Who was the best all time could have been at heavyweight?

He got beaten in his prime, when he did train by a heroin addicted Pinklon Thomas.

 

I still think he could have been better but that's me.

 

I agree ,I think most of that batch of King mis-managed heavies could have been appreciably better actually.

 

Definitely. Lot's of wasted or under developed talent in that lot.

 

Tony Tucker, he had size, skill and power he just didn't have the desire.

Or at least something didn't click with him.

 

But so could Pinklon.

THAT JAB.

 

Another name worth throwing into the mix is Henry Flakes.

He retired at the age of 21 due to a detached retina, and already held two wins over Pat Comiskey, and two over Lee Oma. He also beat Lloyd Marshall in only his 8th pro fight.

He seems to have been a powerful puncher, and at 6' 1'' and 200lbs at the age of 21, he was a good sized heavyweight for the era.

He would likely have come into his own in the era between Louis and Marciano's title reigns, so who knows?

 

Disagree. He fought heavier in the ams and did fine. 230-235 and he would've had a better chance. 240-245 and he still might've had a much better career. Also, there's the blown out knee in his lone title shot.

 

Bowe is the biggest coulda woulda shoulda been. He beat a prime ATG and had all the skill you could ask for from a big heavyweight. The inside game, a great jab, good power, solid chin and could go deep into fight with no problem.

Then he lost his damn mind.

 

I see a lot of parallels between McCarthy, Flakes and Ibeabuchi.

All were tremendous athletic talents, who were able to beat top contenders at a very young age.

All were taken from the sport at a time when they should logically have continued to improve for a number of years.

All could theoretically have been world beaters, but all still had time to implode back to nothing.

I don't think that Flakes or Ibeabuchi had temperaments that lent themselves to long term success, but I think that McCarthy might just have done.