Rate The 1980's WBA Heavyweight Champions

[HomicideHenry]

Who do you honestly think was the best of the belt holders (excluding Tyson when he unified)?

For me, I think the man who had the most potential of them all to have done greater than he done was Michael 'Dynamite' Dokes; after losing his title, Holyfield and himself had the best heavyweight fight of the 1980's. So Dokes is numero uno for me. Number two? I give my props to Greg Page, whose career overall was greater than the rest. Number three? Gerrie Coetzee, he was first in line to get a crack at the winner of the Ali-Spinks rematch, coulda fought Holmes for the lineal title but was denied, and he was damn good and fun to watch (hey watch him as an old fornicator against Iran Barkley, was a good fight while it lasted). Number four? Tony Tubbs. The Cincinnati Fatty is still kicking ass in his 50's. Number five? Bit of a toss up, but Mike Weaver is it for me, then comes the trial horse in Big John Tate.

[EriqS]

Good list, but you're forgetting one guy who just might be number one. Tim Witherspoon had a great deal of unfulfilled potential, and I don't think it will ever truly be known how much the years-long battle with Don King damaged his will and spirit. But this guy had some serious skills and held both the WBC and WBA titles (at different times). Personally, I would rate him ahead of Weaver, Coetzee, and Tate.

[Robinson]

The trouble with these guys is that they are definite 'any given sunday' type of fighters.

Dokes is a good pick...he could be such a force at his best. I wish he never put anything up his nose. The sad thing is most fans remember him for his loss to Holy (which was a good dogfight) and him getting smashed by Ruddock.

I always liked Pinklon Thomas but even then he could be less than exciting.

I suppose for consistency one could argue Michael Weaver, he defended the strap the most
and seemed to be a reformed fighter compared to his earlier career. It seems that as he got older
he became more and more a student of boxing and less a physcical specimen.

Page during nearly all of his fights flickered to be such a talented man...and then...he got lazy again and would go to the ropes or dis-engage. Frustrating at times..

Witherspoon could have been so much better I think, he had the power and had a good style to frustrate most men, as he did against Holmes. But his conditioning always seemed to let him down...

Tubbs while fat and less than the athlete seemed to be a damned talented boxer who had suprising speed amd reflexes. I always liked Tubbs for some reason...perhaps because his last name suits his body type.

Never been a fan of the South African, though he was a fine boxer who could mix it well.

Tate...is the one I know the least about and I have yet to watch a FULL fight of his. Big and strong he appears.

Tyson has had enough said about him...I think head to head with all of these men at there best...tyson is the clear winner. But boy would we have some fun fights.

[funso banjo baby]

the rating of champs from different eras is always complex but with the Wba kings you have a perfect example of how fighters have to be judged by practically every fight except their title fights.

i think Page's win over coetzee was one of the few times Page lived up to his hype

the rest such as witherspoon , tubbs etc produced some of the most lackluster title performances theres ever been...the feeling at the time was that a lot of these boys threw the titles away because of frustration being chained to King? Is this realistic ?

[Klee Gluckman]

Tyson my a mile he had a three year rein and unified the title and won it twice.

[VoiceOnTV]

Excluding Mike, who came at the end of the decade, I'll go with Dokes. Witherspoon is probably the most potential and Weaver the most consistant.

[Robinson]

Cool me crazy but I am a fan of all of these guys. I just think its sad that they were such a generation
lost.

[Nile4000]

Probably Weaver, though Page had the most talent and potential, and as far as career, Dokes and Witherspoon.