Next Great Fighter Of This Era: Future Pound For Pound Champ

Damn right!!!:cheer:

 

http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1999/tucker072299.html

Fast hands: Tucker has boxing knack

By Rodney McKissic, Post staff reporter


One day while visiting his friend, Ricardo Williams, Gerald Tucker noticed all the shiny trophies in his bedroom, the hard-earned compensation of an arresting boxing career.

''All I had,'' said Tucker, who was 15 at the time, ''was one baseball trophy.''

Now Tucker's collection slightly resembles Williams'.

Tucker, a 119-pound bantamweight who grew up in Bond Hill, is a three-time National Golden Gloves Champion. In 1996, just two years after he picked up the sport, he was an Olympic alternate. He will compete in the Pan American Games, July 29 to Aug. 7 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

''I've been around for a while and I've seen some fighters with the natural ability and he's a natural,'' said U.S. Pan Am coach Pete Balcunas. ''You can teach him other things to add on to it, but he's got that natural skill and coordination.''

Tucker slips and sneaks punches. He surveys his opponent, avoiding punches with his quick feet. He always keeps opponents off balance.

''I want to be the boxer everyone wants to watch,'' said the 20-year-old, who is coached in Cincinnati by Ricardo Williams Sr. ''I'm not going to try and knock someone out unless I have to.''

Said Balcunas: ''Gerald is more of a technician . . . a smooth, savvy type of boxer. He's more of a Sugar Ray Leonard type. He's a good man.''

The scary part is Tucker is still learning.

He grew up playing baseball until he walked into Williams' bedroom - an amateur boxing Mecca - in 1993. It was around that time Tucker's mother made him quit baseball because his grades were suffering. She could always catch him playing baseball, so Tucker sneaked into the gym and learned to box.

He won his first bout and in the second he fought an experienced opponent who was 33-3. Tucker hurt him in the first round and the referee gave him a standing-eight count before Tucker finished him.

''I didn't know anything about boxing until I started,'' Tucker said. ''Now I want to be a world champion and make a whole bunch of money . . . that's my goal.''

 

Now thats a bedroom I just gotta see.

 

Yeah those guys are decorated and distinguished. But how many 3 to 4 time Olympic Champions are there that are non-Cuban? A handful? :dunno:

Tucker won Gold at Pan-Ams, that alone makes him a decorated and distinguished amateur. Do you not watch the Pan-Ams or know what they are? Because you don't seem to understand how competitive they are in amateur competition.

 

All I'm trying to determine here is Tucker's claim to be "one of the best amateur boxers in history" is true. So far, it does not appear to be so.
Forget 4-times world champions and 3-times Olympic champions......There're literally hundreds of amateur World champions and Olympic champions. Each on of them achieved more than Mr. Tucker....

 

There are not literally HUNDREDS of amateurs who have won Gold at the Pan-Ams or Olympics, stop being a shithead. :shit:

 

Dymipepel is using his pressure method of arguing.

He sets the pace, drags you down to his level of stupidity, and then beats you with experience.

 

You're aware of the fact that winning Olympic championship or World championship is infinitely more prestiogous and infinetely more hard then Pan-am games, right?
And yes, there're literally hundreds of boxers who won either Olympics or amateur World championships....

 

I'm sorry, Ortho, did you already capitulate after I reminded you that Maskaev made Vitaly his bitch or are you going to resort to that argument you used a few months ago and claim that "Vitaly is about to become 3-time world champion by beating Maskaev!!".....btw, what happened with that? Didn't quite work out for Quitaly? Are you going to credit Vitaly with future achievements or has the expirience taught you better?

 

THERE
WE
GO
HE'S
DRAGGING
US
DOWN
TO
HIS
LEVEL
OF
STUPIDITY
AND
HE'S
WHUPPIN
US
WITH
EXPERIENCE

 

Says who? The homeless guy behind the chinese take out place you frequent? :dunno:

The Pan-Ams are just a step below (a small step) the Olympics in terms of top level amateur boxing competition.

Since the Pan-Ams take place on one year delayed schedule behind the Olympics, most people see the Pan-Ams as a precursor or "preview" to how things may pan out in the Olympics.

When Antonio Tarver won gold at the Pan-Ams, every sports expert was picking Tarver to win Gold at the Olympics. They just didn't count on Tarver acting like a barbarian and trying to slug his way to the medal instead of boxing like he did at the Pan-Ams. Reid was another Olympic gold medal hopeful because of his Pan-Am Gold.

 

I'd say the Pan-Ams and Goodwill Games are up to the level of Commonwealth, if not far beyond it, thanks to the addition of Russian, Ex-Sov and Cuban talent.

That said the Commonwealth games is a very big am-box showpiece. The best of GB, Canada, Nigeria, Zimbab, South Af, NZ, Aus...etc. Decent show. Audley medalled at it before medalling in the Olympics.

 

Well, you see, there was this guy, Vassily Jirov, who never even participated in Pan-am games....you know why? because only american countries participate in those.....and you know what else?? besides american continent, there're also these little places like Eupope and Asia......And it is infinetely harder to win a tournament where europeans and asians and americans participate, then to win one where only americans participate....are you following the idea here?
Let me give you an analogy.....
It's much easier to win a city championship, than a country championship....
Because the pool of talent is much deeper at the country level, than at the city level.....
Did you get the idea or more explanation is needed?

 

I have never seen a broadcast of the Commonwealth games. If the Russians and Cubans participate though, it's definitely not a soft tourney.

Goodwill Games is up there for sure. It actually includes the entire world rather than just the Americas.

 

I'll put up $100 on Khan to your $10 for every fight until Khan loses starting now. Interested?

 

When have Europeans countries minus Russia ever been heavy medal winners in Amateur boxing, or for that matter Asia? :dunno:

Your point might hold more water if the Cubans weren't allowed to participate in the Pan-Ams, but they do. The simple fact is that people who win Gold in the Pan-Ams usually go on to win Gold at the Olympics, namely Cubans. The fact that Tucker upset the Cuban rep at 54kg means he's a hot shit.

Your whole point is ridiculous. It's like claiming that European Soccer isn't distinguished because they don't allow the U.S team to participate. No wonder you're a shithead. :shit:

 

Yeah, I need this concept of Eupopean peoples explained further. Thanks.

 

Tarver was an oly favorite because he was the current world am champ.
I don't think Reid was a favorite. He had been whipped by the Cuban more than once, as I remember, although I think it may have been a better Cuban at a lower weight class. At any rate, pan-am golds don't hold near the weight of world am titles.

 

No problem. The concept will be explained to you as soon as Quitaly becomes "3-time world champion by beating Oleg Maskaev", as you claimed a few months ago.

 

I could just as easily say that people who make the cuban team usually go on to win gold at the Olympics.
I'd like to see a list of non-cubans who won at the pan am and how they did at the olys.

 

When did I ever say Reid was the Favorite? Are you even reading these post? I said he was a HOPEFUL because of his win at the Pan-Ams. The Cuban you're talking about is Alfredo Duvergel. I don't remember if Reid was the favorite to beat him, but whatever, Reid knocked him the fuck out in Atlanta.

Also I never said Pan-Ams were the MOST prestigious amateur title, nor did I compare them to the Worlds. Don't make up arguments that aren't on the table.

I'm arguing the point that winning Gold at the Pan-Ams doesn't mean shit or doesn't make you "decorated." Only a shithead would say something like that.

 

Exactly. :clap:

 

Everyone on the team is a gold medal hopeful if that's all you meant.

I had to play boxing-records.com warrior to figure out who I was talking about. It wasn't duvergel, it was juan hernandez from cuba who reid couldn't beat, although he did knock him down once or twice in one loss, as i remember.

 

No we are not worried, but honestly I was at first before I moved to Vegas to make this attempt, but after a few workouts..I realized I havent loss a thing, I still have my speed, power, ability to pick up things quickly, my trainer Roger Mayweather says that I will become a legend..

 

Hahahaha!!

Where did you find that? you guys are good!!! I love this site!!

 

We're the best. If you have a problem, and no-one else can help you, and if you can find us, maybe you can hire the Fightbeat Team.

 

Stop being a shithead. A hopeful is someone who has a realistic chance at attaining a goal. Stop playing semantics, it makes you look stupid.

 

LOTS of people who have won medals at the Pan-Ams have gone on to do good things at the Olympics. Do you not keep up with Amateur boxing at all?

Here's a list that I just thought of off the top of my head. I'm sure someone who actually spent time going through with a fine comb could find even more Pan-Am to Olympic success:

Duane Bobick(U.S) - 1971 Pan-Am Gold/Non-medal 1972 Olympian

Leon Spinks(U.S) - 1975 Pan-Am Silver/1976 Olympic Gold

Sugar Ray Leonard(U.S) - 1975 Pan-Am Gold/1976 Olympic Gold

Alberto Mercado(U.S/P.R) - 1979 Pan-Am Gold/Non-medal 1980 Olympian

Pedro Nolasco(DR) - 1979,1983 Pan-Am Silver/1984 Olympic Bronze

Paul Gonzalez(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Silver/1984 Olympic Gold

Alex Stewart - (JAM) - 1983 Pan-Am Bronze/Non-medal 1984 Olympian

Tyrell Biggs(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Bronze/1984 Olympic Gold

Steve McCroy(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Bronze/1984 Olympic Gold

Pernell Whitaker(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Gold/1984 Olympic Gold

Henry Tillman(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Silver/1984 Olympic Gold

Jerry Page(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Silver/1984 Olympic Gold

Evander Holyfield(U.S) - 1983 Pan-Am Silver/1984 Olympic Bronze

Michael Carbajal(U.S) - 1987 Pan-Am Silver/1988 Olympic Silver

Lennox Lewis(CAN) - 1987 Pan-Am Silver/1988 Olympic Gold

Andrew Maynard(U.S) - 1987 Pan-Am Bronze/1988 Olympic Gold

Daniel Santos(P.R) - 1995 Pan-Am Silver/1996 Olympic Bronze

David Reid(U.S) - 1995 Pan-Am Gold/1996 Olympic Gold

Joan Guzman(DR) - 1995 Pan-Am Gold/Non-medal 1996 Olympian

Antonio Tarver(U.S) - 1995 Pan-Am Gold/1996 Plympic Bronze

 

Thanks for doing all the hard work for me, Alabama Man. Almost all the fighters you provided had a better amateur career than Mr. Tucker, by virtue of them winning an Olympic medal. Yet Mr. Tucker insists on having "one of the best amateur careers" ever. :dunno:

 

No hard work at all, as I said that was from my MEMORY.

Yeah some of those guys had better amateur careers, and some of them didn't. But the simple fact is you can't find HUNDREDS of amateurs who had better careers than Tucker. Not possible, and simply not true. Tucker had a very decorated and successful amateur career, and he's one of the few Americans to beat a decorated Cuban in amateur competition. You're a shithead thanks. :shit: