Rank the Hw's of the 80's

[copyandpasteguy]

One could make a solid case that Witherspoon and/or Williams beat Holmes.

 

[borntoloseNOT]

McCall's KO of Lewis was a potential met in a night kind of fight. McCall wasnt just the beast Tyson sparred with anymore.

 

[Seano]

I suppose Norton wasn't really "dominant."

 

[nastyleft]

I think Barerra dominating Hamed might qualify. Such a great match-up that turned out to be embarrassing.
Bararra was already legendary, but Hamed had legendary smallman power, and Barerra's style was tailormade to stand in front of Hamed "Mexican-Style" and get stamped out. My first time seeing someone get "textbooked" out of a fight so beautifully.

 

[Seano]

I think Barerra dominating Hamed might qualify. Such a great match-up that turned out to be embarrassing.
Bararra was already legendary, but Hamed had legendary smallman power, and Barerra's style was tailormade to stand in front of Hamed "Mexican-Style" and get stamped out. My first time seeing someone get "textbooked" out of a fight so beautifully.

I loved seeing Hamed looking so lost. I never cared for that dude.

 

[mozfonky]

Upset notwthstanding; can we even think of a more perfect, living up to physical/mental potential in one night, type of performance from anyone else? Doesnt have to necessarily be a big upset, just fighting a perfectly dominant fight putting it all together on one night. I'm having trouble thinking of anyone elsel.

depends, i can think of lots of fights where a dominant champ gets soundly defeated by a huge underdog. Most of those guys don't achieve a lot after the big win either. Let's see, there was Lloyd Honeyghan who stopped the top pfp'r Donald Curry, making it look easy but then going on to win maybe a couple defenses before he was just cannon fodder himself. Barry Mcquigan beat Eusebio Pedrosa clearly enough and people were predicting all time great status for Barry which never materialized. Then there are guys who had peak nights but were fairly dominant without the big fight, Aaron Pryor was an established champion before the Arguello fights, Marvin Hagler was the top guy even before he kayoed Hearns, Ali may have never fought better than he did against Liston the first time but he went on to many more glorious nights. Some guys like Buster Douglas just rise to the occasion once and that's all she wrote, the sport is filled with upsets like that. Just filled with them.

 

[Seano]

Good call on McGuigan/Pedrosa.

 

[mozfonky]

McGuigan was a good good fighter until he won the title. I've seen so many guys who just lose the hunger after a big win and some guys can't win fights like that. Ali had the physique to win lots of fights at less than 100 percent, a guy like Tyson or Douglas had to be amped up each time it seemed. McGuigan was said by his manager to have just worn himself out, training all the time and just burned out. Maybe it's true but I've seen too many fighters fall apart after they get the big win. Hector Camacho seemed to lose desire by the fight after the spectacular win over Bazooka Limon where he'd never look so good again. That's when the excuses start, the blaming starts, maybe even the drugs and partying starts for so many fighters. I can only think that they've looked forward to something and feel letdown by it and then the problems start. Credit to Tyson for at least getting through, what was it, 9 defenses? Lots of talented guys (like Camacho) can't even find the dedication to get through 1 or 2, Camacho abdicated both his 130 and 135 pound titles just out of losing interest.

 

[actjac]

If you watched that fight and knew nothing of the two or how big an upset it was, you'd think Douglas was a great fighter. He fought a pretty magical fight there. I can't recall him looking that good before or after that.

I watched the Douglas-Tyson fight and knew that Mike was not in shape as well as the old adage that styles make fights applied. I had said for a number of years that a big heavyweight who was not afraid of Iron Mike and could throw combinations (especially an uppercut which Tyson was very suceptible to) could beat him. The outcome was not a shocker nor was it the beiggest upset in boxing history.

 

[actjac]

McGuigan was a good good fighter until he won the title. I've seen so many guys who just lose the hunger after a big win and some guys can't win fights like that. Ali had the physique to win lots of fights at less than 100 percent, a guy like Tyson or Douglas had to be amped up each time it seemed. McGuigan was said by his manager to have just worn himself out, training all the time and just burned out. Maybe it's true but I've seen too many fighters fall apart after they get the big win. Hector Camacho seemed to lose desire by the fight after the spectacular win over Bazooka Limon where he'd never look so good again. That's when the excuses start, the blaming starts, maybe even the drugs and partying starts for so many fighters. I can only think that they've looked forward to something and feel letdown by it and then the problems start. Credit to Tyson for at least getting through, what was it, 9 defenses? Lots of talented guys (like Camacho) can't even find the dedication to get through 1 or 2, Camacho abdicated both his 130 and 135 pound titles just out of losing interest.

Barry McGuigan was betrayed by Bob Arum who put the title defense fight with Stevie Cruz outdoors on the hottests day of the year and in the direct sun, under the ring lights. This kid from Clones, Ireland was from a climate close to that of Seattle or Portland and he melted down in a 15 round fight versus Cruz who lived and trained in Texas. McGuigan was on his way to become a Pacquiao-like personna in Europe especially amonng the British and Irish Americans.

 

[Prefect]

I think this era had more depth, but not better fighters if that makes sense

You had a boom following Ali, Frazier, and Foreman. Everyone in the 80s grew up staying up late with their dads to watch the legends fight.

 

[Prefect]

This might be the greatest combination ever thrown, not from a technical standpoint, but when you consider all factors. It was considered among the biggest upsets in the history of American sports, a moment that has become infamous.

It still took a fucking lot to put Tyson down. The man had chin and heart unlike what some pepple say. Lennox brutalized him after he gave it everything one round earlier.

 

[RawHawg]

I used to like watching Tony Tubbs box. Shame about his drug problems, he seemed to have some real skills, was lightning fast for a big guy. I recall even later in his career he had very good showings against guys like Bruce Seldon, etc..

 

[nastyleft]

depends, i can think of lots of fights where a dominant champ gets soundly defeated by a huge underdog. Most of those guys don't achieve a lot after the big win either. Let's see, there was Lloyd Honeyghan who stopped the top pfp'r Donald Curry, making it look easy but then going on to win maybe a couple defenses before he was just cannon fodder himself. Barry Mcquigan beat Eusebio Pedrosa clearly enough and people were predicting all time great status for Barry which never materialized. Then there are guys who had peak nights but were fairly dominant without the big fight, Aaron Pryor was an established champion before the Arguello fights, Marvin Hagler was the top guy even before he kayoed Hearns, Ali may have never fought better than he did against Liston the first time but he went on to many more glorious nights. Some guys like Buster Douglas just rise to the occasion once and that's all she wrote, the sport is filled with upsets like that. Just filled with them.

Not upsets like stomping out Mike Tyson. Non of the guys you mentioned were at the same level or magnitude as to beating Mike in his prime and as well of a performance that Buster put on. That night was simply magical.

 

[mozfonky]

Not upsets like stomping out Mike Tyson. Non of the guys you mentioned were at the same level or magnitude as to beating Mike in his prime and as well of a performance that Buster put on. That night was simply magical.

well, ya, i guess i should have thought about that, it's filled with upsets like honeyghan/curry. tyson/douglas for many reasons, whether rightly or wrongly has been called the biggest upset in sports history.

 

[mozfonky]

Barry McGuigan was betrayed by Bob Arum who put the title defense fight with Stevie Cruz outdoors on the hottests day of the year and in the direct sun, under the ring lights. This kid from Clones, Ireland was from a climate close to that of Seattle or Portland and he melted down in a 15 round fight versus Cruz who lived and trained in Texas. McGuigan was on his way to become a Pacquiao-like personna in Europe especially amonng the British and Irish Americans.

i never heard arum was the source of the problem, barney eastwood is the guy barry never forgave, he tried to call the fight off. I don't get why barry didn't acclimate himself better beforehand knowing that he's from cold assed ireland and was going to a desert. cruz was a fine fighter too, i think he never accomplished much after that either, sad but true, most fighters go to shit after a title win.not everyone handles success well.

 

[wilddeuces]

People get quite critical of the 1980's heavyweights, but most of them had enough stuff to beat nearly all the heavyweights today especially now that Wlad's gone. And yes, the footage of them fighting back then was in colour. There's no nostalgia filter that is overriding my judgment. The amateur program in the United States was very strong and some of these guys would have just been better than a lot of the guys around today.

People dump on certain eras of heavyweight boxing, but there were basically two or three eras where the HW division was actually pretty dense. The 1930's had a lot of names and a lot of appeal (though it could be argued that that they weren't as good as the guys from the eras I mention next), the 90's were arguably the best, and the 60's to early/mid 70's makes a strong case for itself, too.

Saying that every other era sucks is a bit much, in retrospect.

 

[actjac]

People get quite critical of the 1980's heavyweights, but most of them had enough stuff to beat nearly all the heavyweights today especially now that Wlad's gone. And yes, the footage of them fighting back then was in colour. There's no nostalgia filter that is overriding my judgment. The amateur program in the United States was very strong and some of these guys would have just been better than a lot of the guys around today.

People dump on certain eras of heavyweight boxing, but there were basically two or three eras where the HW division was actually pretty dense. The 1930's had a lot of names and a lot of appeal (though it could be argued that that they weren't as good as the guys from the eras I mention next), the 90's were arguably the best, and the 60's to early/mid 70's makes a strong case for itself, too.

Saying that every other era sucks is a bit much, in retrospect.

I will say that THIS era of heavyweights will be considered the "golden age" of heavyweights. . . . .Joshua, Wilder, Parker, Fury, Povetkin, Ortiz, Usyk in tier 1 and then add Browne, Zhieli, Whyte, Kownacki, Ruiz, Hughie F., in a tier 2 with the hotshots coming up soon Yoka, Joyce, DuBois, Fa, Schwarz in a next level and you have an amazing list. . . . .If, IF IF they continue their round robin series of fights.

 

[mozfonky]

One could make a solid case that Witherspoon and/or Williams beat Holmes.

that's what was said at the time and it was true. they said holmes was slipping, it's crazy how he came back to fight til he was 50. I hated larry, alway because of the ali fight, but i kinda like him as an old man.

 

[JayE]

People get quite critical of the 1980's heavyweights, but most of them had enough stuff to beat nearly all the heavyweights today especially now that Wlad's gone. And yes, the footage of them fighting back then was in colour. There's no nostalgia filter that is overriding my judgment. The amateur program in the United States was very strong and some of these guys would have just been better than a lot of the guys around today.

People dump on certain eras of heavyweight boxing, but there were basically two or three eras where the HW division was actually pretty dense. The 1930's had a lot of names and a lot of appeal (though it could be argued that that they weren't as good as the guys from the eras I mention next), the 90's were arguably the best, and the 60's to early/mid 70's makes a strong case for itself, too.

Saying that every other era sucks is a bit much, in retrospect.

There were a lot of guys in the 80s who were clearly more talented than pretty much anyone active today. So many of the fighters were woefully inconsistent, though (largely due to struggles outside the ring with drugs, poor discipline in general, etc.).