Tim Witherspoon vs???

[Boxing Writer]

Guys, how do you see prime Tim 'Terrible' Witherspoon's (in shape and focused version) chances in the mythycal match-ups against following fighters in their respective primes:

Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Riddick Bowe
Lennox Lewis
Wladimir Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Donovan Ruddock
Alexander Povetkin
David Tua
David Haye
Ike Ibeabuchi
Shannon Briggs

My take:

1) Tyson. Mike would most likely win by decision, but Witherspoon could make it a very hard fight for any version of Mike. I think he could have had great chances for upset agsints 1989-1997 version of Tyson and would easily beat post 1998 one.

2) Holyfield, I think Holyfield would beat Witherspoon by a close decision in a very tough and exciting fight.

3) Riddick Bowe. Bowe by decision in a great fight.
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3) Lennox Lewis. Either Lewis by close decision or Witherspoon by KO. TIm had an excellent jab and absolutely amazing overhand right - much, much better than Rahman and McCall.

4) Wladimir Klitschko. Once again - either Klitschko by decision or Witherspoon by KO.

5) Vitali Klitschko. Vitali by decision or Witherspoon by TKO (cuts)

6) Donovan Ruddock. Witherspoon by brutal KO. Ruddock was too open for a big overhand right, which was the main Witherspoon's weapon, and Witherspoon was clearly a much more skilled boxer too.

7) Povetkin. Witherspoon by UD.

8) Tua. Witherspoon by wide UD

9) Haye. Witherspoon by late TKO.

10) Ibeabuchi. I can see either guy winning this fight by a close decision or a draw here.

11) Shannon Briggs. Witherspoon by KO inside 5 rounds.

Tim Witherspoon was VERY talented and gifted fighter. He wasn't a small heavyweight, posessed great jab and excellent, extremely hard right hand. He also has a really good chin. The only things he lacked to become a great heavyweight were focus and dedication.

[SenorPipino]

Spoon was typical of so many of those 80s heavies---talented but fat and lazy.

Could have accomplished more but lacked the drive to be a true star.

[Kalan]

Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Riddick Bowe
Lennox Lewis
Wladimir Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Donovan Ruddock
Alexander Povetkin
David Tua
David Haye
Ike Ibeabuchi
Shannon Briggs

Mike Tyson wins 12-round UD...
Evander Holyfield loses by 12-round UD...
Riddick Bowe gets knocked cold in 5 rounds...
Lennox Lewis wins a UD
Wladimir Klitschko scores a 12th round KO
Vitali Klitschko scores an 8th round KO
Donovan Ruddock loses by 7th round KO
Alexander Povetkin wins by 11th round KO
David Tua loses by UD
David Haye wins by impressive UD
Ike Ibeabuchi wins by 7th round KO
Shannon Briggs loses shutout UD

Anthony Joshua wins by 4th round KO
Deontay Wilder wins by UD
Luis Ortiz win by 9th round KO

Witherspoon gets involved in exchanges.... Holyfield was a sucker for a big overhand right..... Bowe was wide open for Witherspoon's signature punch, the big right hand... Lewis was too big and strong and Tim would lose like Mercer.... Vitali was big and tough enough to really punish him and get him out... Ruddock was wide open for big rights... Povetkin got rid of Mike Perez and Carlos Takam who throw the big right.... David Tua never could box well.... Haye is too fast and skillful... Ibeabuchi was a destroyer... Briggs is a punching bag... Joshua boxes and punches him helpless... Wilder keeps his rangy jab on him.... Ortiz gets to him with rangy leads and a brilliant right hook.

[Bodyshot3]

Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Riddick Bowe
Lennox Lewis
Wladimir Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Donovan Ruddock
Alexander Povetkin
David Tua
David Haye
Ike Ibeabuchi
Shannon Briggs

A list of two halves I would politely suggest.
And it perhaps gets very interesting midway through with the K brothers.

I am pretty sure he'd see off Briggs, Povetkin, Tua, Ruddock and Haye with comparative ease and I would back him against The President as well......although we'll never really know how good Ibeabuchi was or could have been.

I personally think he might have got at Wlad because Tim was a big man himself and would not have been over-awed and he had the ring speed, feints, patience and variety of shots to get at even a Stewart-trained Wlad.

Vitali might be a different matter - he was always the more robust brother physically and mentally - and I could see him getting tagged but surviving and turning into a dog-fight and being strong enough to nick a very close one.

On the top half of the list, I think that Holyfield would have needed to have set a hell of a pace and make it a fight fought for every single minute of every single round. A real case of making Tim work like hell and Evander landing more.

The big caveat with any Tim discussion is of course; does he turn up in shape for these fights and without all the King BS going-on in the background.

[DrDuke]

Mike Tyson - Tyson by decision.
Evander Holyfield - Holyfield by decision
Riddick Bowe - Bowe by decision, but with a higher KO probability
Lennox Lewis - Lewis by decision, with a high KO probability also
Wladimir Klitschko - Wlad by decision, maybe with a late KO/TKO win
Vitali Klitschko - the same as Wlad
Donovan Ruddock - Witherspoon by KO
Alexander Povetkin - Witherspoon by decision
David Tua - Witherspoon by decision
David Haye - Witherspoon either by decision or by KO
Ike Ibeabuchi - Witherspoon by decision
Shannon Briggs - Witherspoon by KO

[Bodyshot3]

Mike Tyson - Tyson by decision.
Evander Holyfield - Holyfield by decision
Riddick Bowe - Bowe by decision, but with a higher KO probability
Lennox Lewis - Lewis by decision, with a high KO probability also
Wladimir Klitschko - Wlad by decision, maybe with a late KO/TKO win
Vitali Klitschko - the same as Wlad
Donovan Ruddock - Witherspoon by KO
Alexander Povetkin - Witherspoon by decision
David Tua - Witherspoon by decision
David Haye - Witherspoon either by decision or by KO
Ike Ibeabuchi - Witherspoon by decision
Shannon Briggs - Witherspoon by KO

That's probably the results I was too lazy to type out Dr. Duke
The bottom half of the list all goes Tim's way but I think that it does get interesting around Wlad and Vitali.

I think Vitali would have been prepared to press it against Tim (before he boxed as a virtual veteran) and lost some rounds along the way and taken some shots too.....before finding a way to breakthrough and making his size/strength tell.

Wlad is the interesting one for me and I just have a suspicion that he would have found Tim all wrong for him.