2003 Baby Joe Mesi VS Various Heavyweights

[HomicideHenry]

I can see Mesi losing to Byrd, Rahman, Toney, Peter, Sanders, but I think, he could hande Ruiz, since the Huggin Man wasn't able to box at all, while Mesi had enough agility to stay away from Johnny's grabbing attempts and score points.

That is the aggravating thing about John Ruiz because he could box. You see flashes of it in different matches especially with Nicolai Valuev, he could box well but he chose not to for the most part. The devastating loss to David Tua for the most part ruined John Ruiz because prior to that he did box pretty good.

Well, maybe he could do some resemblance of it, but he did it sloppy. And Valuev just doesn't have anything except straight paws, so it's not hard to outbox him. Ruiz failed to do it enough wide, allowed to rob him. Those, who really could box, like Chagaev or Haye, didn't leave Yeti a chance.

Perhaps, but there is nothing in Mesi's record to really demonstrate to me that he could have beaten John Ruiz who was admittedly the weakest of the top five heavyweights of that time period. It would have been a very big IF that he could.

[gilgamesh]

I can see Mesi losing to Byrd, Rahman, Toney, Peter, Sanders, but I think, he could hande Ruiz, since the Huggin Man wasn't able to box at all, while Mesi had enough agility to stay away from Johnny's grabbing attempts and score points.

That is the aggravating thing about John Ruiz because he could box. You see flashes of it in different matches especially with Nicolai Valuev, he could box well but he chose not to for the most part. The devastating loss to David Tua for the most part ruined John Ruiz because prior to that he did box pretty good.

I mean...the loss to Tua ruined Ruiz in the sense that it made him boring as all sh*t to watch, but I can't say it ruined him as a fighter considering he went on to his greatest success after that loss.

If he hadn't been flattened in such devastating fashion he probably wouldn't have shifted his style so dramatically, but if he hadn't done that. Who knows if he ever gets where he got?

The ugliness of his style is what allowed him to win a lot of those fights I think. His mauling style just kinda makes it hard to score the bout, and it put him 50/50 with guys that he really wouldn't have otherwise been.

Ruiz is definitely a unique case in Boxing. A tale of 2 careers in a sense.

[oogiebe]

My picks:

Joe Mesi VS Lennox Lewis, 2003: Lewis W Decision (in his prime years Lewis would have KO'd Mesi, but 2003 was not his prime years, feel like Mesi might survive)
Joe Mesi VS Vitali Klitschko, 2003: Klitschko KO Mid Rounds (Vitali just too big too strong too good)
Joe Mesi VS John Ruiz, 2003: 50-50 fight (anyone's fight, I do think Mesi could have won this if he fought the perfect fight, had he done it in 2003, he would have been a world heavyweight champ too)
Joe Mesi VS Corrie Sanders, 2003: Sanders KO Late Rounds (Corrie Sanders was one of the most naturally gifted heavyweights just never took it seriously. His power was better than Vitali's, on par with Lewis. Not saying he is a better fighter than Vitali but in terms of just KO power, ya he had amazing 1 punch power)
Joe Mesi VS Hasim Rahman, 2003: 50-50 fight (anyone's fight, I do think Mesi could have won this if he fought the perfect fight)

So I do think it's possible that Joe Mesi beat Hasim Rahman and John Ruiz, and could possibly, have been a heavyweight champ in 2003. Not against Klitschko or Lewis. But guys like Golota, Ruiz, Rahman were winnable fights for him.

- Prime Joe Mesi VS Prime Tommy Morrison: Joe Mesi KO 10
- Prime Joe Mesi VS Prime Oliver McCall: Joe Mesi W 12
- Prime Joe Mesi VS Prime Mike Tyson: Mike Tyson KO 7
- Prime Joe Mesi VS Prime Peter McNeeley: Joe Mesi KO 2
- Prime Joe Mesi VS Prime Max Schmeling: Max Schmeling W 12

Fellas! Joe Mesi has joined the chat!

[scorpio83]

I strongly agreed with Mesi would only beat Peter McNeeley while he lost to the rest of them that you listed.