BoxRec

Let's review the heavyweight scene watching their fights from 1979 to the year 1987. From Larry Holmes to Mike Tyson. It was a forgotten era of heavyweights where the man was Holmes and the rest were guys that didn't teach their potential nor expectations.

Even though these giants were average about 6'3" and about 230lbs as a whole, they lacked something. What was it? Dedication? Talent? Heart? Or they just simply weren't that good as the 70s and 90s decades?

We will review them fight by fight. The best fights only between the top heavyweights of that era.

I am starting with "Big" John Tate vs Mike Weaver. It was for the WBA World Heavyweight Championship owned by Tate on March 31, 1980. It was a Monday night in Stokley Athletic Center in Knoxville, TN. Tate's hometown.

What really happened here?

Mike Weaver dramatically wins the WBA World Heavyweight Championship by knockout in the last and 15th round at the hands of champion Big John Tate on Monday, March 31, 1980 in Knoxville, TN at the Stokley Athletic Center.

That's why I want the 15 rounds to comeback. This is one of the greatest Heavyweight world title fights in boxing history.

elmersalsa wrote: ↑02 Apr 2025, 16:17





Mike Weaver dramatically wins the WBA World Heavyweight Championship by knockout in the last and 15th round at the hands of champion Big John Tate on Monday, March 31, 1980 in Knoxville, TN at the Stokley Athletic Center.

That's why I want the 15 rounds to comeback. This is one of the greatest Heavyweight world title fights in boxing history.

Don't know about one of the greatest, but that was a helluva knockout by Weaver !

Nile4000 wrote: ↑02 Apr 2025, 16:47

elmersalsa wrote: ↑02 Apr 2025, 16:17





Mike Weaver dramatically wins the WBA World Heavyweight Championship by knockout in the last and 15th round at the hands of champion Big John Tate on Monday, March 31, 1980 in Knoxville, TN at the Stokley Athletic Center.

That's why I want the 15 rounds to comeback. This is one of the greatest Heavyweight world title fights in boxing history.

Don't know about one of the greatest, but that was a helluva knockout by Weaver !

Well, you know, The Ring Magazine rated this fight in 1996 as one the 100 Greatest Title Fights of All-time. I don't know which number this fight ranked in that year for the magazine, but it was a very entertaining scrap.

Mike Weaver showed that if you got faith, will, courage and determination, and a little bit of luck, you can move mountains. Big John Tate was a big mountain. He was 6'4" and 232lbs. After that fight, Tate was never the same for some reason.

What you guys think what really happened to him after his fight with Weaver?

They were simply not special. They were good, but with their drawbacks. The likes of Holmes and Tyson go to a category of the greats, while those guys fall short, they weren't talented enough. Some were too basic, some lacked toughness, some lacked dedication.