Tough call. Mercer has the skills and ability to outbox Tua, but he could be drawn into a war and if he is, I don't think he takes Tua's best for the distance.
Yes he does. Tua's power is so fuckin overrated. Mercer took Lummox's best for 10 rounds, and Lewis was a bigger puncher than fat ass Tua, I don't care what anybody says. HAVING SAID THAT, I'd take Tua by UD. Mercer would be drawn into a war, and he'd lose that war, but he wouldn't get stopped. Only two fighters that I could see stopping prime Mecer are prime versions of Tyson, and Foreman. But NOT Tua's fat ass.
Gotta disagree. I think Lummox's right hand, and right uppercut were far more powerful. If Lummox hit crazy Ike as many times as Tua hit him, I think crazy Ike would have needed smelling salts.
Lennox's right hand was A LOT harder than Tua's left hook. Look how many Tua left hooks Rahman took without going down. Cmon guys it's not even close. Tua's power is seriously overrated. Izon almost went the distance with Tua in a war. Izon...MOnte Barrett went with Tua 24 rounds...and Tua tries to knock you out because he's not winning a decision ...a guy like Lennox might go the distance but that' snot because he has no power it's because he can.
We're talking about the 1996 Tua, who was fast, explosive, and not fat. I can accept Lennox hit hard or harder, fine. But Lennox's bombs were isolated, one-at-a-time because he had to be cautious of Mercer's power. It's not like Mercer and Lennox went to war, I remember Mercer's strategy mostly being outjabbing Lennox in that fight. Tua is a different fighter, his chin is on another planet from Lennox's. He'd go for a slugfest and I could see Mercer welcoming it. Unlike Lennox, Tua's bombs would be one after another for 12 rounds. Mercer has one of the best chins of all time at HW so he might withstand it - Ibeabuchi did after all, though I think Tua had him hurt at several points in that fight - but let's just say I wouldn't be shocked if he didn't.
Tough call, even assuming that they both are at their sharpest. Tua was the more energetic fighter but if his opponent could box some (Izon, Maskaev, Rahman) his output reduced quickly. However, Mercer wasn't much of a boxer either (he was getting whupped by Damiani before escaping with the flukest of KOs) and he liked to exchange, which would help Tua. Neither would hurt each other. I think Mercer's jab and cleaner shots would earn him a narrow decision win but it could go either way
Thank you. Mercer was not a great boxer. He got humiliated and dominated by a fat old larry Holmes in Mercer's prime. Still, Hasim Rahman looked like Ray Robinson against TUA. iI'd favor Mercer on points because of his jab.
Yeah, I basically agree. However, I'd favor Tua only because I don't think Mercer would use his jab enough. He'd go to war with Tua.
If I am picking Mercer and you aere picking Tua, we not only don't basically agree, we fundamentally disagree. I appreciate your friendly gesture though. Thanks, X.
Mercer was hurt by Holyfield's left hook and took a knee. It wasn't just because of the left hook but also because of the pressure that Evander put on him. Tua in '96 was a monster (Izon, Ruiz, Maskaev). Tua would just keep coming, and Ray was no master boxer with a great jab. Look at his fight with Jesse Ferguson. Mercer back then was a few years past getting outworked by guys like Marion "Jackhammer" Wilson (Anybody remember the co-main event for that HBO card?). Mercer was sloppy and coming into fights out of shape before he took his hiatus although he was in decent shape for the fight with Evander.. Tua would be bringing it all night. Back then he was on fire, and Mercer wasn't going to get up on his toes and outbox him. I'm not saying Tua would stop him, but it would be damn close and it would not surprise me. Mercer claimed he had neck problems around the time of the Holyfield fight (Again, he took a knee and wasn't handling the pressure well), and I can't imagine his neck would feel any better in a fight against Tua who had energy to spare at that time.
I thik Mercer wins fairly easily, think Rahman-Tua I but Mercer chins is far better than Rahman's one so he never gets hurt as bad, late hit or not.
