Most avoided fighter of the last 25 years.

[Tuan_Jim]

In the second part of his career Terrible Tim Witherspoon was dodged by all when in shape

In fairness, if I was a promoter I wouldn't have put him on a show. He was in and out of shape and you never knew what you would get.

He threw away a shot at Tyson, which, if he'd won, he could have bought out his contract with Don KIng and made a fortune.

Keith clueless as usual. You might be the most naive, simple minded adult I have ever encountered here (and I've been on Current Scene).

[keithmoonhangover]

In the second part of his career Terrible Tim Witherspoon was dodged by all when in shape

In fairness, if I was a promoter I wouldn't have put him on a show. He was in and out of shape and you never knew what you would get.

He threw away a shot at Tyson, which, if he'd won, he could have bought out his contract with Don KIng and made a fortune.

Keith clueless as usual. You might be the most naive, simple minded adult I have ever encountered here (and I've been on Current Scene).

God you're an ignorant prick. Please explain how Withererpoon if he beat Tyson would not be able to buy out of his contract?

[magwitch]

How did Witherspoon throw away a shot at fighting Tyson? (genuine question )......would this be directly, or fairly soon after beating Frank Bruno and winning the world title? ...... was that title vacant btw, or was Bruno a defence for Witherspoon?



Anyway - that to one side - Another fighter that I reckon was avoided was Choi, I am avoiding trying to write his surname right now!..... Choi Tsvenpureev. Strong as an ox.

[Controversial]

How did Witherspoon throw away a shot at fighting Tyson? (genuine question )......would this be directly, or fairly soon after beating Frank Bruno and winning the world title? ...... was that title vacant btw, or was Bruno a defence for Witherspoon?

Witherspoon said he threw the fight against Bonecrusher Smith. Smith fought Tyson in his next fight.

[handsofstone]

Paul Williams and Antonio Margarito were often accused of being avoided

[Crease]

Paul Williams and Antonio Margarito were often accused of being avoided

Williams came in to my mind too.

[elmersalsa]

In the 80s, the three most avoided fighters that I could think of were the greats Mike McCallum and Eusebio Pedroza and the solid Jr lightweight champ Brian Mitchell

In the 90s, I may have to say Lennox Lewis. And I have never understood why Riddick Bowe would not fight him right there and then.

[magwitch]

How did Witherspoon throw away a shot at fighting Tyson? (genuine question )......would this be directly, or fairly soon after beating Frank Bruno and winning the world title? ...... was that title vacant btw, or was Bruno a defence for Witherspoon?

Witherspoon said he threw the fight against Bonecrusher Smith. Smith fought Tyson in his next fight.

[Switch hitter]

I had a lot of respect for Nunn when he fought Kalambay, then he blew him away and didn't really get much credit for it.

Amazing result for Nunn ,it pisses me off a bit when sambu doesn't get the respect he's due because of that one fight he beat McCallum ,herol Graham ,Steve Collins and Iran Barkley not a bad bunch of fighters

Me too. I think non-American fighters get a rough ride.[/quote]

Herol got done over in the 2nd fight

[witherspoon]

I had a lot of respect for Nunn when he fought Kalambay, then he blew him away and didn't really get much credit for it.

Amazing result for Nunn ,it pisses me off a bit when sambu doesn't get the respect he's due because of that one fight he beat McCallum ,herol Graham ,Steve Collins and Iran Barkley not a bad bunch of fighters

Me too. I think non-American fighters get a rough ride.

Herol got done over in the 2nd fight[/quote]

He certainly did. Scored two knockdowns and deserved the win despite two completely BS point deductions. But the judges earned their money, I guess.

[Tuan_Jim]

God you're an ignorant prick. Please explain how Withererpoon if he beat Tyson would not be able to buy out of his contract?

The question is too stupid to answer.

[stevedoc]

In the second part of his career Terrible Tim Witherspoon was dodged by all when in shape

In fairness, if I was a promoter I wouldn't have put him on a show. He was in and out of shape and you never knew what you would get.

He threw away a shot at Tyson, which, if he'd won, he could have bought out his contract with Don KIng and made a fortune.

Keith clueless as usual. You might be the most naive, simple minded adult I have ever encountered here (and I've been on Current Scene).

I've met and got drunk with tim twice and spoke about the bonecrusher fight ,he said he threw the fight but also said he was a lazy bastard and hardly ever in shape , if I'm honest I think he was just saying he threw the fight because he was embarrassed about his performance......... But I have to say he's a top top guy really funny and cool

[keithmoonhangover]

God you're an ignorant prick. Please explain how Withererpoon if he beat Tyson would not be able to buy out of his contract?

The question is too stupid to answer.

in other words, you can't answer it, but aren't man enough to admit it.

[Tuan_Jim]

Your question is so naive I would have to waste valuable minutes of my life writing paragraph after paragraph for you, a grown man who when confronted with information he doesn't like responds with 'lols' and emoticons.

Why don't you read some of the fine literature on that period of heavyweight boxing, in particular the HBO unification tournament, to see how ludicrous the idea of a man knocking out Mike Tyson and slipping free of Don King's tentacles is?

[keithmoonhangover]

I've met and got drunk with tim twice and spoke about the bonecrusher fight ,he said he threw the fight but also said he was a lazy bastard and hardly ever in shape , if I'm honest I think he was just saying he threw the fight because he was embarrassed about his performance......... But I have to say he's a top top guy really funny and cool

I've heard he's a top fella from a few people. I read a great article with him a couple of years back and he said of all the lost generation heavyweights, Tony Tubbs was the one with the most ability.

Regarding being a lazy bastard, it's also a mental thing. You could be in the best shape of your life, but if your mind isn't there, it's going to be a difficult night. Tim could have obviously achieved a lot more than he did if he was in better shape, but that's the nature of the sport. Most of the greats came in in tremendous shape for pretty much all their fights and it showed in their performances.

[keithmoonhangover]

Your question is so naive I would have to waste valuable minutes of my life writing paragraph after paragraph for you, a grown man who when confronted with information he doesn't like responds with 'lols' and emoticons.

Why don't you read some of the fine literature on that period of heavyweight boxing, in particular the HBO unification tournament, to see how ludicrous the idea of a man knocking out Mike Tyson and slipping free of Don King's tentacles is?

I've read the literature thank you and yes, I understand it. I know all about Don King and I know all about the unification. I also know that Tyson would have faced Witherspoon if he had beaten Smith.

But yet again, you're avoiding the question. If it's that easy, just answer.

[palooka]

Your question is so naive I would have to waste valuable minutes of my life writing paragraph after paragraph for you, a grown man who when confronted with information he doesn't like responds with 'lols' and emoticons.

Why don't you read some of the fine literature on that period of heavyweight boxing, in particular the HBO unification tournament, to see how ludicrous the idea of a man knocking out Mike Tyson and slipping free of Don King's tentacles is?

Though King was very powerful didn't Douglas knock out Tyson and get big money v Holyfield?

(Who promoted the Tyson v Spinks bout?)

[keithmoonhangover]

Your question is so naive I would have to waste valuable minutes of my life writing paragraph after paragraph for you, a grown man who when confronted with information he doesn't like responds with 'lols' and emoticons.

Why don't you read some of the fine literature on that period of heavyweight boxing, in particular the HBO unification tournament, to see how ludicrous the idea of a man knocking out Mike Tyson and slipping free of Don King's tentacles is?

Though King was very powerful didn't Douglas knock out Tyson and get big money v Holyfield?

(Who promoted the Tyson v Spinks bout?)

Yes, Douglas managed to get out of the Tyson rematch and I'm sure their was a clause in the contract for one.

King did have a tight grip, but like Douglas, Witherspoon could have got away from King if he'd shocked the world and beat Tyson.

[palooka]

Not only that but King attempted to get the result overturned. I concur that King had a very tight grip on heavyweight boxing but the boxers around that time acted against their own best interests. Some of the following bunch of highly ranked heavyweights had better advice and some of them took the advice and steered clear of bad contracts etc.

Wasn't Yuri Romanov avoided by highly ranked boxers?

[Noxy]

Peter Oboh used to have trouble getting fights

[palooka]

Peter Oboh used to have trouble getting fights

Yes he did, didn't he just retire in the dressing room before a bout as he was so frustrated and upset with the situation?

Junior Witter had trouble getting bouts when he was at British Title level and so did Howard Eastman - they went long periods without a bout ass no one was to their standard.

[keithmoonhangover]

Johnny Nelson was avoided by boxers and fans alike.

[Noxy]

Peter Oboh used to have trouble getting fights

Yes he did, didn't he just retire in the dressing room before a bout as he was so frustrated and upset with the situation?

Junior Witter had trouble getting bouts when he was at British Title level and so did Howard Eastman - they went long periods without a bout ass no one was to their standard.

Aye, he did and all. It was really weird, he couldn't get a fight for ages then he managed to get one, he turns up and then just refuses to go through with it. I wonder if he was thinking - There, that's what it's like - although I'm sure that wasn't the real reason behind it. I've heard of many strange goings on in boxing but that's the only time I can remember where a fighter just changed his mind so late in the day and walked away from it all.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

God you're an ignorant prick. Please explain how Withererpoon if he beat Tyson would not be able to buy out of his contract?

The question is too stupid to answer.

Look the bottom line is he got 100 grand to defend his heavyweight title at Wembley against Bruno The DON was the promoter he gave
Big Frank 1 million so what was he to do fight the fearsome TYSON for what :?? and yes Terrible Tim said this.

[keithmoonhangover]

God you're an ignorant prick. Please explain how Withererpoon if he beat Tyson would not be able to buy out of his contract?

The question is too stupid to answer.

Look the bottom line is he got 100 grand to defend his heavyweight title at Wembley against Bruno The DON was the promoter he gave
Big Frank 1 million so what was he to do fight the fearsome TYSON for what :?? and yes Terrible Tim said this.

Thanks for pointing that out , but I already know about it. Witherspoon got a terrible deal from Don King. The point I'm making is not how much he would have got for fighting Tyson, which on top would have been over a million dollars - which Tim would have maybe got £100,000-£200,000. The point is how much he could have earned if he'd beaten Tyson. He could have bought out his contract and written his own cheque for a fight with Michael Spinks.

It would appear that Tuan Jim either doesn't know or is forgetting that Witherspoon's last fight under King was the one round blowout by Smith and HE NEVER FOUGHT FOR KING AGAIN. His next fight was for Bob Arum, so King's 'vice like grip' on Witherspoon didn't last. Douglas proved that even though his fights were promoted by King, he could slip the noose and write his own ticket against Holyfield.

If anyone still has any lingering doubts about Witherspoon's ability to shake free of King, just refer to the million dollars that King paid Tim to settle Tim's case before it went to court.