Heavyweight upsets: alternative opponents
Posted: 18 Feb 2018, 17:17
Buster Douglas, Hasim Rahman and Corrie Sanders were all not mandatory challengers when they scored upsets over Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko respectively.
Would anlternative opponents score upsets over Tyson, Lewis and Klitschko on that exact night?
Mike Tyson's another option for February 1990 fight in Japan was a rematch with Jose Ribalta. Would Ribalta have a chance to upset Mike? I don't think so. Douglas was much better, much more talented fight. He was an elite talent while Ribalta wasn't even top-10 fighter at his very peak.
Lennox Lewis' options for April 2001 other than Hasim Rahman were David Izon, Kirk Johnson and Larry Donald. Feather-fisted Donald wouldn't be able to KO Lennox - so no chance of upset there. David Izon had good power, but I think Rahman had better jab and better timing. In-shape Kirk Johnson was very talented and explosive fighter, but his best punch was a left hook, his right hand lacked timing, and Lewis was more vulnerable to the right hand punches. Plus I think Kirk would be scared to death against Lennox and probably grossly overweight as well. So I don't think either of them would be able to do what Rahman did in Africa even against ufocused Lennox.
Klitschko's promoter Kohl was considering a lot of options for his March 2003 fight. They included Danny Williams, Fres Oquendo, Lou Savarese and Kirk Johnson. Corrie Sanders was choosen as an opponent though and it turned out to be a disaster for Wlad. None of the others were as fast, explosive and unorthodox fighters as Sanders was. So I don't think they would be able to replicate whatt Sanders did even against pre-Steward version of Wlad.
All in all I can say that Douglas, Rahman and Sanders deservve all the credit for their wins, because no matter how unfocused or underprepared Tyson, Lewis and Klitschko were, very few fighters could upset them on that nights.
Would anlternative opponents score upsets over Tyson, Lewis and Klitschko on that exact night?
Mike Tyson's another option for February 1990 fight in Japan was a rematch with Jose Ribalta. Would Ribalta have a chance to upset Mike? I don't think so. Douglas was much better, much more talented fight. He was an elite talent while Ribalta wasn't even top-10 fighter at his very peak.
Lennox Lewis' options for April 2001 other than Hasim Rahman were David Izon, Kirk Johnson and Larry Donald. Feather-fisted Donald wouldn't be able to KO Lennox - so no chance of upset there. David Izon had good power, but I think Rahman had better jab and better timing. In-shape Kirk Johnson was very talented and explosive fighter, but his best punch was a left hook, his right hand lacked timing, and Lewis was more vulnerable to the right hand punches. Plus I think Kirk would be scared to death against Lennox and probably grossly overweight as well. So I don't think either of them would be able to do what Rahman did in Africa even against ufocused Lennox.
Klitschko's promoter Kohl was considering a lot of options for his March 2003 fight. They included Danny Williams, Fres Oquendo, Lou Savarese and Kirk Johnson. Corrie Sanders was choosen as an opponent though and it turned out to be a disaster for Wlad. None of the others were as fast, explosive and unorthodox fighters as Sanders was. So I don't think they would be able to replicate whatt Sanders did even against pre-Steward version of Wlad.
All in all I can say that Douglas, Rahman and Sanders deservve all the credit for their wins, because no matter how unfocused or underprepared Tyson, Lewis and Klitschko were, very few fighters could upset them on that nights.