Michael Spinks vs Ray Mercer and Tommy Morrison.

[jwfg]

Not at the same time.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Fatal 3 way texas death match!

[scorpio83]

Spinks would outbox the Duke and then stopping him in the late rounds. Spinks would outbox Mercer and take a decision.

[Joson]

I believe Spinks beats the chinny Morrison, most likely by stoppage. However Tommy would be a "live" underdog given his KO power and the fact that Spinks was vulnerable as a heavyweight. Overall, I'd rate this a 75% chance of Spinks victory against 25% chance for Tommy.

Needless to say, Spinks would need to keep the action in center ring, where he could use boxing skill to dodge and circle away from Morrison's bombs. Michael could not afford to get hit all, not even once. But I think he'd succeed.

Spinks vs Mercer is a harder to fight to call, given that Ray could take a great punch, bang, and put a lot of pressure on Michael. This is another fight where Spinks, who was just a puffed-up light-heavyweight, could not afford to get hit by a single power punch.

But I'll make the educated guess that Spinks beats Mercer on points. I could picture Mike successfully dancing circles around Ray, peppering him with combos and dodging the bigger man's bombs.

[SeanBrennan]

Not at the same time.

guna say Jwfg that's not fair

[jwfg]

Michael could not afford to get hit all, not even once. But I think he'd succeed.

He would have to avoid every single punch Morrison threw? That would involve some Matrix-like head movement.

[Joson]

Michael could not afford to get hit all, not even once. But I think he'd succeed.

He would have to avoid every single punch Morrison threw? That would involve some Matrix-like head movement.

I'll answer this by telling you something I read in World/International Boxing in 1975.

At the time, Pedro Soto, a popular light-heavyweight from New York City, was preparing to fight as a heavyweight. World/International Boxing, which was based in NYC and always gave Soto lots of ink, interviewed Billy Conn on the subject. Conn, as everyone knows, was a light-heavyweight champ who stepped up in weight and nearly beat Joe Louis in 1941.

Conn said that Soto could indeed succeed at heavyweight. He explained that light-heavies could pull this trick against big men if, and only if, they avoided getting hit. Conn emphasized that this means the smaller guy can't afford to get hit even once. But he said it could be done.

I assume Conn meant the light-heavyweight would need to dodge, slip, or deflect all the heavyweight's power shots. Light punches like jabs, I guess, could be absorbed. But not power shots.

So yeah...I think a super-talented light-heavy such as Spinks could indeed avoid being tagged by a bomber like Morrison. Spinks pulled it off against Gerry Cooney, so I don't see any reason why he couldn't do the same against Tommy.