't Mercer stop Byrd? what makes Byrd so special? what, because Ibeabuchi stopped him? Who did Tua ever beat, exactly? Ruiz? and Tua absolutely forced the fight on Ibeabuchi
