If there was a league where the top four 70's heavyweights faced the top four 90's heavyweights, so let's say: Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton (prime versions of each, so Ali can overlap into the 60's) Lewis, Tyson, Holyfield, Bowe (again, prime versions so you can include 80's Tyson) Everybody faces everybody else once, including guys from their own era. How do you lot see it going? Who beats who and what is the final league table?
I'd assume that the final would come down to the two best fighters, who happen to be prime Ali and prime Tyson.
No final, it's a league. Who finishes top? Who finishes bottom? For the record I think Ali finishes top, Lewis second. Bowe and Norton would fill the last two spaces.
Norton is dead last. You should replace Norton with Holmea in order to make it more interesting . I think all of the 90 s guys beat Frazier also and the 70 s guys, so Frazier is dead last if you sub Norton with Holmes and second to last if you don'tx im not sure Tyson could have ever beaten Holyfield . It's a good topic and rather competitive . I think Ali wins and Lewis is definitely top 3
I could see prime Tyson losing to Ali, Lewis, Holyfield and Foreman. No guarantee at all that he makes the top 2. Feel free to relegate Norton and promote Holmes if you feel it's more competitive.
Of course he COULD! Do I think he WOULD? Honestly, no. I feel 87-88 Tyson beats all those guys. The ONLY one of them who really worries me is Foreman. I admit, 74 Foreman could very well have beaten 88 Tyson. But it's my honest belief that Mike's speed and accuracy would have won out against Foreman. As for Tyson-Lewis... don't let the 2002 fight fool ya. 88 Tyson would have buried Lewis.
Lewis is not DEFINITELY top 3. Personally, I feel prime Foreman KO's Lewis. I admit, it's up for debate, but I'd have favored George. Tyson, Lewis, and Foreman all violently stop Bowe.
This is my league results 1: Ali ( possibly without taking a loss) 2: Lewis 3: Tyson 4: Holmes 5: Holyfield 6: Foreman 7: Bowe 8: Frazier But to be honest it's very competitive and I'm only confident of my picks for first and last
71 Frazier beats the Hell outta Holy. I'd bet my life on that. Prime Frazier is a horrible matchup for Holyfield.
No way. Holyfield is better and more formidable than Bonavena , quarry, Foster, bugner, Ellis and those other chumps and has equivalent talent to a rusty Ali. It's close and competitive and is a close decision either way.
One way to work it out would be: 0 points for a loss 1 point for a draw 2 points for a win 3 points for a stoppage I'd have to do it that way, as Sly said, it is ridiculously competitive. My top 2 match Sly's.
Guess you musta missed when Smokin Bert Cooper was on the verge of stopping PRIME Holyfield. Frazier beats Holy. Holy has longevity and greatness over Frazier, but in terms of PURELY peak.... 70-71 Frazier was a better fighter than any version of Holyfield. Holy lacked the power to take Frazier out, and down the stretch Frazier's superior firepower and MUCH MUCH superior stamina would be the difference. 15 rounder, the Frazier of the first Ali fight stops Holy late. Yes, I said it. Holy is overrated.
Holy went through HEELLLLLLLL with the mini, less strong, less powerful version of Frazier in Qawi. Which is exactly why I say Frazier had a horrible style for the roiding, fake ass Christian.
I agree. It would be competitive early, but Frazier's superior stamina and inside fighting would wear Holyfield down, and I dare say that Holy won't hurt Frazier. Frazier via stoppage, especially if it's a 15 rounder.
Smoking Bert cooper was a cunt but one thing he could do was bang! I heard that Oliver McCall rated Coopera power as the hardest he's faced ( and he's faced many punchers including Lewis, Tyson and Bruno). Obviously take that with a ping of salt but it's still noteworthy that he said it. Secondly Holyfield was hurt but no where close to being stopped . Thirdly even post prison Tyson was a harder puncher than prime Frazier and Evander took his punches . Frazier was indeed a stamina daddy but it's not like Evander lacked in that department. Holyfield is just a better fighter than Frazier, the only reason the fight is competitive is because of evanders brawling style.
Yeah, the gap in stamina is HUUUUUUGE! People forget that stamina was perhaps Holyfield's biggest weakness. Whereas Frazier had some of the best stamina in boxing history.
I don't think anybody destroys Holyfield. Even though he wasn't a concussive hitter, he carried enough pop to stop people walking right through him, plus his combinations were a joy to watch when he was in full flow. I think he gives every other fighter in the league a tough time, even if he doesn't beat them.
Ali finishes first ... The rest is harder to determine ... I suspect Lewis and Iron Mike would probably get the next two spots but in what order I do not know
This is what I means when I say Ali, even if he's probably the GOAT hw, is overrated. You have to live in a fairy land to think he would beat all these guys without ever losing. As for the topic, I would say Ali, Tyson and Lewis have the best chance to comes out on top. Ali would have the most trouble with Tyson, Lewis and Bowe Lewis would have the most trouble with Tyson, Foreman and Ali and Tyson woul have the most trouble with Ali, Holyfield and foreman
Yeah I don't see Ali going undefeated, even though he'll probably finish top of the pile. Weirdly, I think Foreman does better against the 'prime' Ali of the 60's.
