Dick Tiger fighting as a super middleweight

[scorpio83]

I would please like to know what happen if the super middleweight division exist back in the 1960s and what if Dick Tiger fight in that division because he fought under the exact super middleweight limit when he fought in the light heavyweight division? In your own opinion, how would Tiger fare in the super middleweight division?

[Ambling Alp II]

I think could have done very well if he wanted to fight in that weight class if it existed. I just don't know if he would have bothered.

[scorpio83]

I think could have done very well if he wanted to fight in that weight class if it existed. I just don't know if he would have bothered.

We don't because we don't know the outcome of Dick Tiger's campaign as super middleweight if it existed back then. However, would you agree if the prime Dick Tiger fought in the 1980s and beat the early super middleweight champions like Sutherland, Park, Obelmejia, Baek and Christophe Tiozzo?

[Ambling Alp II]

Absolutely.

[scorpio83]

Absolutely.

Thanks for your opinion I appreciate it. I wonder how Tiger would fare against Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn and Steve Collins. Do you think each are a 50/50 fight?

[cfang]

Tiger was perfect for the s middle division and I'd pick him to beat all 3 of those guys.

[Sidney Carton]

I would please like to know what happen if the super middleweight division exist back in the 1960s and what if Dick Tiger fight in that division because he fought under the exact super middleweight limit when he fought in the light heavyweight division? In your own opinion, how would Tiger fare in the super middleweight division?

Tiger had better things to do.

Like fight for REAL titles (middleweight, lightheavyweight) rather than the phony Don King/ABC TV in between the legitimate weight divisions "titles."

[Sidney Carton]

the early super middleweight champions like Sutherland, Park, Obelmejia, Baek and Christophe Tiozzo?

Sutherland, Park, Obelmejia, Baek and Christophe Tiozzo

WHO??????

[BoxBuzz]

check the SMW lineage, I think you will find these names listed.

Though admittedly they are not historic high points for the weight class.

[scorpio83]

Here's another question and please give me your opinion if a prime Tiger would give the prime Joe Calzaghe a tough fight at super middleweight, but Super Joe would take the late rounds to take a decision in 15 rounds?

[Ambling Alp II]

I think it would a very competitive fight. If anything the 15-round distance would probably favor Tiger. Calzaghe never went past 12.

[Ezzard]

Issue is that with weigh-in times changed that contemporary 168-ers would likely to have been LHWs in Tiger's day.

[Kalan]

Dick Tiger had a very spotty record... Welterweight Emile Griffith moved up to Middleweight and handily out-boxed the raw swinger while weighing only 150... Feather punching Joey Archer even beat Tiger... Big Bob Foster had Tiger by 5 pounds, and blasted him out early with a devastating left hook.

Based on his boxing ability, and the way he got hit, he wouldn't have a prayer of beating Andre Ward, Joe Calzaghe, James Toney, Carl Froch, or Roy Jones.

[Ambling Alp II]

Issue is that with weigh-in times changed that contemporary 168-ers would likely to have been LHWs in Tiger's day.

Maybe. The more I have thought about this issue over the years, the more I think most fighters would have not have much trouble fighting in at least two different weight classes. These fights are usually signed months in advance. Calzaghe would have plenty of time in training to get used to fighting at a "real 168".

Looking at their careers, this would have been a really interesting fight.

[Ezzard]

In Calzaghe's case he did fight at 160 earlier in his career I believe. But it's never as easy as just training longer and harder. For some maybe but for most it isn't.