BoxRec

Probably he's rated fairly in the p4p sense, but I think he's underrated as a HW.

The likes of Louis, Marciano, Johnson and even Dempsey are often rated higher than Tunney, but I think, Tunney could outbox each of them. Probably everybody remember, that he did exactly that to Dempsey twice. I'd say, Tunney was the best HW until the late 60s - 70s era.

Tunney was a very advanced boxer for his time. He could jab and move like no one else back it those days, he was quick, durable and had a solid punch, although he wasn't a banger. I'd surely pick him over the grabber Johnson and sluggish Marciano. Tunney would keep them outside and outbox them from there, his superior speed, movement and great jab would be keys.

Louis would be the biggest threat, as he was crafty, highly technical and his precision with power were impressive, but he could be outboxed, as Conn almost did it, while Tunney was better than Conn. Also, Tunney's power would be enough to hurt Louis, whose chin wasn't stellar.

Only in the 60s there came Ali, who had a similar style with Tunney, but was even faster, bigger and more hard-hitting, and there came Frazier, who was a nightmare for every outfigher.

What do you think on this? Is Tunney underrated? How he would do against the greatest HW fighters of the nearby eras?

I'd say mostly rated fairly and at times overrated.

Really a pretty shallow record outside of his series with Greb. His HW resume consists almost entirely of beating shot Dempsey twice, once coming off a three year layoff, and coming off a fight he deserved to lose to Jack Sharkey.

Largely overrated as a heavy, possible under at light heavy and p4p.