Joe Frazier Versus

[ThatOne]

Jack Dempsey
Rocky Marciano
Mike Tyson
Gene Tunney
Joe Louis
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott
Evander Holyfield
Lennox Lewis
Sonny Liston

[dempseyfire]

Jack Dempsey
Rocky Marciano
Mike Tyson
Gene Tunney
Joe Louis
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott
Evander Holyfield
Lennox Lewis
Sonny Liston

Beats Tunney, Charles, Walcott, Holyfield and Lewis. Loses to the rest.
Dempsey-Frazier is a fight I can go back and forth on all day, but I edge the Mauler. Funnily enough I'm more comfortable picking Marciano vs Frazier . . .although it would be a BRUTAL fight.

I'd love for Joe to prove me wrong but forced to pick I'd have to edge Iron Mike to not let Frazier get smokin' and take him out within 3 rounds. If Frazier is still standing by round 5 all bets are off.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I'm confident Joe beats Dempsey & Marciano.

I'd favor him over Lewis & Tyson.

Charles, Walcott, Tunney & Holyfield are toss-ups.

I favor Louis and Liston.

[Ezzard]

I reckon Frazier could chew up the boxers like Tunney, Walcott and Charles. Well, it wouldn't be easy but I'd back him to beat them.

I kind of think Lennox poses similar problems as Foreman does. A big reach advantage, even more height. And a right hand that can catch him coming in.

Frazier-Dempsey, Frazier-Tyson and Frazier-Holyfield would be the best fights.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Lennox has the size, but nowhere near the mentality. His objective would be to avoid engaging Joe in a cautious manner, that's a one way ticket to asswhoopedville.

[Crease]

Lennox has the size, but nowhere near the mentality. His objective would be to avoid engaging Joe in a cautious manner, that's a one way ticket to asswhoopedville.

Indeed. And I would say the same thing if Lennox ever fought a prime Mike Tyson.

[yancey]

I'm confident Joe beats Dempsey & Marciano.

I'd favor him over Lewis & Tyson.

Charles, Walcott, Tunney & Holyfield are toss-ups.

I favor Louis and Liston.

Agree on Frazier beating Dempsey and Marciano.

I just cannot see Charles and Walcott as being toss-ups with Frazier in 15 round fights. Frazier would hunt both of them down and would probably do the same with Tunney.

[dempseyfire]

I'm confident Joe beats Dempsey & Marciano.

I'd favor him over Lewis & Tyson.

Charles, Walcott, Tunney & Holyfield are toss-ups.

I favor Louis and Liston.

No-one ever had any modicum of success going straight at Dempsey and Marciano, whereas Bonavena, a crude slugger, gave Frazier hell twice. So I don't see how anyone could say with confidence he beats the other 2 great pressure fighters in Dempsey and Marciano; Dempsey was more explosive and a harder hitter who was superior in inside-fighting technique, whereas Marciano was stronger and probably a harder hitter as well.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Dempsey never fought a pressure fighter anywhere near Frazier's level, I think Joe would back him up and break him down. I'd bet huge on it, but you already know that.

Bonavena would have kicked Dempsey's ass if jack fought him in his 11th or 12th fight.

[dempseyfire]

Dempsey never fought a pressure fighter anywhere near Frazier's level, I think Joe would back him up and break him down. I'd bet huge on it, but you already know that.

Bonavena would have kicked Dempsey's ass if jack fought him in his 11th or 12th fight.

You know that is apples and potatoes. Dempsey in his 12th fight wasn't even a heavyweight yet, let alone an accomplished Olympic Gold medalist/amateur.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

So what? The statement is accurate. You're still using Bonavena as a negative when that is one of the bigger positives of Joe's career.

[Bricks]

Dempsey never fought a pressure fighter anywhere near Frazier's level, I think Joe would back him up and break him down. I'd bet huge on it, but you already know that.

Bonavena would have kicked Dempsey's ass if jack fought him in his 11th or 12th fight.

Joe v dempsey is an all time fantasy matchup.

[BoxBuzz]

Joe has a good chance to beat every last one of them.

However, Liston could pull a Foreman, yet I still favor Joe.

Ezzard could pull an Ali, but I still favor Joe.

Foreman vs Joe on the night of the FOTC could be a victim as well. I don't subscribe to the idea that George beats Joe under all conditions.

I think he meat grinds the rest, unless Lewis plays very smart and runs a close losing decision.

Oh...Holyfield would be his last fight....maybe both mens last fight....ugly beatings on both ends, but I favor Frazier to walk away with the "W".

[jezzamundo]

Jack Dempsey
Rocky Marciano
Mike Tyson
Gene Tunney
Joe Louis
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott
Evander Holyfield
Lennox Lewis
Sonny Liston

Loses to Louis, Lewis and Liston
Beats Tunney, Charles, Walcott and Holyfield
Fights with Dempsey, Marciano and Tyson are a toss-up

[BoxBuzz]

Jack Dempsey
Rocky Marciano
Mike Tyson
Gene Tunney
Joe Louis
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott
Evander Holyfield
Lennox Lewis
Sonny Liston

Loses to Louis, Lewis and Liston
Beats Tunney, Charles, Walcott and Holyfield
Fights with Dempsey, Marciano and Tyson are a toss-up

Jezz, I do think that you have captured the pop culture opinion on this to the T.

[BoxBuzz]

i think a peak frazier '67-'71 would shit on lennox (assuming there's a competent referee involved).

I'm inclined to agree, a good ref from the past would just let a meat grinder run it's natural course.

[theone]

Probably loses to Louis and Liston.
Grinds Tunney, Charles, Walcott to a halt. My gut tells me Lewis too.
Destroys Dempsey and Marciano.
Holyfield and Tyson are pick-em.

[Sven Tingstrom]

So what? The statement is accurate. You're still using Bonavena as a negative when that is one of the bigger positives of Joe's career.

Apples and oranges, you Americans say . . .

[jezzamundo]

Jack Dempsey
Rocky Marciano
Mike Tyson
Gene Tunney
Joe Louis
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott
Evander Holyfield
Lennox Lewis
Sonny Liston

Loses to Louis, Lewis and Liston
Beats Tunney, Charles, Walcott and Holyfield
Fights with Dempsey, Marciano and Tyson are a toss-up

Jezz, I do think that you have captured the pop culture opinion on this to the T.

Frazier vs Dempsey, Marciano and Tyson all have the potential to be wars.
I give Dempsey the edge to stop Frazier, I give Frazier the edge to stop Marciano late on cuts or take a close decision. Tyson stops Frazier in the first 4 rounds, otherwise, Frazier stops Tyson somewhere from the 7th to the 12th.

Holyfield is a live underdog but he was too defensively leaky and would take a lot of flush left hooks that would take their toll. This fight would definitely be a war, but I think Frazier's constant pressure wins him a close but clear decision.

Walcott, Tunney and particularly Charles all have the disadvantage that they lack the power to stop Frazier in his tracks and unlike Ali, they don't have the physical size and strength to tie Frazier up on the inside. I think all three would give Frazier a tough fight, before being stopped, although I give Tunney the best chance of making it to the bell and winning a decision.

Most agree that Louis and Liston would stop Frazier, but I might be in a (small) minority in believing that Lewis would stop him too. I think we can safely assume that Lewis doesn't take this fight lightly and comes in prepared and focused, as anything less sees him being knocked out. I've never been able to see Frazier beating a prime Lewis, I just think the stylistic matchup favours the bigger man in this case. Lewis was very good defensively against left hooks and was very rarely caught flush with one. What troubled him more was guys who would jab with him (Bruno, Mercer) and straight right hands (McCall, Rahman).

On the other hand, I think Lewis's right uppercut would be a constant threat to Frazier, not to mention his size, strength and ability to tie the smaller man up on the inside. This said, the referee would certainly play a part in this one. The less holding he allows, the more Frazier's chances increase, as he would certainly have a big stamina advantage.