Best '80s heavyweight "Champ" not named Holmes, Witherspoon, Tyson or Spinks!!

Who was the best out of this grizzly bunch?

 

Tubbs.

 

Pink

 

Mike Weaver was Probably the Longest REIGNING Champ, but that's Cause he Only Defended his Title like 1nce per Year...

Michael Dokes was THE Most Talented by a Mile...Greg Page was THE Most SKILLED by a Mile...Coetzee was the Best PUNCHER...

Hard to Choose from a Littany of UNDERachievers...

Looking Back, Dokes was THE Biggest Waste of Talent...He SHOULD have Been a DOMINANT Heavyweight Champ....@ their PEAKs in Terms of FOCUS, PERFORMANCE & CONDITIONING, REED Thinks Dokes was the Best...

Despite his Drug Problems & DISDAIN for TRAINING, Dokes was STILL a RELEVANT Heavyweight INTO the 90's...



REED

 

I think Thomas was the biggest wasted potential who show flashes of what he could have been

 

You bet.
Pinky had it all, the best ramrod jab since George Foreman, powerful physique, big right hand that iced Weaver in a classical match in that they both did everything by the book.
I thought Thomas would be something special after that wild Coetzee fight that was judged a draw, but I thought Pinklon won in a classical battle of the left vs the right.

 

This poll certainly shows what a mess the division was in after the retirement of Ali and before Tyson's four year reign of terror.

In growing up in the 80s I saw "heavyweight champion" being synonymous with fat out of shape boring mediocre fighters...and Larry Holmes (who I hated). Tyson was boxing's saviour...hence why I'm a die hard fan.

I thought that Tucker had the most potential of that bunch, personally, but I can accept an argument for Thomas.

 

Thomas, and by a bit.

 

Pinklon Thomas, sure thing IMHO. If it wasn't for drugs he could have been special.

 

Tyson levelled this f*cker with everything he had for 7 rounds till he finally dropped. Tough bastard.

 

dsimon writes:

Sorry but Witherspoon should have been named. Hes my favorite of that group.

 

page

 

i picked tucker. durable. smart. mean.

 

Not quite seven rounds.

Anyway, though much past is best, arguably won two rounds against prime Tyson and as you said took damn big shots before going out. He was a tough guy for sure

 

why was witherspoon left out, listed with Holmes Tyson and Spinks? I don't get all of the love for him these days. He was good, but just as inconsistent as anyone else you have on that list, and if not for Frank Bruno would've never made a successful title defense. Hardly qualifications for being placed among the best of the best.

 

agREED about Witherspoon.

Also, I have a hard time putting Spinks in a elite status
as a heavy. To me, there is a top two of Holmes & Tyson and then everybody else, including Spinks. Spinks upset an aging Holmes, got a questionble decision in the rematch and then basically sat on his title until the big money Tyson fight came along and then he was blown out in the first round. Hardly a title reign of legendary status.

There are quite a few heavies from that time (Witherspoon, Thomas, Tubbs, Page & Tucker just off the top of my head) I would have favored to relieve Spinks of his title. And I get the feeling Spinks felt the same way because he faced none of them.

 

dsimon writes:

My apologies. I understand why you divided as you did... Thanks to Jake's post. Fair enough.

 

I went with Weaver but could have gone with Thomas as well. Tucker outlasted Douglas(who was left off the list) but Tucker didn't do much else. Dokes, Tubbs, Page were all ok talent wise but failed in the big ones.

 

I guess I felt that with all the love Witherspoon is getting nowadays in retrospect as well as the fact that Spinks was the LINEAR champ until Tyson relieved him of that status in 91 secs....that is was best to leave those two out of the poll, since it's likely that they would have dominated it.

Naturally Tyson and Holmes speak for themselves....

 

I didn't disagree with your leaving out Spinks, for what it's worth (unless you were also adressing Joe's post). I was just speaking on the fact that quite a few message boards seem to separate Spoon from the rest of the pack.