Kicking off with Buster Mathis v Ken Norton and just to make the numbers up,so to speak,include Joe's opponents after losing the title to George Foreman. We do it as follows - Buster Mathis 1968 v Ken Norton 1978 Manuel Ramos 1968 v Alfredo Evangelista 1978 Oscar Bonavena 1968 v Ossie Ocasio 1979 Dave Zygliewicz 1969 v MIke Weaver 1979 Jerry Quarry 1969 v Earnie Shavers 1979 Jimmy Ellis 1970 v Lorenzo Zanon 1980 Bob Foster 1970 v Leroy Jones 1980 Muhammad Ali 1971 v Scott Le Doux 1980 Terry Daniels 1972 v Muhammad Ali 1980 Ron Stander 1972 v Trevor Berbick 1981 George Foreman 1973 v Leon Spinks 1981 Joe Bugner 1973 v Renaldo Snipes 1981 Muhammad Ali 1974 v Gerry Cooney 1982 Jerry Quarry 1974 v Randy Cobb 1982 Jimmy Ellis 1975 v Lucien Rodriguez 1983 Muhammad Ali 1975 v Tim Witherspoon 1983 George Foreman 1976 v Scott Frank 1983 Floyd Cummings 1981 v Marvis Frazier 1983 Not all but most of Holmes' title opponents included Joe Bugner 1973
My own winners would be - Norton Ramos Bonavena Weaver Quarry Ellis Jones Ali Daniels Berbick Foreman Bugner - maybe Ali Cobb Ellis Ali Foreman Cummings
Norton Ramos Bonavena Weaver Quarry Ellis Foster Ali Daniels Berbick Foreman Snipes Ali Quarry Ellis Ali Foreman Cummings
The fact that Daniels has been selected by two of us over the 1980 Ali illustrates how sick the great man was when he fought Holmes on that sad night. Ali was marginally better against Trevor Berbick a year later mainly because he was n't on thyrolar. On that occasion,as far gone as he was,he'd have had just about enough left to have beaten Terry Daniels
Terry Dainels has no chance against any version of Ali. The guy was destroyed in 1 by Ron Stander and was on JP Coopman level. No way in hell he lasts 3 rounds against Holmes and Berbick.
Buster Mathis 1968 v Ken Norton 1978 - Norton KO7 Manuel Ramos 1968 v Alfredo Evangelista 1978 - 50/50 Oscar Bonavena 1968 v Ossie Ocasio 1979 - Bonawena KO9 Dave Zygliewicz 1969 v MIke Weaver 1979 - Weaver KO2 Jerry Quarry 1969 v Earnie Shavers 1979 - Quarry KO1 Jimmy Ellis 1970 v Lorenzo Zanon 1980 - Ellis KO5 Bob Foster 1970 v Leroy Jones 1980 Foster KO9 Muhammad Ali 1971 v Scott Le Doux 1980 - Ali KO5 Terry Daniels 1972 v Muhammad Ali 1980 - Ali easy decision Ron Stander 1972 v Trevor Berbick 1981 Berbick KO5 George Foreman 1973 v Leon Spinks 1981 - Foreman KO1 Joe Bugner 1973 v Renaldo Snipes 1981 - Bugner UD Muhammad Ali 1974 v Gerry Cooney 1982 - Ali KO7 Jerry Quarry 1974 v Randy Cobb 1982 - Quarry UD Jimmy Ellis 1975 v Lucien Rodriguez 1983 - Ellis KO5 Muhammad Ali 1975 v Tim Witherspoon 1983 - Ali UD George Foreman 1976 v Scott Frank 1983 - Foreman KO2 Floyd Cummings 1981 v Marvis Frazier 1983 - Frazier UD
Agree on all results. And that's very hard to do with that many bouts. Can anyone picture Neon Leon--the 81 version--in there with 73 Foreman? Or, Scott Frank? About the only upset might be Bob Foster in there with Big Bad Leroy. Even then, Jones was no hitter and I can see Bob outboxing the guy pretty much every round. Man, that column on the right is as weak as it gets. Might have to jump back to a Patterson title run against those Holmes opponents to get some competitive matches.
