Dempsey is certainly not KO'ing Tua. Tua deserves that credit from the list of big punchers he faced while meanwhile Dempsey was coldcocked by Flynn and dropped by utter neophyte Firpo and brittle-fisted lightheavy Tunney. Dempsey faced nothing comparable in the combination of power, skill (yes, Tua was very skilled in the style his physical attributes demanded) and accomplishment. Meanwhile Tua faced and defeated 4 former or future champs and dispatched them all. Tua KO7.
Tua poses a danger in this matchup with his power, but Dempsey most likely punches circles around Tua and blasts him away. Dempsey moves around the ring. He circles his opponent. He gets in and out of range quickly. And has wicked power. Tua would have to time Dempsey coming in for that one perfect punch. It’s possible but not the most likely outcome. He would have a couple windows of opportunity that he would have to bank on, and those are not the kind of odds I like in a fighter, especially when the guy he’s facing has class/intangibles.
In a heavyweight fight (or any fight, for that matter) nothing can be ruled out with 100% certainty. Do I think, that Tua would beat Dempsey? Absolutely! Would I bet my life on it? No, of course not! Though I do think, it's the most likely outcome. Isn't that what we're doing here… trying to come up with what we think/believe, is the most likely scenario, in these fantasy fights? As unlikely as I think it is, I'll give you, that a KO win for Dempsey is something that COULD happen. But do you honestly believe, it's the most LIKELY result?
Tua never even visited the canvas until he was ancient and going on well after the point he should have stopped, well beyond the age when Dempsey called it a day. Dempsey was coldcocked by a hasbeen 180 pounder on a losing streak. And if Dempsey wants to get in a gunbattle with Tua, that would be highly inadvisable. The book on beating Tua is maintaining distance. at the end of a jab for every second of the bout.
I very rarely predict a stoppage win, against a fighter who has never been stopped. That is not the same thing as saying that it could never happen.
Dempsey out works out guts Tua. Dempsey takes it not sure if it makes it to the cards but Dempsey either way.
I'm trying to get where this idea of Dempsey being some sort of late-round output machine. He did, at times, lax in his momentum or cash in his chips too early and suffer. Usually his opponents were so feeble that it didn't cause him worry. Sometimes he got desperate and sloppy. And does anyone remember the punch stats Tua put up against Ike? Do you really think he can so easily be outworked?
Tua had a high rate against Ike absolutely. Big picture his out put was lazy ..he was overweight more times than I can count..didnt know how to cut the ring off. On the whole he was a big under achiever who's heart didnt seem 100% in the game. I just dont see Tua in the same light as others. Yes he had some impressive KO's Ruiz being his signature but he just wasnt fully committed in my opinion. Dempsey on the other hand was like a great white. He came for the kill.
Tua had a punch and a chin, but he was pretty basic and tends to get overrated. Far lesser talents than Dempsey were able to consistently disrupt Tua's rhythm, which almost always caused him to reset. Guys like Lewis, Maskaev, and Rahman primarily did this with a jab fighting at range, but then someone like Chris Byrd used a slew of different tactics to disrupt Tua's rhythm and left him badly frustrated. I'm not saying Tua definitely loses, but I tend to believe at the very worst - Dempsey would find ways to consistently disrupt Tua's rhythm without getting nailed by a telegraphed left hook. It took more than a left hook and a haircut to beat Lennox Lewis, and I tend to believe it might also take more to beat Jack Dempsey.