How Good Was Tony Tucker? Is he a HOF

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by donizhere, Nov 18, 2009.

  1. thesmokingm

    thesmokingm Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It sucks to be from a decade with a GOAT like opponent, much like all of the NBA ATGs that never got a ring when Jordan was on a roll. The same happens with the fighters in that time frame.
     
  2. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA Full Member

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    Very.

    Had the potential, but not by deed.
     
  3. SmackDaBum

    SmackDaBum TKO7 banned Full Member

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    Third best 80's fighter.
     
  4. mrdoctor

    mrdoctor GGG Full Member

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    He was very good
     
  5. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. Full Member

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    One of the better heavies in the 80's and 90's, but not hall of fame material.

    I do agree, he's underrated. If Tucker had more fire he could have had a better career.
     
  6. Jacko

    Jacko Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Hide could hit. I think it was Bowe who said he was the hardest puncher he ever faced. The Ruiz fight was at the end of his career and wasn't the Seldon fight a doctor/ref/corner stoppage?

    Still, on paper it does sound quite odd.
     
  7. dawnofthedead

    dawnofthedead Member Full Member

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    Incorrect, Tony Tucker was 34 when he fought Lewis and still on top of his game. His victories over Norris and McCall gave him a mandatory position in 93'.
     
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  8. SnatchBox

    SnatchBox Boxing Full Member

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    One of my favorite fighters massively underrated or overlooked.
     
  9. The Kentucky Cobra

    The Kentucky Cobra Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Average fighter.

    Average career.
     
  10. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA Full Member

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    HOF potential, didn't live up.
     
  11. Robney

    Robney ᴻᴼ ᴸᴼᴻᴳᴲᴿ ᴲ۷ᴵᴸ

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    Pretty sure he would have won the HW tournament if Tyson hadn't been around, and that would have landed him HOF status.
    Sadly for him, Tyson was around at the time.
     
  12. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA Full Member

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    Well yes, but not that strange when you consider that by the mid-late 90's when he was stopped by those guys he was pushing forty (36, 38, and 39 respectively in those matches), shot to bits, fat, undisciplined and long since disenchanted with the sport. The loss to Lewis effectively delineated the end of Tucker as serious contender, and even there he wasn't the same in his early 90's comeback as he was in the 80's. It wasn't even a matter of having a "short prime"; he was a thirteen year veteran when he fought Lennox. His prime was in the back-half of the 1980's and he spent over 2 full years of that wasting away on the shelf (after Tyson).

    So yeah, not really apples to apples. It wasn't like a prime Tyson & Lewis failed to stop a guy and then Seldon, Hide & Ruiz all stopped the same guy in comparable form. By '95-'98 he was an empty husk.
     
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  13. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. Full Member

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    Tucker was good to very good, not great. He was doing just fine vs Tyson until the hand injury.

    Under rated? I think so.
     
  14. HerolGee

    HerolGee Loyal Member banned Full Member

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    briefly elite, but never HoF.

    killed his longevity with drugs, thats the 80s for you.

    with consistency he may have been. or if he had taken an ATG scalp like he wasnt far from with tyson.
     
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  15. HerolGee

    HerolGee Loyal Member banned Full Member

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    average fighters dont become HW champion.