Igor Vysotsky

[Nile4000]

If Igor was allowed to fight in Montreal, could he have beaten Teofilio for the gold medal at that stage?

[Bob]

i don't think so, not in 1980. Teo was in the middle of his prime, and Vysotsky was at the tail end of his career. Igor might have been emboldened by previous results, but by 1980 I think Teo was bigger and smarter than previously and would have handled the Russian.

[Mighty Atom]

Tough call.
Remember Vysotsky was two years younger than Stevenson, had beaten him on more than one occasion and would have been fighting in front of a home Russian crowd.

[Nile4000]

How about 1976?

[Joson]

i don't think so, not in 1980. Teo was in the middle of his prime, and Vysotsky was at the tail end of his career. Igor might have been emboldened by previous results, but by 1980 I think Teo was bigger and smarter than previously and would have handled the Russian.

The Montreal Olympics were held in 1976, not in 1980.

Regarding OP's question, I think if Vysotsky and Stevenson fought in Montreal in 1976, Igor would have a 65% to 75% chance of victory. My judgment is based on the fact that, in April 1976, Vysotsky knocked Stevenson out in Minsk. Stevenson was floored twice in the process.

Think about it. The Montreal Olympics were held in August 1976, just four months after Stevenson got his head handed to him by Vysotsky. This would have undermined Stevenson's confidence had the pair fought in Montreal.

On top of that, Vysotsky outpointed Stevenson in a 1973 fight.

Overall, Stevenson was a much better fighter than Vysotsky. No doubt about it. But lots of great boxers have a certain opponent, someone inferior, that they struggle with, and even get beaten by sometimes. This happens because the superior fighter is troubled by that foe's physical traits and fighting style. This, basically, is what happened between Stevenson and Vysotsky.

[Joson]

i don't think so, not in 1980. Teo was in the middle of his prime, and Vysotsky was at the tail end of his career. Igor might have been emboldened by previous results, but by 1980 I think Teo was bigger and smarter than previously and would have handled the Russian.

The 1980 Olympics were held in Moscow. Vysotsky didn't even make the Soviet Olympic team that year. If by chance Stevenson and Vysotsky fought in 1980, I'd pick Stevenson to win.

Despite being good enough to KO Stevenson, Vysotsky wasn't necessarily the USSR's best heavyweight in the 1970s. He did lose a number of bouts in the 1975 to 1979 period.

[Bob]

My apologies...I had just answered the question about the 1980 US Olympic team and didn't pay enough attention to the year. I agree with the fact that in 1976 Vysotsky would have had a better than even chance against Teo based on those recent results; at that time Igor seemed to have Teo's number and was a very intimidating fighter.