Thread: James "Quick" Tillis. The Greatest Underachiever

If there is one heavyweight in history that I believe never fought at his potential it is James Tillis. He is mostly remembered as the guy who took a young, ferocius, and undefeated Mike Tyson the distance in a competitive but losing effort. I remember him as the last of a breed of heavyweight fighters that utilized footwork, handspeed, and a tremendous jab. Tillis had one of the greatest jabs I have seen a heavyweight posess. No he wasnt Ali, but he he had a lightning fast jab that was superior to almost in the divisions history. Obviously inconsistency and stamina issues plagued his career. His record show that. Maybe it was poor training or bad habits. Still, I wonder how his career would have changed if had beaten Tyson that night and how he would be remembered today.

....what about Andrew Golota? 'Razor' Rudduck? or even Michael Moorer given what he did after beating Holyfield

Originally Posted by Lyle

....what about Andrew Golota? 'Razor' Rudduck? or even Michael Moorer given what he did after beating Holyfield

All those guys never accomplished as much as they should have either. Tillis acheived far less though imo and had just as much natural ability.

Originally Posted by BoomBoom

Originally Posted by Lyle

....what about Andrew Golota? 'Razor' Rudduck? or even Michael Moorer given what he did after beating Holyfield

All those guys never accomplished as much as they should have either. Tillis acheived far less though imo and had just as much natural ability.

Greg Page seemed to have it all at one time , but he was lazy in training and in the ring. Tillis to be fair was a poor mans Greg Page , who was a poor mans Ali

Originally Posted by Dark Lord Al

Originally Posted by BoomBoom

Originally Posted by Lyle

....what about Andrew Golota? 'Razor' Rudduck? or even Michael Moorer given what he did after beating Holyfield

All those guys never accomplished as much as they should have either. Tillis acheived far less though imo and had just as much natural ability.

Greg Page seemed to have it all at one time , but he was lazy in training and in the ring. Tillis to be fair was a poor mans Greg Page , who was a poor mans Ali

Both Page and Tillis were just short of being in the first division, they were tough fights for up and comers and both had their moments in the sun, for whatever reason and only they could answer they didn't quite measure up when it really counted.

Originally Posted by THE THIRD MAN

Originally Posted by Dark Lord Al

Originally Posted by BoomBoom

All those guys never accomplished as much as they should have either. Tillis acheived far less though imo and had just as much natural ability.

Greg Page seemed to have it all at one time , but he was lazy in training and in the ring. Tillis to be fair was a poor mans Greg Page , who was a poor mans Ali

Both Page and Tillis were just short of being in the first division, they were tough fights for up and comers and both had their moments in the sun, for whatever reason and only they could answer they didn't quite measure up when it really counted.

I remember Ali being impressed with Page, a lot of people thought Page was the new Ali since Page come from Louisville Kentucky like Ali. Plus he had the same low hands style. A lot of the 80's Heavyweights were talented, but i think the best of 80's Heavyweight's was Tim Witherspoon at his best he gave Larry Holmes hell. In fact im big Holmes fan and i had Holmes only winning by 1 point but i wouldn't have been disappointed had it gone the other way very razor thin close fight.

Tillis had talent, and that fight against Tyson was the blueprint for how Mike could be beaten. Actually, Tillis might get too much credit. Tyson was so feared and had KO'd everybody, so when Tillis when 10 with him and took 3 or 4 rounds, it made him look like something special. Yeah, he had a great jab, and he was quick, but he was a poor man's Larry Holmes without the power.

I have to go with Micheal Grant, how can anyone not go with Micheal Grant? I remember seeing him on the cover of SI standing at 6'7 255 Ibs and I thought to myself " whos gonna beat this guy"? But he had no heart, alot of people say that it was Lennox who exposed him but he was really exposed by Golota who if not quit would have beaten Grant, this guy was the classic and cover boy for underachieving

Originally Posted by ICB

Originally Posted by THE THIRD MAN

Originally Posted by Dark Lord Al

Greg Page seemed to have it all at one time , but he was lazy in training and in the ring. Tillis to be fair was a poor mans Greg Page , who was a poor mans Ali

Both Page and Tillis were just short of being in the first division, they were tough fights for up and comers and both had their moments in the sun, for whatever reason and only they could answer they didn't quite measure up when it really counted.

I remember Ali being impressed with Page, a lot of people thought Page was the new Ali since Page come from Louisville Kentucky like Ali. Plus he had the same low hands style. A lot of the 80's Heavyweights were talented, but i think the best of 80's Heavyweight's was Tim Witherspoon at his best he gave Larry Holmes hell. In fact im big Holmes fan and i had Holmes only winning by 1 point but i wouldn't have been disappointed had it gone the other way very razor thin close fight.

I agree totally about Witherspoon. But he didn't really underachieve his whole career - he was the third man to regain the heavyweight title after Ali and Patterson.

The reason he underachieved in the latter half of his career was because Don King put a hex on him after Spoon initiated legal proceedings against him for stealing his money. After that Tim couldn't get a fight in a bar.

Witherspoon had it all - great chin, good defence and excellent power with the right hand.

He showed up out of shape against Bonecrusher which cost him big - if he won that he would have got Tyson next. He also wasn't the most dedicated of trainers. But I advise anyone to check out the Holmes/Witherspoon fight - Larry was lucky to get out of that one.