To continue from the "Whyte: I don't think Usyk will do well at Heavyweight" thread, and a discussion quoting the oft-used phrase - "A good big un will always beat a good little un", I thought it was worth throwing together a list that disproves that phrase. Not a list of guys who moved up and beat a bang average guy, but two good fighters with a gulf in natural weight and where the little guy won - do not need to all be Leonard v Hagler but could be just Bryd v Tua.
Yes, it is often the case, but also it is also not the case which for me proves it is not true - SOMETIMES it happens and sometimes not but that makes it a rule which does not exist.
I will kick off with a few easy ones:-
Bob Fitz v James J Corbett
Holyfield v Bowe
Henry Armstrong v Barney Ross
Sugar Ray v Olsen ./ Fullmer / Basillo / Others
Duran v Leonard
Spinks v Holmes
Moorer v Holyfield
Toney v Vassiliy Jirov
Toney v Holyfield
A couple do include the loser being a little older but Holmes went on to good things again later, and Holyfield was much bigger than Toney or Toney being a better fighter than Jirov but again massive natural weight difference.
Good little un beats a good big un
Good little un beats a good big un
Last edited by tobyh5 on 06 May 2019, 03:18, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
I enjoyed watching that Michael hunter win vs billy nelsons guy.
Haye vs valuev I suppose? Tho I guess valuev would be described as bang average.
Didn't chris Byrd beat a few biguns?
Floyd vs DLH (tho I personally scored it a draw I think)
PAC vs marg.
Haye vs valuev I suppose? Tho I guess valuev would be described as bang average.
Didn't chris Byrd beat a few biguns?
Floyd vs DLH (tho I personally scored it a draw I think)
PAC vs marg.
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
PBF v Canelo
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Pac v Maragarito is a good shout
Manny absolutely took him apart.Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Holyfield v Bowe?
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Hulk hogan vs andre the giant
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Wee Tommy
- Heavyweight
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Not boxing but Cormier has shown a little guy can beat big guys.
Harry Greb leathered a few good heavies and light heavies. Henry Armstrong and Mickey Walker did good work against bigger guys.
Harry Greb leathered a few good heavies and light heavies. Henry Armstrong and Mickey Walker did good work against bigger guys.
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Grilling Machine
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 3163
- Joined: 16 Sep 2005, 02:28
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Cormier's small in the way that Tyson was small, though — height, not build. And height's less important in MMA, although still clearly a factor re: Cormier-Jones.
Jimmy Young?
Jimmy Young?
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
As a rule of thumb a good big un does normally win. Holyfield found this in the first Bowe fight.
His success at heavyweight was due to him successfully putting on weight!
His success at heavyweight was due to him successfully putting on weight!
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Sam Langford beat a lot of big 'uns.
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Pac vs cotto
" " vs hatton
" " vs clottey
" " vs barerra
" " vs De La Hoya
Canelo vs GGG
" " vs hatton
" " vs clottey
" " vs barerra
" " vs De La Hoya
Canelo vs GGG
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ezhmael
- Heavyweight
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Floyd vs The Big Show 
Jones vs Ruiz
Hopkins vs Tarver
Jones vs Ruiz
Hopkins vs Tarver
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Calzaghe vs hopkins,i know hopkins was middleweight but he moved to light heavy and beat the man.
Adonis stevenson vs chad dawson
Adonis stevenson vs chad dawson
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Rocky vs Thunderlips.
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Wee Tommy
- Heavyweight
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Grilling Machine wrote: ↑06 May 2019, 08:29 Cormier's small in the way that Tyson was small, though — height, not build. And height's less important in MMA, although still clearly a factor re: Cormier-Jones.
Jimmy Young?
Cormier makes light heavyweight and yet can still beat up the biggest heavyweights in his sport.
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Cornier was never in good shape as a light heavy. His success at heavy says much more about the level at that weight.
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
I don't think we can say Calzaghe vs Hopkins - Hopkins was a career long Middleweight.
Hopkins vs Tarver is a different matter.
Stevenson vs Dawson is a good call.
Bellew vs Haye?
Haye vs Valuev obviously and Harrison.
Byrd vs Klitchsko
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Michael Moorer v Evander Holyfield I
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Nightmare Roy
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 16918
- Joined: 18 May 2003, 17:29
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Ali Foreman
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
Joey Maxim defeated the great Sugar Ray Robinson when Robinson stepped up in an attempt to win Maxim's world light-heavyweight title. The heat was unbearable (for both men, let's not forget) and referee Ruby Goldstein had to be replaced at the end of the 10th round. Robinson, ahead on points, was pulled out by his corner at the end of the 13th.
Re: Good little un beats a good big un
I just noticed that it's a good little 'un beats a good big 'un. My bad. Tommy Hearns had never weighed above 160 pounds when he took on Dennis Andries for the WBC light-heavyweight title in Detroit in 1987 yet he destroyed Andries. OK, Tommy was a great fighter but it was still one helluva jump in weight.