Hindsight is a great thing. It's easy to talk about past heavyweights as if they were great but I'm 34 so I remember what people used to say about the fighters you mention when they were fighting.
Bruno ? When he was fighting he was seen as a stiff. A guy who look liked he should be in Mr Olympia but had a weak chin. His punching power at the very top level was suspect. Who was the best guy he knocked out ? Bugner ? Carl Williams ? Gerrie Cotzee ? C'mon
McCall ? He was never seen as a power puncher. So why you think he would got Stiverne, Molina or Duhappas out of there is beyond me. But he did probably have one of the greatest chins in heavyweight history.
Tyson ? OK. Now you're talking. I agree. A prime Tyson would have more than likely made mincemeat out Stiverne, Molina, Duhappas. Though remember even Tyson was taken the distance more than once and in his prime by Tony Tucker and Bonecrusher Smith ? Were Tony Tucker or Bonecrusher Smith that much better that than Stiverne, Molina or Duhaupes ?
Lewis ? For some reason. I don't what it is. But Lennox Lewis never really won people over. I don't know what that is. He fought Tyson when it did not matter and both where past there prime. And he never fought Bowe. He could not get Holyfield out of there in 24 rounds even though Holyfield was natural cruiserweight.
Would he have got Stiverne, Molina and Duhaupes out of there ? Well he was knocked out cold by Hashim Rahman and he could not him out there and he was controversial knocked out by McCall (I thought he should have been allowed to continue) he did go the distance with Ray Mercer, David Tua and the little known Zeljko Mavrovic.
Joshua ? Too early to say
Bowe ? Not so sure
Wlad ? Maybe
All in all. It's easy to look back and say 'they were good so good back then"
Bookmarks