2008 vs. 1988

It has been a while since I did one of these, but I remember seeing it years ago in an issue of KO Magazine. Fighters from 96 against fighters from 76. And I really dug it.
Well,..I may need some help from you guys, cause it's hard to remember weight for weight who was the best from 88.

Let's just see if boxing was better twenty years ago than it is today.

Heavyweight- Wlad vs. Tyson

Cruiserweight- David Haye vs. Evander Holyfield

Lt. Heavyweight- Bernard Hopkins vs. Virgil Hill

Super Middleweight- Joe Calzaghe vs. Sugar Ray Leonard

Middleweight- Kelly Pavlik vs. Thomas Hearns

Jr. Middleweight- Corey Spinks vs. Donald Curry

Welterweight- Floyd Mayweather vs. Marlon Starling...AND Miguel Cotto vs. Simon Brown

Jr. Welterweight- Jr. Witter vs. Roger Mayweather AND Rickey Hatton vs Juan Martin Coggi (Remember him?)

Lightweight- Nate Campbell vs. JC Chavez

Jr. Lightweight- Manny Pacquiao vs. Azumah Nelson

Featherweight- Chris John vs Jeff Fenech

Jr. Featherweight- Israel Vazquez vs. Daniel Zaragoza

Bantamweight- Wladimir Sidorenko vs. Orlando Canizales

 

Tyson
Holy
Hopkins
Leonard
Hearns
Curry
Mayweather and Brown
Mayweather and Hatton
JC Superstar in about 5 rounds
Nelson
Fenech
Zaragoza
Canizales

 

Heavyweight- Wlad

Cruiserweight- Evander Holyfield

Lt. Heavyweight- Bernard Hopkins

Super Middleweight- Joe Calzaghe

Middleweight - Thomas Hearns

Jr. Middleweight- Corey Spinks

Welterweight- Floyd Mayweather and Cotto

Jr. Welterweight- Mayweather and Hatton

Lightweight- JC Chavez

Jr. Lightweight- Manny Pacquiao

Featherweight- Jeff Fenech

Jr. Featherweight- Daniel Zaragoza

Bantamweight- who

 

1. Tyson obliterates Wlad.

2. Evander beats the shit outta Haye.

3. Hill outboxes Hopkins.

4. Calzaghe beats the hell outta Ray at 168.

5. Hearns KO's Pavlik

6. Curry fucks up Spinks.

7. Floyd outboxes Starling. Cotto-Brown is a pick em.

8. Witter knocks out Uncle Roger, and Hatton beats Coggi.

9. JCC tortures Campbell

10. Nelson outboxes Manny.

11. Fenech beats John.

12. Zaragoza.

13. Canizales.

 

Tyson

Evander Holyfield

Bernard Hopkins

Joe Calzaghe

Thomas Hearns

Donald Curry

Floyd Mayweather...AND Simon Brown

Roger Mayweather AND Rickey Hatton

JC Chavez

Azumah Nelson

Jeff Fenech

Daniel Zaragoza

Orlando Canizales

opcorn:

 

The easiest on that list to pick is Chavez-Campbell. Nate would take a terrible beating.

Guys like JCC, prime Camacho, Rosario, Ramirez, and Bramble would clean house with the current lightweights.

 

Come on now, Leonard was an all-time great welterweight BUT an ok super middleweight. Calzaghe is an all-time great super middleweight.

I don't get that pick.

:dunno:

 

Most of your list is solid...but as much as I like Wlad, he's just too chinny for Iron Mike...and Tyson himself had an iron chin. I'm afraid to say...but Wlad gets bombed into kingdom come in that matchup.

Corey Spinks over Donald Curry?

Come on now...

:dunno:

 

Yeah I disagree with that one as well.

And LMAO @ picking Wlad over Tyson. Wladimira is simply just too fragile both physically and mentally to have beaten Mike.

The man gets KO'd by Ross Purity, Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster, and damn near KO'd by Peter, yet somehow he's gonna beat the 88 Tyson.:laughing:

 

Wlad's mental fragility is a myth that is repeated by people who didn't see his fight with Puritty and claim that he quit there. His corner threw in the towel, Wlad get trying until the end. What he did lack in the past was the SKILL to survive when getting hurt but now he is able to do that.

And as anybody should understand, naming the weakest performances of a fighters career makes anybody look bad. Prime Tyson won two rounds out of ten against Douglas and got brutally beaten, lost four rounds out of ten against a midget such as Tillis and showed lack of guts in several fights. Does that sound like a guy who can beat the best heavyweight out there?

It isn't an easy fight for either since both have ability to beat he other guy. Tyson could be able to come close and knock Wlad out yes. And Wlad could be able to take his heart by keepig him off with his jab and cross and clinching inside. Who knows (hating is ot the same as knowing, either way)


And Cory Spinks is an underrated modern great:cheer:

 

great thread!:bears:

Heavyweight- Wlad vs. Tyson - Tyson stops him early

Cruiserweight- David Haye vs. Evander Holyfield- you gotta go with HOly as of now

Lt. Heavyweight- Bernard Hopkins vs. Virgil Hill - Bernard

Super Middleweight- Joe Calzaghe vs. Sugar Ray Leonard - Joe C

Middleweight- Kelly Pavlik vs. Thomas Hearns - Tommy

Jr. Middleweight- Corey Spinks vs. Donald Curry - Curry

Welterweight- Floyd Mayweather vs. Marlon Starling...AND Miguel Cotto vs. Simon Brown - FLoyd and Cotto both win

Jr. Welterweight- Jr. Witter vs. Roger Mayweather AND Rickey Hatton vs Juan Martin Coggi (Remember him?) - Mayweather and Hatton

Lightweight- Nate Campbell vs. JC Chavez - Come on..::

Jr. Lightweight- Manny Pacquiao vs. Azumah Nelson - I'd go with Manny but Azumah might do it

Featherweight- Chris John vs Jeff Fenech - Fenech

Jr. Featherweight- Israel Vazquez vs. Daniel Zaragoza - Vazquez

Bantamweight- Wladimir Sidorenko vs. Orlando Canizales - Canizales

 

:: At Wlad over Tyson and also Leonard over Calzaghe at 168.

 

Heavyweight- Wlad vs. Tyson- I see this fight as verry interesting...just based on the fact that Tyson never fought anyone as skilled or more importantly HUGE than Wladimir. At this point, as tall and long as Wlad is, if he wants to box cautiously from a distance, it would be very hard for Tyson to get close enough to land anything. AND, there could be serious incoming for Mike to deal with. Providing that Wlad isn't petrefied,...I think that Wlad ties up the much smaller Tyson on the inside, frustrates Mike from the outside on route to a decision victory .

Cruiserweight- David Haye vs. Evander Holyfield- Seeing how good Holyfield was against heavyweights,..I don't see Haye winning this one. He would break Haye down and take him out mid rounds.

Lt. Heavyweight- Bernard Hopkins vs. Virgil Hill - At this point, Hill was too fast and too good a boxer for Hopkins. Hill by unanimous decision.

Super Middleweight- Joe Calzaghe vs. Sugar Ray Leonard- Interesting matchup. Even a 168lb past his prime Leonard was probably better than anyone Joe has ever faced in his career. Ray was just as fast if not faster, Joe bigger and stronger. I say Calzaghe wins a razor thin decision here that is up for debate.

Middleweight- Kelly Pavlik vs. Thomas Hearns- If Pavlik can take Hearn's shots early he can win this one in the midd to late rounds. If. I say Hearns lands the big right early and Kelly cannot shake it off. Hearns KO 3 Pavlik.

Jr. Middleweight- Corey Spinks vs. Donald Curry -Interesting fight. Curry on the downside but still a very skilled guy and Spinks who is almost impossible to look good against. Spinks can't hit a lick though,...but then again Curry got outboxed by Rene Jacquot. I will go with the slicker Spinks by decision here. But a Curry stoppage isn't outta the question.

Welterweight- Floyd Mayweather vs. Marlon Starling...AND Miguel Cotto vs. Simon Brown- Hard to see Starling beating Floyd, BUT he was a big welterweight who was a very good technical boxer with a good defense. Still, Floyd probably wins a solid decision here.
Cotto and Brown would be a war. The best way to deal with Brown is to set traps for him and outbox him. Cotto doesn't fight that way. WAR!!!! And if I gotta gun to my head I say the stronger chinned Brown wins in the late rounds by stoppage.

Jr. Welterweight- Jr. Witter vs. Roger Mayweather AND Rickey Hatton vs Juan Martin Coggi (Remember him?) Jr. Witter is one of the most underrated guys in boxing today. At the time, Mayweather was already a two time champ with big right hand power, decent bosxing skills and speed..and a fragile chin. Close fight, but Mayweather's height and reach probably enables him to outbox Witter from a distance while he takes Witter into the later rounds where he can be lazy at times. Mayweather by close split decision.
Hatton mauls and TKOs Coggi within seven rounds.

Lightweight- Nate Campbell vs. JC Chavez- Poor, poor Nate. JC hands down.

Jr. Lightweight- Manny Pacquiao vs. Azumah Nelson- Another verry interesting matchup. I see the experienced and bigger Nelson pulling one of his PROFESSOR performances here and eating up the straight ahead Manny . He may even go down,...but in the end I see Nelson catching Manny coming in and taking him out in the later rounds.

Featherweight- Chris John vs Jeff Fenech - Jeff had a fast and furious career. At featherweight he was strong and relentless and seemingly had a great chin. John is a good overally technical fighter but Fenech breaks him down, beats him up and wins a solid decision or late TKO victory.
Jr. Featherweight- Israel Vazquez vs. Daniel Zaragoza

Bantamweight- Wladimir Sidorenko vs. Orlando Canizales- Canizales was as good a bantamweight as there ever was imo. Great great technical skills along with very good power. Too much for Sidorenko I think. Orlando wins by mid to late round TKO.

 

why is it Nate and not Casamayor vs. JCC?

 

Oh, I forgot my take on a Vazquez vs. Zaragoza matchup.

BLOODBATH!!!!!! Vazquez too strong and powerful and Zaragoza's face busted up waay too easy. Still would be a war for as long as it lasted, with both guys faces looking like meatgrinder material.

Vazquez by TKO 8 on cuts.

 

cool, now will you answer my question? :dunno:

 

oK, sorry. Just that I started this thread before last nights fight...and even though I picked Casa to win, and Casa owns a previous win over Nate...I think that Nate is the better fighter between the two right now.

Either way...chavez destroys either guy imo.

 

:bears: :bears:

 

IMO it does not matter one bit if you put Nate in or ASSHOLEMayor...

JC whups either

 

Tyson - Mike was @ his PEAK N '88...His Height, Headmovement & Bobbing/Weaving would B a DISadvantage for Wlad...Not to Mention the Likelihood of Wlad ABSORBING Shots from a 2-Fisted Puncher like Tyson...

Holyfield - Holyfield was UNfuckingBEATABLE @ Crusier...Haye would Make it Interesting, Perhaps even DROPPING Holy, but Holy would Eventually Conquer him N a "Fight of the Year" Candidate...

Bernard - It's Conceivable that Hill could Stick & Move his Way to Victory, but the More Likley Scenario is that Bernard Lands Enough Lead Right Hands to Beat an ULTRA Tentative Hill...

Calzaghe - Ray Leonard WASN'T "Sugar Ray" @ Supermiddle...His Legs were Virtually GONE, he was More HITTABLE & his Boxing Skills had DIMINISHED Quite a Bit...

Pavlik - If REED's Not Mistaken, the Hearns of '88 was the Guy who LOST to Barkley & STRUGGLED w/James Kinchen...REED Thinks Pavlik WEATHERS an Early Storm & STOPS that Version of Hearns...

Curry - U had to KO Curry to Beat him...Spinks NEVER KO's People...

Floyd Beats Starling N a Boring Fight...Cotto BARELY Outlasts Simon Brown N a SCINTILLATING Battle...

Witter KO's Mayweather...Roger's Chin just WOULDN'T Hold Up...Hatton Beats Coggi, who was NEVER Anything Special...

JC Chavez Beats Campbell...Campbell Fought like a POOR MAN'S Chavez, N Beating Juan Diaz...Campbell COULDN'T "Out-Chavez" CHAVEZ:nono: ...

TOUGHEST Matchup to Call...Azumah was Every Bit as TECHNICAL as JM Marquez & Probably a BETTER Puncher...Azumah Could sometimes B LURED into WARS Though...REED is Inclined to Pick Azumah by Decision, but if they Fought 10 Times, it'd B 5 Wins Apiece...

Jeff Fenech Beats Chris John...

Israel Vasquez Beats Zaragoza...

REED's Never Heard of Sidorenko, so he'd Take Canizales...


REED

 

Because with that particular pic, I am picking with my heart. :: Same with Hopkins at this point. Early Virgil jabs the piss outta him and gets a boring, ugly, foul-infested decision. :shit:

 

Seriously though, I think Virgil pumps the jab, uses his legs, and tries to stay away from Bernard like he's radioactive. I think Bernard is old and slow enough that it happens by 2 or 3 rounds.

 

I can see arguments made in favor of both guys. I think this would almost certainly be the most tedious of all the matchups though.

 

Heavyweight- Prime Tyson beats the Zombie. Probably by a devestating early round KO with Wlad stumbling around.

Cruiserweight- Holyfield would make Haye quit once they got past 5 rounds.

Lt. Heavyweight- I'd take an in prime Virgil Hill over an old Hopkins.

Super Middleweight- Sugar Ray Leonard beats Calzaghe by points.

Middleweight- Hearns would crush Pavlik's jaw worse than Taylor almost did.

Jr. Middleweight- Curry over Spinks, probably by KO.

Welterweight- Floyd Mayweather would school Starling.

Jr. Welterweight- Hatton over Coggi over 12.

Lightweight- JCC beats Campbell by stoppage.

Jr. Lightweight- Tough one but I'll go Pacquiao by UD after hurting Azumah a few times.

Featherweight- Chris John by decision.

Jr. Featherweight- Israel Vazquez beats Zaragoza in a close fight with both fighters being hurt.

Bantamweight- Canizales, I don't know... by TKO.

 

Your entire list was good except this one.

 

great thread:bears:

And Reed of course once again is the only one right on spot. I love me some Hearns, but at Middleweight he wasn't anything to right home to mom about. Pavlik would destroy him at Middleweight. Now go just a bit earlier and put Tommy at Welterweight and he gives both Mayweather and Cotto trouble.opcorn:

I just can't see Wlad weathering Tyson's early storm. Tyson KO

David Haye wouldn't last 5 rounds with Holy at Cruiser.

Hill gets outsmarted by Hop

Calzage beats a washed up Leonard

the rest kind of bores me I like the Nelson/Pac fight. Pac in a great fight.:cheer:

 

I agree. 168 pound Leonard was nothing compared to the old Leonard, he wouldn't have beaten Calzaghe.

 

:bears:

 

Agreed.

 

You think Chris John would beat Jeff Fenech?