Dempsey didn't have the legs to catch Tunney. Tyson did. Tyson couldn't be evaded. The only thing that saw guys go the distance was durability and a solid chin.
Don't know if Tunney could beat Tyson, but to say he gets blown out early is wrong. Tillis, Tucker, and Douglas frustrated him with movement and skill. There is no questioning Tunneys' heart, recuperative abilities, or skill. Tyson also showed he could be frustrated if he didn't score a quick win. It isn't a stretch to think Tunney would survive an early onslaught from Tyson and as the rounds go by, frustrate Tyson into making mistakes, and pick him apart.
Big question mark for me is this: does Tunney punch with enough authority to get Tyson's respect? Tyson walked through Spinks and had no respect for Spinks' power whatsoever. If Tunney cannot get that respect from Tyson, it's not going to last very long I'm afraid. And that's not intended to be a knock on Tunney at all. Capable fighters like Spinks, Tubbs and Williams didn't make it out of the first two rounds. Thomas barely did.
I don't disagree with these statements. I do think Tunney would find the best way for fighting Tyson. I'd have to pick Tyson '87-'88 over Tunney '26-'28. I think it would be closer if they came along in the same milieu -- I could see them going 2-1, not sure who the series goes to.
Going by Wikipedia, Tunney had 6 inches of reach on Tyson and a couple of inches of height. Tyson certainly had the bigger body but Tunney was a tough man and would use those atributes to his advantage. Six inches of reach is a massive difference if you are fighting a guy with a great jab who can also move. If Tyson couldn't blow Tunney out early, I could see him getting very frustrated as the fight progressed. After all, Tunney did beat the Tyson of his day twice.
Also, it should be noted that the kd vs. Dempsey was the ONLY time Tunney was ever knocked down in his career. People using that moment against him need to realise that fact.
And people who keep repeating this and cite it as some amazing footnote in Tunney's career need to realize that Dempsey was pretty much the only person Tunney fought who was CAPABLE of doing so. Tunney fought NO big punchers in his career and the best fighters he beat were past their best. Who tested his chin?? Nobody. Picking on has-been middleweights and has-been light-heavyweights isn't going to test your chin. Gene was one of the most careful fighters in history.
There is no questioning Bernard Hopkins' heart, recup or skill either. He'd still get blown out vs Tyson, wouldn't he? Tunney showed those attributes against a lot of has-been MWs, has-been LHWs and an unimpressive few small HWs of the day. Those things wouldn't be a factor against a faster, 220 pound killer like Tyson.
Are you serious? I suppose he would. You also failed to mention Tysons fragile Psyche. Take Tyson past the mid way point of the bout and he begins to get frustrated. Tunney was well capable of doing that. This isn't an easy night for Tyson at all. He may not win, but he doesnt get blown out either.
Little Gene Tunney isn't capable of exploiting Tyson's fragile psyche any more than Hopkins is. Both are too small and not strong enough to make an impression on a charging rhino like Tyson. He would have no problem hitting either fighter. Tunney is not going to be surviving shots from a prime Mike Tyson. And Tyson WILL land them.
No problems :good Well, Tyson's sheer size of bodyframe WOULD be a problem for Tunney if you dropped the best version of either from their actual careers. However, when matching up 1920'ies fighters with modern ones, I tend to imagine that the olden fighter had had the benefit of modern training, making him bigger and strogner. I think if you put Tunney's attributes (reach, jab, footwork, toughness and speed) in a modern sized guy - that's a difficult fight for Tyson right there. Not quite the same style, but a prime Larry Holmes had some of those attributes and I believe the prime version of Larry could have caused big problems for Tyson as well.
Mind you, I'm not saying Tyson wouldn't win - just that it could be an interesting fight to Watch :good