Heavyweight Gene Tunney in the 1970's

[cross_trainer]

Could he do better than Bob Foster in the heavyweight division of the 1970's?

[janitor]

Much better.

At the verry least he would equal Jimmy Ellis's run.

I suspect that he would intrude on the big four of that era at some point.

[Ramon Rojo]

He´d get slaughtered

[janitor]

He´d get slaughtered

A lot of verry fine fighters did.

[Beebs]

He would be better than Bob Foster for the simple reason that he wouldn't try and punch with them like Foster thought he could, Tunney had the style to be a top heavyweight in any age.

[Beebs]

He wouldn't do as well.

Why's that? I think his in and out, defensive style would stand up better to Heavys than Fosters more aggresive style, although I would like to hear your opinion, assuming its not one of your rediculous ones, because you do have some good ones mixed in with those.

[Duodenum]

Tunney had footspeed, experience, and toughness (physical and mental) which Floyd Patterson lacked. Gene wasn't an unpredictable head case like Jerry Quarry. He was extremely intelligent, and he had the physical tools to express that intelligence through his ring performance. Among the opponents faced by either Quarry or Patterson, only Frazier and Ali clearly could have beaten Tunney.

[jyuza]

He would do at least as good as Bob did but in a different way.

Probably couldn't beat the 70s version of Ali (only Louis could have at this point) but he would have put up a pretty good performance.

[janitor]

I could see Tunney beating the 70s version of Ali. He had the style to give him fit's.

[jyuza]

I could see Tunney beating the 70s version of Ali. He had the style to give him fit's.

Well, Ali in the 70s was still very fast and very mobile. Nothing comparable to the stingy butterfly of the 60s, but he gain a lot of experience during his defeat which gave him a lot more confidence (he didn't care anymore about the undefeated special status).
A Tunney vs Ali would have been a very close fight, either could take the edge.

[RockyJim]

Great boxer....tough minded.......one of the smartest fighters ever!!!

[janitor]

Well, Ali in the 70s was still very fast and very mobile. Nothing comparable to the stingy butterfly of the 60s, but he gain a lot of experience during his defeat which gave him a lot more confidence (he didn't care anymore about the undefeated special status).
A Tunney vs Ali would have been a very close fight, either could take the edge.

A lot would depend on what strategy Tunney used.

If he made Ali chase him around the ring and countered then he could cause him a lot of problems.

[Duodenum]

I could see Tunney beating the 70s version of Ali. He had the style to give him fit's. This is a very feasible scenario. Ali would need to optimize his height and reach against Tunney, wereas Gene would need to get off first with an aggressive jab (one good enough to through Ali off his rhythym), and go downstairs, as he did in his later matches with Greb and Loughran. Tunney was smarter than Muhammad (who has plainly stated, "I never said I was the smartest, just the greatest"). But Gene never faced an opponent with Ali's combination of height, reach, speed, and quality jab. This would have been an intriguing chessmatch. Ali might also bloody up Tunney with his hands, as Greb did with his head in their initial ecounter.

Tunney would have analyzed Ali very carefully (as he actually did), and would have found a great deal to try capitalizing on. Carrying out a particular plan in competition might have been a different matter against Muhammad. If Gene could get Ali going for a kayo, he might sneak off a points win.

[groove]

Well i think Frazier and Foreman would've knocked Billy Conn out early. He never would've lasted as long as he did against Louis. Tunney could've taken Louis as i rate him higher than Conn.

[ChrisPontius]

A better question might be: could he do worse than Foster did against heavyweights?

[McGrain]

Well i think Frazier and Foreman would've knocked Billy Conn out early. He never would've lasted as long as he did against Louis. Tunney could've taken Louis as i rate him higher than Conn.


I agree with you about Frazier taking out Conn pretty early - don't know about Foreman though, Conn may lead him a similair dance. And don't underestimate Conn's chin - he took some shot.

I rate Conn above Tunney - but I think Tunney may give Louis all kinds of trouble.

[PowerPuncher]

I see him performing against the following:

Frazier - Frazier mid round KO

Ali - Wide UD or cuts stoppage, Ali is faster, much bigger reach, stronger, a counter puncher doesn't do well

Foreman - does better, he may be able to outbox Foreman based on the Ali and Young fights. But Foreman was not at his best against Young and the Foreman who fought Frazier/Norton/Ali puts Tunney away before 3 rounds have elapsed, Tunney wouldn't be able to evade all the shots Foreman would throw

Holmes - Holmes wide UD

Norton - Norton UD, Norton went 50-50 with the best 2 boxers in HW history, against the lesser Tunney he wins around 10-5 or 9-6

Quarrey - this would go the distance in a closely fought contest that could go either way

Young - hard to pick, similar sized fighters, Young was faster very elusive and

Lyle - Tunney probably gets a UD but Lyle certainly may stop Tunney

Shavers - Tunney late TKO or Shavers early KO. Shavers liked catching up to smaller fighters and throwing the kitchen sink at them when they had less chance to hurt him

[Dempsey1238]

I see him performing against the following:

Frazier - Frazier mid round KO

Ali - Wide UD or cuts stoppage, Ali is faster, much bigger reach, stronger, a counter puncher doesn't do well

Foreman - does better, he may be able to outbox Foreman based on the Ali and Young fights. But Foreman was not at his best against Young and the Foreman who fought Frazier/Norton/Ali puts Tunney away before 3 rounds have elapsed, Tunney wouldn't be able to evade all the shots Foreman would throw

Holmes - Holmes wide UD

Norton - Norton UD, Norton went 50-50 with the best 2 boxers in HW history, against the lesser Tunney he wins around 10-5 or 9-6

Quarrey - this would go the distance in a closely fought contest that could go either way

Young - hard to pick, similar sized fighters, Young was faster very elusive and

Lyle - Tunney probably gets a UD but Lyle certainly may stop Tunney

Shavers - Tunney late TKO or Shavers early KO. Shavers liked catching up to smaller fighters and throwing the kitchen sink at them when they had less chance to hurt him

I dont think Fraizer stops Tunney in the mid rounds, Tunney has a great chin, not unless Fraizer catchs Tunney cold, he is not stopping Tunney imo. He may out swarm him for a points win. Outside of Ali, Holmes, and Fraizer, I belive Tunney could beat evey one else. Yes even Foreman imo. Tunney defense would insure he gets into the later rounds to stop Big George inbout the 11th round.

[Duodenum]

I dont think Fraizer stops Tunney in the mid rounds, Tunney has a great chin, not unless Fraizer catchs Tunney cold, he is not stopping Tunney imo. He may out swarm him for a points win. Outside of Ali, Holmes, and Fraizer, I belive Tunney could beat evey one else. Yes even Foreman imo. Tunney defense would insure he gets into the later rounds to stop Big George inbout the 11th round. I largely agree with this. Foreman might go the distance with Tunney, which would make it look an awful lot like Loughran-Baer. The spindly Foster had limited mobility, as Jack Palance observed at the beginning of his match with Mike Quarry. (Palance, a former boxer himself, makes note of how Foster planted his trailing right foot like a home run slugger, compromising Bob's ability to fluidly move left or backwards. I assume Palance's comment is readily available on youtube.) Unlike Foster, Tunney had the footspeed, moving back and laterally, necessary to contend with Frazier.

[PowerPuncher]

I dont think Fraizer stops Tunney in the mid rounds, Tunney has a great chin, not unless Fraizer catchs Tunney cold, he is not stopping Tunney imo. He may out swarm him for a points win. Outside of Ali, Holmes, and Fraizer, I belive Tunney could beat evey one else. Yes even Foreman imo. Tunney defense would insure he gets into the later rounds to stop Big George inbout the 11th round.

Defense and chin get trumped by pressure and power. Past prime Dempsey lacked the same pressure of prime Frazier and Foreman

[Bummy Davis]

I like his chances vs anyone in the 70's and I think he would hold his own vs Ali

[godking]

A lot would depend on what strategy Tunney used.

If he made Ali chase him around the ring and countered then he could cause him a lot of problems.Making someone chase you around the ring only works if you are significantly faster then your opponent and you are more skilled.

70s Ali was still fast enough to catch up to Tunney.

[Bummy Davis]

Making someone chase you around the ring only works if you are significantly faster then your opponent and you are more skilled.

70s Ali was still fast enough to catch up to Tunney.

Tunney had pretty good power, a fight with him and Ali would be a close one, Tunney had a long amatuer carreer and credentials as well as a rising star moving up in weight

[mcvey]

Could he do better than Bob Foster in the heavyweight division of the 1970's?
Yes,Tunney had better hand and footspeed than Foster was much more mobile and very durable,only Dempsey floored him,and ,while no power hitter,he hit hard enough to get your respect.

[robert ungurean]

He would have fit right in and held his own with any of them.

[combatesdeboxeo]

I dont think Fraizer stops Tunney in the mid rounds, Tunney has a great chin, not unless Fraizer catchs Tunney cold, he is not stopping Tunney imo. He may out swarm him for a points win. Outside of Ali, Holmes, and Fraizer, I belive Tunney could beat evey one else. Yes even Foreman imo. Tunney defense would insure he gets into the later rounds to stop Big George inbout the 11th round.:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:lol::lol:
:patsch foreman in his prime 70-74 would absolutely smash,destroy,murder,kill gentleman tunney

[combatesdeboxeo]

I see him performing against the following:

Frazier - Frazier mid round KO

Ali - Wide UD or cuts stoppage, Ali is faster, much bigger reach, stronger, a counter puncher doesn't do well

Foreman - does better, he may be able to outbox Foreman based on the Ali and Young fights. But Foreman was not at his best against Young and the Foreman who fought Frazier/Norton/Ali puts Tunney away before 3 rounds have elapsed, Tunney wouldn't be able to evade all the shots Foreman would throw

Holmes - Holmes wide UD

Norton - Norton UD, Norton went 50-50 with the best 2 boxers in HW history, against the lesser Tunney he wins around 10-5 or 9-6

Quarrey - this would go the distance in a closely fought contest that could go either way

Young - hard to pick, similar sized fighters, Young was faster very elusive and

Lyle - Tunney probably gets a UD but Lyle certainly may stop Tunney

Shavers - Tunney late TKO or Shavers early KO. Shavers liked catching up to smaller fighters and throwing the kitchen sink at them when they had less chance to hurt him

:good

[RockyJim]

One of the smartest fighters of all time...

[Seamus]

He would do very well, better than against the 90's behemoths, a point at which the size differential would start to tell. At 6 foot 190, 77 inch reach he can cope with 70's era heavyweight, especially with his preternatural speed, sense of distance and footwork. I think he would do well against the big swingers, Foreman, Lyle, Shavers, Mac Foster. He would be beat at his own game against Ali. I think he'd take Norton in a dreadful affair. However, I think Frazier's pressure would be his undoing.

[Dempsey1238]

:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:lol::lol:
:patsch foreman in his prime 70-74 would absolutely smash,destroy,murder,kill gentleman tunney


Yeah right, I see Foreman struggle to ko the likes of Peralta, and I cant help but think Tunney's speed and movement would have trouble Foreman.

This is not a come forward Joe Frazier here, Foreman is going to have to chase Tunney to get that ko.

[red cobra]

I think Tunney would have surprised the shit out of everybody against every one of them..he was and still is the most criminally underrated great champion of all time.

[combatesdeboxeo]

Yeah right, I see Foreman struggle to ko the likes of Peralta, and I cant help but think Tunney's speed and movement would have trouble Foreman.

This is not a come forward Joe Frazier here, Foreman is going to have to chase Tunney to get that ko.

yes, of course tunney was fast, but he might not run during all the fight. foreman would not fail always, early or later foreman would catch him. remember that ali or young did beat foreman with tactics, taking shots in the ropes. ali never outboxed foreman.george did cut the ring very well. and joe frazier would be the worst match for tunney. compared with joe in pressure terms dempsey was an amateur

[Flemo83]

I think Tunney would give all the top guys trouble. I'm not saying he'd beat em all, but he'd win his fair share an be at least as competitive as the likes of Norton, Young, and Quarry

[werety]

I could see Tunney beating the 70s version of Ali. He had the style to give him fit's.

This is absolutely over the top. How could you possibly see this happening? Tunney can't take the fight to Ali and if he tries to fight defensively Ali will just out do him with superior footspeed, handspeed, and reach.

[tommygun711]

I could see Tunney beating the 70s version of Ali. He had the style to give him fit's.
Post 74 yeah.
Before that I think tunney gets smoked..

[werety]

Post 74 yeah.
Before that I think tunney gets smoked..

I was assuming he meant the best 70s Ali.

[combatesdeboxeo]

Post 74 yeah.
Before that I think tunney gets smoked..

ali 75 would beat tunney too

[Pachilles]

I could see Tunney beating the 70s version of Ali. He had the style to give him fit's.

what are you?