Mike Weaver

Gerrie Coetzee and Scott LeDoux. Against Coetzee, Mike shows his heart and endurance in a title defense he was expected to lose.

Having made a name for himself against Holmes, Hercules went to Minnesota and demonstrated surprising boxing skills, virtually shutting out LeDoux on the road behind an unexpectedly effective jab, and proving he could dominate throughout all stages of a long bout.

Weaver/LeDoux and Weaver/Coetzee definitely should be included in your collection.

A third match you might want to consider is Weaver/Dokes II. Dokes was Don King's heavyweight, which tells you all you need to know about why Joey Curtis stopped his first fight with Weaver so prematurely, and also all you need to know about who was the true winner of their rematch draw. Although Weaver was robbed of the decision in their return go, it should speak volumes that Don King's lackeys just couldn't find a way to award Dokes the verdict. Mike Weaver was a true 15 round road warrior.

 

Nobody can answer this question better than Lobotomy. :good


By the way, what would you say if i said Weaver's chin was a bit on the weak side?

 

While it was certainly a handy excuse, I don't entirely buy it, even within the context of the Mancini-Kim aftermath. As Bob Arum repeatedly asserted about that tragedy, it was the result of just one punch. Weaver/Dokes I was nothing even remotely resembling Wilford Scypion/Willie Classen or Gaeton Hart/Cleveland Denny. To me, the gift draws Dokes got against Weaver and Ocasio stink of Dung King.

 

If he wasn't in peak condition and properly warmed up, it certainly could seem that way.

Although stunned in round eight against Coetzee, he stood up to a deadly succession of bionic rights, although as Gerrie said afterwards, "I think the title kept him up."

When it came to taking a punch, he stood up to Mercado, Ruddock, came off the floor to go the distance with Bonecrusher in their 12 round rematch, and decisioned Bert Cooper for his last major win.

He definitely got caught cold out of the gate a few times.

At his very best, he made the most of his limited abilities, which I suspect is a major reason why he reasonates so strongly with his admirers.

Sure, his chin was a bit on the weak side, but that could also be true about every other element of his boxing.

 

Weaver was a good fighter, but he didn't have the drive to be great. He should have been better than he was.

 

He is in the HOF. Tate - Weaver is one of my favorite fights of all time.

 

Michael Weaver was an extremley good fighter, I think I have him in my top 40 heavyweights of all time. He was a very good all around fighter, with rare late clutch power and warrior mentallity attributes that not many heavyweights in the 1980s had. His resume is outstanding, he fought everyone and in his peak years did quite well.

 

I think Weaver's problems were down to confidence. I don't think he felt he was anything until he gave Holmes some trouble. His self-belief and ego rose from then on and he became a good fighter. He already has the strength and power to make it. Just lacked the mental fortitude (initially).

 

Top 40?? Are you kidding me?

 

Weaver was one of those fighters who did not get good early guidance or quality officiating. Sometimes he was brilliant, brave and dramatic. Other times he was caught cold. Lack of defense and a shaky chin cost him. On the other hand Weaver could hit and go a hard 15 rounds. Weaver is one of those fighters that could upset as the underdog or be upset as the favorite.

 

?? He seemed to have good head movement upperbody movement and high gaurd to me.

 

Perfect analysis of him as a fighter.:good

 

I disagree. If you check out his record, you'll see that it's mostly strong punchers that knocked him out.

Weaver's real problem was that he was a notoriously slow starter. That's why he was stopped several times in the opening rounds. The problem wasn't durability, it was more a case of him being psychologically unprepared for the early round barrages.