Holmes vs Norton - What Gene Tunney said!

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Frankel, Aug 25, 2016.

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  1. Frankel

    Frankel Active Member Full Member

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    June 1978 Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Ken Norton defending his WBC Heavyweight title against Larry Holmes. Ringside sat former Heavyweight Champion 81yrs old Gene Tunney. After the main event Holmes vs Norton, Gene Tunney was interviewd ar ringside, and asked his opinion of the two fighters Holmes and Norton. Tunney replied, "Jack Dempsey would have knocked them both out in the first round"....
     
    Frankel, Aug 25, 2016
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  2. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member

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    Very enlightening.
     
    mcvey, Aug 25, 2016
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  3. Pugilist_Spec

    Pugilist_Spec Hands Of Stone Full Member

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    What an *******.
     
    Pugilist_Spec, Aug 25, 2016
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  4. madballster

    madballster Loyal Member Full Member

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    That's what I tried to explain to the classic forum geeks many times. Former era champions very regularly disrespected current area champions. Its NOT proof of a weak era. It's been happening since 100 years.
     
    madballster, Aug 25, 2016
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  5. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Of course that put Geno light years above Holmes and Norton :lol:
     
    JohnThomas1, Aug 25, 2016
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  6. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Tunney had seen better days. He was 81 years old already.
    He was dead by the end of the year.
     
    Unforgiven, Aug 25, 2016
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  7. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Tunney was a pompous racist idiot in earlier times anyway. He'd probably always been an idiot.
     
    Unforgiven, Aug 25, 2016
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  8. reznick

    reznick In the 7.2% Full Member

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    Lol at everyone chastising Tunney. Pool old man was probably onto something!

    It's not like he saw Dempsey fighting in the flesh, as well as Holmes, to make such a comparison.
     
    reznick, Aug 25, 2016
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  9. Rock0052

    Rock0052 Loyal Member Full Member

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    100% this.

    Heck, listen to the prior generations tell it, and boxing has been dying since it started.
     
    Rock0052, Aug 25, 2016
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  10. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    What a shocker.
     
    mr. magoo, Aug 25, 2016
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  11. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Absolutely.. The fighting Marine would have taken both of them on in the same night and made them feel a pile of wet towels !!!
     
    mr. magoo, Aug 25, 2016
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  12. ForemanJab

    ForemanJab Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    And Holmes constantly degrades all the HWs that came after him so it all comes full circle.
     
    ForemanJab, Aug 25, 2016
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  13. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Jack Dempsey belittled Joe Louis quite frequently in Joe's early days by all accounts.
     
    Stevie G, Aug 25, 2016
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  14. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    He doubted Ali could have beat Jess Willard.
     
    Unforgiven, Aug 25, 2016
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  15. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Gene was a classic fighter from the old cloth.

    We have no choice to admit that what he says is the truth.
     
    Seamus, Aug 25, 2016
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