Tony Tucker as cruiserweight

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Unforgiven, Dec 15, 2021.


  1. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    How would Tucker have fared as a cruiserweight in his era?
    He was a skinny guy naturally, could have easily stayed at 190 or 195 in the pros.
    He would have had tremendous height and reach at the weight.
     
  2. Bronze Tiger

    Bronze Tiger Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I wonder if having to make weight would effect his durability
     
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  3. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Probably.
    But he wouldn't be facing the heavyweights.
     
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  4. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

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    I didn't realize how many fights he had in the low 200s, and I was about to make a crack about how hard it would be to fight at cruiser with only one leg.
     
  5. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    He'd have done pretty OK I believe. Some of the cruisers back then were hardly superstars. In fact there was only one and he was the Real Deal.
     
  6. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    He could easily be about 30 lbs below what he in fact was at his best? Or do you mean earlier?

    At the very start of his career he could maybe have made CW, but don't know how good he was at that stage.
     
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2021
  7. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    He would rank as one of the taller cruiserweights ever.
     
  8. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Probably could've had an excellent career at cruiser, at least through most of the 80s. I assume he would have been a solid favorite over the Piet Crouses of the world. Probably drops a decision to young Evander though.
     
  9. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think he would find it very hard to make 190 with the same day weigh-in when he was a pound or two over 220 in 1986-1987. When he came back after the Tyson loss he was a lot heavier, so at that time it would just about be impossible I think.
     
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  10. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Yeah, I think it only works if he adjusts his diet and training to keep his weight down. Would be tough, but he was still competing at 175 when he was 21, so I wouldn't rule it out.
     
  11. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    As an amateur? That must be 178 in that case.

    Still well below 190, though, but he was only below 200 (199) for the very first fight of his pro career. Don't know how he looked then, though, but he was quite lean even at 221-222 five, six years later, so I'd guess that he looked like a stick at around 200, but maybe not.
     
  12. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    190 would have been hard for him to maintain for any length of time. I suppose he could have had a few big fights there. Given that the CW division was pretty thin on talent before holy came along I imagine tucker could have been a champion
     
  13. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Not good. Delucia ruined his chance for a gold in 1980 with that upset so he probably was having weight issues for a minute.
     
  14. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    He fought Orlin Norris after the layoff and didn't look like a world beater.