Marvis Frazier: Should he have been a cruiser

thats might be the case but I dont think it would change the view of many of his contemporaries who saw it as a fake division.

 

Per highlighted

NO

Bugner way past is best. He was a steppingstone by '83 who any top 10 guy would be favored to beat
Broad was still just a prospect like Frazier. A cross roads fight amont hopefuls.

Frazier got a title shot off these two relatively meager wins. Nobody was saying Frazier deserved a shot at Holmes based on those wins.

Bonecrusher was a good win, but already soundly beaten by Tubbs and Witherspoon the year before.

Because of his name, Frazier could have parlayed this win into a title shot. But, objectively, it was not enough.

Ribalta was prospect with two losses, one of which was a decision loss to Bonecrusher Smith a few months prior to fighting Marvis.

Tillis was no longer a top 10 contender and almost stopped Frazier in the second round. Only, Joey Curtis's decision to issue a standing 8 count rather than stopping the fight, saved him. Frazier was helpless on the ropes and taking unanswered shots.

Tubbs, Witherspoon, Coetzee, Thomas, Coetzee, Dokes and Page had more impressive wins and overall resumes.

As for your last line, I would favor all of those guys over Frazier.

Frazier proved to be a top 9 or 10 HW at best. Nothing indicates he could have ever won a title at HW.

 

But, what did Frazier have other than his last name to be in a position to have distain for the division. There were guys who were as good or better than him that he could have had the opportunity to fight.

 

How do you think he would have went at cruiser, aiming that way from the start Saad? Even better with Benton lol

 

I agree he would have done much better at Cruiser.

I could see him beating Ossie Ocassio or even Deleon, if Carlos was unmotivated

I think Braxton or Holyfield would have been too much, though

Like Leon Spinks before him, I think Marvis would be able to take a punch much better at Cruiserweight than Heavyweight.

 

Fair enough. Qawi and Holyfield were GREAT Cruisers. DeLeon would be easier to beat tho he was no pushover obviously. I do think Frazier would have given the other two live bouts tho.

 

being born at the time he did, I would imagine.

 

I don't agree. He was outmatched by Tyson because of styles. He had no problem with James Smith, who was much larger than Tyson and, I suspect, a harder puncher.

 

I could see Dempsey messing him up just as badly.

 

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Tyson is 5 times the fighter Smith is tho Stinger. He is also infinitely fast and much much more accurate and compact.

Frazier was massively outclassed agaisnt Tyson and this led to him also being massively outgunned.

 

The fight was effectively ended with a single uppercut, which was so direct and well placed it didn't much matter how hard it was. As for Smith, Frazier beat him more decisively than Tyson did.

 

I see wherecyour coming from but likely he would have fought ruddock around 86-87 and that razor hadnt developed the smash and was losing to david jaco i think marvis gets inside of his predictable attack and that the smith win is proof he could handle a big strong powerpuncher.thomas had s very short peak that's overrated.if berbick outhustles him so does marvis.witherspoon knocks out marvis...its a bad matchup just like holyfield

In reality i think if marvis was the one with futch and mackie shilstone he could have done a lot more we probably didnt see 75% of his full potential

 

Not to argue but Smith - Frazier was much closer and more competitive than Smith - Tyson. Smith was also a title holder against Tyson and coming off a destructive 1 round KO of Tim Witherspoon when he fought Tyson where as he'd lost a near shutout to Witherspoon before facing Frazier.

Smith mostly fought for survival vs Tyson.

 

I'll have to watch those fights again. I remember Tyson having Smith in trouble here and there but looking bad for much of the fight, while Frazier in my memory outboxed him pretty clearly.