Tokyo Douglas vs Joe Frazier

tokyo who?

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Joe Frazier. But a well trained and motivated Douglas could make it interesting. James for all his shortcomings was 6'4", 230 lbs when in shape and had a pretty good jab with some power in both the right cross and right upper cut.. Biggest issue I see for him is Frazier's relentless pressure on him along with the ability to slip the jab and come back up with the left hook. If the going gets too tough Douglas will likely wear down and fold by the late rounds.

 

Good call Magoo. I look at Douglas that night and he looks amazing but I look good when I'm sparring with my young son.

We can overate Buster based on that performance and think of him as a mega talent who would be a H2H nightmare for every heavyweight ever. Or we can underrate him, say Tyson was awful, ill, poorly trained etc. and cast Douglas aside as a lucky lotto winner. Right man, right place, right time. We've seen both arguments often enough.

So what was Tokyo Douglas? Here's what Buster normally was; a well-skilled tier 2 operator with a good jab and decent, if not crushing, pop in the right. Good movement. Average endurance. Prone to lapses of concentration and apathy. Now add a little bit for the extra inspiration of his mother's passing so maybe a bit more determination to stick it out when the going gets tough (8th round?) and a busier fight plan.

But his mother's death did not add power to his punches, or give him blistering speed. It gave him the will to maximise the tools he had. And they were of a tier 2 operator. To beat Joe Frazier, assuming Joe is on his game, you've got to be tier 1.

Tokyo Buster does not disgrace himself but is ultimately ground down late on, especially if this is over 15 rounds. But in the post fight interviews, he can say, quite rightly, that he did his mother proud. And a lumpy faced Frazier, looking relieved, claims that Douglas hurt him more than Ali ever could.

Little aside. Tokyo and Buster go hand in hand with Smokin' Joe. Just in case someone doesn't know why, I'll leave that open for one last quiz of 2016.

 

very well written post. I can't make the connection between Frazier and Douglas in your trivia question.

 

Frazier is the logical choice.....but Douglas might win 1/3 in a "Series".

 

Where did Joe win his Olympic gold medal? Who was the original American representative?

 

The guy who went into the 11 th round with him at MSG and who wasn't half as good as Douglas.

 

Also his first version of a world title, of course. Buster was Joe's lucky name.

 

Bigger boobs though, Mac, and that should count for something.

 

Tokyo Douglas absolutely destroyed tyson, he would have an easier time with frazier and stop him earlier cause his chin is not as good as tyson's

 

Yes. The guy who, when he did lose his title, it took 11 rounds to take it from him. Not 3 rounds with a former cruiserweight like the Buster whom he 'wasn't half as good as'.

 

Doubt that very much. Frazier walked through Ali's punches in Manila when he was way past it and had been subjected to the overwhelming humidity and when he couldn't see them coming. Douglas hadn't got the kind of power to put that man down let alone out. Foreman hit Joe with everything but the kitchen sink and at no point was Frazier on his hands and knees looking for his gumshield.

Plus Frazier might actually offer some offence which Tokyo Tyson didn't do very well, allowing the myth of Tokyo Douglas to take root.

Plus Frazier might have a decent corner - correction, with Eddie Futch and George Benton, Joe absolutely would have a decent corner - not some muppets who didn't think to take an endswell. I wouldn't base my judgement of how Douglas does by comparing Tyson to Frazier as Joe stacks up very well against the version of Mike that showed up in Tokyo

 

Tyson is a fast starter and couldn't lay a glove on buster even in the early rounds, buster just did everything great, the jab, the lateral movement, the counters, clinch, putting punches together...
Tyson had a great chin and buster knocked him out cold and battered him from pillar to post when tyson was probably the most feared boxer in the world time all time, frazier is gonna get ko'd by punches tyson ate
Also douglas threw some vicious picture perfect full leveraged right hands that are easily as powerful as some of looping foreman's punches that put frazier down

If you can dominate tyson, you should beat frazier easier it's that simple

 

Douglas was always a talented fighter who was another lazy trainer who put it all together for one golden night. His mother death gave him heart and inspiration and gave him belief that Mike Tyson was not a invincible monster and that if he lost
there were more important things in life. A large part of fighter is in the head and some fighters are beaten before they enter
the ring. The Douglas that fought Tyson would be a uncomfortable night for any heavyweight. A lacklustre Douglas would be
smashed by Frazier and ko within 4 rounds. The one that fought Tyson would be a tough battle for Frazier with Joe prevailing
by points in a bruising battle.