What were marvis frazier's biggest weaknesses and reason why he wasn't a good in the pro's

Marvis Frazier was good as a pro. He lost two fights - to Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson - the two best heavyweights of the 80s and two first-ballot Hall of Famers.

He beat everyone else he fought. Bonecrusher Smith, James "Quick" Tillis, Jose Ribalta, James Broad and Joe Bugner.

He was a fine heavyweight. 56-2 as an amateur. 19-2 as a pro. Nothing to be ashamed of at all.

If he'd fought Tony Tubbs (who he beat in the amateurs) or Bonecrusher Smith (who he beat in the pros) or Greg Page for the title, he may have won a belt. He wasn't any worse than those guys.

 

the 30-second k.o. loss to Tyson kinda ruined his image.

 

There's an argument to say his biggest weakness was his dad, from what I've read at least. Joe Frazier tried to make over his son in his own image as a pressure fighter whereas his son's skills were best suited to fighting on the outside.

He also got his title try in part because of who his dad was, but he was hopelessly outmatched against Holmes. And then he met Tyson so neither matchup did him any favours.

 

Marvis was a talented guy but his size and chin didn't help him in the division. And he had the misfortune of being around at the same era as Holmes and Tyson. Perhaps he was pushed by Joe but that happen s a lot in boxing. Once read a interview with Marv and he came across as a very humble great guy .He visited Tyson in prison ,told him that he was there for him whenever. We could all learn a few lessons from men like him I believe.

 

If Frazier fought Tubbs, or Page, then would've put a whupping on him. Along with Carl Williams and Tim Witherspoon. The elite heavys, Frazier would have problems with. Coetzee too.

 

Marvis was a decent HW not a bad record for that talented period.probably didn't have the same hunger joe had.

 

Marvis was the top US amateur and international champion. He beat Tim Witherspoon, Tony Tubbs, Mitch Blood Green, Jimmy Clark, Chris McDonald, etc. in the U.S. He beat the top Russian heavyweight Alexandr Yagubkin.

Frazier did have trouble with the elite heavyweights, namely Holmes and Tyson.

The other guys, not so much. Guys like Tubbs and Spoon and Bonecrusher didn't make him sweat. He'd already been in the ring with them and won.

I'd have loved to see him fight guys like Tubbs and Page for the belt. Those would've been good fights.

It's not like Tubbs or Carl Williams did so much better against Tyson than Frazier did. It's not like Witherspoon did so much better against Bonecrusher than Frazier did. It's not like Page or Tillis were better against Bugner than Marvis was.

Marvis was on the same level as those guys. His career was just much shorter. Most of them lingered throughout the 90s and even longer.

 

He was trying to fight his Dad's style without the firepower or chin.

 

Damn good post, with the actual facts. Still don't understand peoples lack of awareness when it comes to discussing Marvis Frazier and what was different between the two... as if it's difficult to discern?

 

His main weakness was that he was a slow starter and could be tagged and hurt early in fights. Bugner, Tillis and Smith all enjoyed early success against him. But once he got rolling, he could throw combinations for days, flashed good in and out movement and could out-work and out-box guys in the second half, overtaking them on the cards to win well-deserved decisions.

If your finishing skills weren't elite, he could make your life kinda miserable after a while.

 

He wasn't his own man .. He idolized his father and ended up, as a pro, fighting like him when he should have been a cruiserweight boxer / puncher ... instead he had a decent career at heavyweight beating some contenders but lost decisively in his two major fights that defined him ..

 

This is it exactly. From what I understand Marvis fought more of a boxing style in the amateurs. He was leaner and quicker than his dad and had more agility. He had great success but when Marvis Frazier turned pro Joe Frazier took over the training. Joe`s ego got in the way and their relationship was not the kind where Marvis was gonna walk away from Joe. In the early 80s a guy from my neighborhood {Jimmy Clark} got offered to fight Marvis Frazier. He turned it down not enough $. He should have taken the fight he might have beaten Marvis. Clark`s career fizzled out quietly. Streets got him.

 

Jimmy Clark was a terrific amateur heavyweight. He started off strong as a pro too. What happened to him ?

 

From what I know he was hanging out with the wrong people. The street scene and everything that goes with it. Coatesville was a rough area. He only had about 12 fights