The fight between Heavyweights Tony Tucker and Michael Spinks was of course meant to have happened in the late 1980's but Spinks dropped his IBF Heavyweight title and took a bigger money match with Gerry Cooney instead.
But if this fight had happened around 1987 what do you think would have been the outcome?
Spinks had made his name at Light-Heavyweight and then of course became the linear Heavyweight Champion by twice 'beating' an old Larry Holmes.
In 1987 Toney Tucker was a young, talented fighter with an excellent jab and iron chin but could he have coped with Spinks 'herky jerky' style?
1987 over 12 rounds for the IBF Heavyweight Title what would have happened fight fans?
On paper, Tucker should have handled Spinks easily. He was younger, bigger, stronger, faster and he hit harder. But he wasn't as ring savvy , nor was he as strong mentally. I think that after a few rounds of not beating Spinks up that Tucker may have become discouraged and then Spinks would pick him apart for a UD win.
ringsider, I am intersted to know do you actually like ANY Boxers? I only ask as you seem to make only negative comments about Boxers and any Boxing topics?
as you seem to make only negative comments about Boxers and any Boxing topics?
No I have a contary opinion or view, so since it doesn't jive with you or yours, you label it as negative.
I have no problem with you or anyone else having a contary opinion to my own about anything to do with Boxing. Different views are what make debate so interesting.
mercman wrote:Although I am not well informed enough to contribute to this particular matchup I have had many enjoyable times looking at, and sometimes taking part in, Kojoe's 'What ifs?'
I think Kojoe is a very constructive and thoughtful contributor and a really good influence on the forum. To say 'what if what? and who cares' is needlessly flippant and negative. It is disappointing that some people feel the need to try to put others down.
Tony Tucker seems to have been one of the better heavyweights over 6 ft 4 inches tall ( along with Bowe and Lewis). Although much of Tucker's competition was not exceptional he was only beaten once in his prime.
How do people think Lennox Lewis compares skill-wise to Tony Tucker and Riddick Bowe?
skillwise, I think Tucker was better than Bowe, though Bowe had more power.Lennox and Tony are around the same, though Lennox had more power and Tony was faster.
Tucker all the way. Too big, too young, too strong, too skilled.
Yeah TNTs record was built up mainly on dead bodies & we could talk all day about the political reasons behind that but in the end he proved he was a class fighter. He beat Buster Douglas & pushed a prime Tyson hard in lasting a 12 rd fight, and picked up a world title.
Spinks had one razor close win over a fading Holmes, a win over Holmes in the rematch which he did not deserve, and he obviously banged out Cooney who obvioulsy had shown up not anticipated a real fight as usual, then he got completely demolished in 90 seconds by Tyson.
Spinks was a great light heavy and a really good heavy, but against the young, prime, strong heavies such as Tyson, Tucker, Witherspoon, Page etc i think hes out of his depth.
I dont blaim Spinks at all for dumping his belt rather than fighting Tucker. In the end he got two fat multi-million paydays v Cooney & Tyson which set him up for life, whereas it could have been an ass-whipping v Tucker for a few hundred thousand.
I more or less agree with OR's take on this although Tucker was not allways the most aggressive and hardest hitting Heavyweight ever so I would not be too surprised if this turned into a bit of a chess-match from time to time.
Spinks was one of the modern greats at 175lbs but struggled to 'beat' a faded Larry Holmes.
Tucker even with a bad hand gave a peak Tyson plenty to think about and when past his best gave Lennox Lewis a good argument. I see Tucker being a bit too big and strong for Spinks. A points win for Tucker would not shock me but I lean more towards if Tucker shows enough aggression and doesn't sit back and get hypnotised by Spinks 'herky-jerky' routine, Tucker stopping Spinks around the 10th.
I assumed that Tucker was past his prime by the mid-to-late nineties when he started loosing to less-than steller foes. Do people think he was still in his prime vs Lennox Lewis or that he was a bit past it by that point?
Cojimar 1945 wrote: Do people think he was still in his prime vs Lennox Lewis or that he was a bit past it by that point?
By the time Tucker fought Lewis he was damaged goods and definatley on the slide. Tucker was still a top 10 Heavyweight but not the fighter he was 5 years earlier.
mercman wrote:Although I am not well informed enough to contribute to this particular matchup I have had many enjoyable times looking at, and sometimes taking part in, Kojoe's 'What ifs?'
I think Kojoe is a very constructive and thoughtful contributor and a really good influence on the forum. To say 'what if what? and who cares' is needlessly flippant and negative. It is disappointing that some people feel the need to try to put others down.
Ps Keep up the good work Kojoe.
i love kojoes what if. threads.. i think he almost always finds a great matchup and i love the thought of these fights, even though they can never happen, discussing them is the next best thing.
