James "Bonecrusher" Smith in todays heavyweight scene

[Charles White]

How would a prime Bonecrusher Smith do against todays heavyweights? Imho he becomes a beltholder hands down, but might come across a few problems with Vitali, but knocks out Wlad.

[natonic]

I don't think he'd beat either Klitschko. Vitali would at least equal his strength and outhustle him. He'd have a punchers chance against Wladimir, but the recent version of Wladimir would be content to jab Bonecrusher silly for 12 rounds.

[Charles White]

what about vs. Valuev?

[Charles White]

I wouldn't mind seeing Arreola vs. Smith, although I hope it would turn out better than Tyson vs. Smith

[natonic]

I think Bonecrusher would beat both Valuev and Areola. I just think the klitbros are a bad matchup for him.

[Muchmoore]

Smith-Wlad is tough to pick, Vitali is a safe bet though. I'd expect Smith to win some and lose some against the best of his era like he did in the 80's, but he would do a little better in today's scene. Smith is better than Valuev but getting the decision against him is another matter.

Smith was a huge puncher who would go the distance with Wlad. 12 rounds is a long time for Wlad to avoid him. I'd pick Smith to KO him eventually...

[MRBILL]

"Lazy-Bones" Smith had a chin and power, but, he was slower than Molasses in the winter........ Bones also held too goddamn much after he got winded...... Bones could do well when matched against stationary foe's who were easy to hit....... If Bones had to face a slick mover with a jab, he was screwed / out-pointed..... "Lazy-Bones" was a good / fun fighter to watch, but he too could be incredibly boring as all hell........ Cheers..

MR.BILL:bbb:deal

[Muchmoore]

"Lazy-Bones" Smith had a chin and power, but, he was slower than Molasses in the winter........ Bones also held too goddamn much after he got winded...... Bones could do well when matched against stationary foe's who were easy to hit....... If Bones had to face a slick mover with a jab, he was screwed / out-pointed..... "Lazy-Bones" was a good / fun fighter to watch, but he too could be incredibly boring as all hell........ Cheers..

MR.BILL:bbb:deal

How do you see him doing against Wlad?

I rate Wlad way higher, but I think Smith is a bit of a bad matchup for him with his chin, power, and size.

[MRBILL]

How do you see him doing against Wlad?

I rate Wlad way higher, but I think Smith is a bit of a bad matchup for him with his chin, power, and size.

Bones is way too slow to nail Wlad Klit in a time machine......... I see a boring fight based on the jab..... Klit jabs Bones to death....... Then stops Bones late by TKO....

The Klit of 2003 / '04 lost focus and confidence within himself..... He got some of it back in 2005.... By the end of '06, Klit was again cookin' pretty good...... Klit right now is in his prime and kickin' ass real good........

SR.BILL:deal

[diamondDave]

Bonecrusher was a nice guy, good heavyweight, college graduate, but not an ATG. I think he would be decimated by either Klitschko, Valuev, Chagaev, or schooled by Eddie Chambers.

[MRBILL]

Bonecrusher was a nice guy, good heavyweight, college graduate, but not an ATG. I think he would be decimated by either Klitschko, Valuev, Chagaev, or schooled by Eddie Chambers.

I'll pick Smith over Valubum....:yep

MR.BILL:shock:

[OBCboxer]

Prime Smith would be hard for Wlad and Vitali to overcome. I actually can see Smith beat this old and very slow version of Vitali. Wlad would win a close decision.

[MRBILL]

Prime Smith would be hard for Wlad and Vitali to overcome. I actually can see Smith beat this old and very slow version of Vitali. Wlad would win a close decision.

I really don't think that V.K. is so old and slow at age 37 in 2009............ Klit looked fine against Sam Peter last year..... Styles make fights........... Klit looked a tad slow against Gomez because Gomez is slippery and talented.......... Gomez at age 35 and a bloated 230 pounds is still quicker than the average asshole at heavyweight........ If and when Klit fights the slobbish 250+ pound Arreola, Klit's speed will look to be back to normal..... Again, Styles make fights.....
:bbb:yep

MR.BILL:deal

[ChrisPontius]

Bonecrusher was a nice guy, good heavyweight, college graduate, but not an ATG. I think he would be decimated by either Klitschko, Valuev, Chagaev, or schooled by Eddie Chambers.

Good post. Smith had a few good wins (in the first round), but lost most of his big fights and a lot of "small" ones as well.

[Charles White]

I'll pick Smith over Valubum....:yep

MR.BILL:shock::yep :good

[Charles White]

Bonecrusher was a nice guy, good heavyweight, college graduate, but not an ATG. I think he would be decimated by either Klitschko, Valuev, Chagaev, or schooled by Eddie Chambers.No way he gets beat by Valuev.

[MRBILL]

Off topic.... But anyone who says Larry "The Homer" Holmes was slow compared to Ali is full of shit.......................... I have "Holmes-Shavers 1" rolling from '78......... Holmes is a master who is pitching a shutout / no hitter against Shavers in 1978.......... Shavers is game, but also clueless as to how to solve Larry Holmes............... Holmes is moving and sticking and is very fast / quick............... Cheers.......

MR.BILL

[OBCboxer]

I really don't think that V.K. is so old and slow at age 37 in 2009............ Klit looked fine against Sam Peter last year..... Styles make fights........... Klit looked a tad slow against Gomez because Gomez is slippery and talented.......... Gomez at age 35 and a bloated 230 pounds is still quicker than the average asshole at heavyweight........ If and when Klit fights the slobbish 250+ pound Arreola, Klit's speed will look to be back to normal..... Again, Styles make fights.....
:bbb:yep

MR.BILL:deal

He still looked slow in the Peter fight. Compare him before he retired to now and you'll see a noticeable difference.

[fists of fury]

It's well possible he could win a belt, but I doubt he'd hold it all that long. He certainly isn't beating either Klitschko.
He was, as noted, pretty slow and although he had a good chin, he could be stopped cold, as Ruddock proved.

[Cachibatches]

I love Bonecrusher, but despite his power, he was truly one of the worst of the champs.

He was throughtly outboxed by Tubbs and Witherspoon, and only really beat Tim in the second fight because tim did not care after being ripped off by King. Not that it is a shame to be outboxed by Witherspoon or Tubbs, but it illustrates that there was a wide gulf in talent between the other eighties flahs in the pan heavies.

He was big, powerful and had a good chin, but slow, timid when challenged, and knew nothing what so ever about the art of scientific boxing.

[Mendoza]

Bonecrusher was a nice guy, good heavyweight, college graduate, but not an ATG. I think he would be decimated by either Klitschko, Valuev, Chagaev, or schooled by Eddie Chambers.

I'd take Smith over Valuev. BoneCrusher would be in the top ten today for sure. He might win a belt if he stuck around long enough, but I do not think he was good enough to keep it.

[MRBILL]

I agree that "Lazy Bones" Smith was good enough and powerful enough to capture a belt, but he was always slower than Molasses....... Smith could be out-boxed by a slick / slippery guy......... As he often was.........

Aside from the K. bros., today's crop is pretty weak..... I don't think much of Ruslan Chagaev, either.........

SR.BILLARDO

[Charles White]

bump.

[Squire]

From what I've seen of Smith I don't think he beats Valuev. Valuev is incredibly 2 dimensional, but he does best against 'big' guys who don't move about much. Watch his fight with a shot Liakhovich. He gets taken apart by skilled boxers who can move about and avoid getting hit, but I don't think Smith is the guy to do it

No way he beats Wlad Klitschko... come on, thats crazy talk :nut

[mr. magoo]

I see this is an old thread, and one that I haven't commented on, so given that its a shitty day and I'm off work I'll jump in...

James Smith was a big guy, with a hard punch and serviceable chin.. But, he was very slow, limited in skill and had questionable stamina and defense. Most of the men who he couldn't KO ended up beating him, unless they were of grade B level, ie.. Jesse Ferguson, Jose Ribalta, etc.. If we're talking about raw power, then he certainly had enough to stop Wlad in theory, but the problem is that he was for the most part, a right handed fighter, and its mainly the left that troubled Wladimir. He was also as mentioned, slow and limited in skill, and frankly I think both Klitschko's could out jab him with little trouble... Both Klits had size that few men ever matched or exceded Smith with, along with the right styles and skills to trouble him... Other men like Chambers, and a few others could have outpointed him as well.... As for Valuev, well he's gone now, as this thread was posted when he was still active... I think that Valuev vs Smith is a toss up. I can't see either man stopping the other, but I am inclined to taking Nikolay on points. Smith would not be able to impose his size on the much larger Russian, and Valuev for all his short cummings, was able to utilize his jab and reach to outpoint a fair number of foes.....

CONCLUSION: Smith might have had enough to crack today's top 10 and perhaps even hang around there for a while, but I don't see him winning a title or making a huge name for himself... In fact, he'd probably have similar status to a man like Tony Thomson.

[mister]

he would do very well he has size power and a good jab that can confuse a fighter thus allowing him to use his overall ring tactics to get the job done:yep:think

[Charles White]

Thanks for all of the input guys. I appreciate it.