Joe Frazier 1971 (FOTC) vs. Tyson Fury 2015/2020

I've made the same mistake a couple of times, and you never used it against me, so I'll grant you the same courtesy.

 

I think Joe wins by TKO--especially if it's a 15 rounder fought circa 1970's style. The relentless body attack would wear Fury down and Frazier eventually stops him in the late rounds.

 

Fury KO' 9

 

Great post, and I would bet easily on Frazier and here is why. I've seen other posts imagining Fury fought in the 70's so in accordance with that, it is 1971, Fury swaps positions with Muhammad Ali the bout is scheduled for 15 rounds.

Fury can box, and he is tall and heavy. Frazier exemplified why Fury's wrestling won't affect him dramatically in this very fight, as every time Ali brought Frazier into a clench or tied him up, him Frazier moved with him and did not resist. Frazier conserved energy.

Fury, just like Ali, will be breathing down on Frazier's head the whole fight and punching down. Fury's body will be a punching bag the entire fight. For all the footwork and movement Fury has he is not half the evasive master Ali is, Frazier will have no trouble going downstairs and getting his work in.

Frazier thrives on carrying his momentum between rounds, he spends the entire fight building himself up, there is a reason his nickname is Smokin'. Fury has always had stamina issues, to carry so much weight on such a large frame requires a lot of energy. Ali had stamina issues in the FOTC as well, but still, if Ali is unable to evade Frazier consistently then Fury will have just as much if not more trouble. Frazier won't be getting tired like Fury will.

Frazier can take a punch, and size is not the be all end all factor in power. Fury will have difficultly making space to load up his shots, his jab will have trouble finding its mark, uppercuts might be most useful but even then Fury's height may work against him as Frazier can bob and weave so low.

My prediction, Frazier won't get exhausted, Fury struggles to make space and find his mark, Frazier cuts off the ring frequently in the early rounds while Fury tries to box on the outside. In the late rounds Fury gets tired and Frazier gets him into the corner and Frazier works the body, on the ropes, here Fury will rely more on tying Frazier up putting his weight on him and every time the referee splits them Frazier goes right back downstairs. Fury has never encountered a style like Frazier, a man persistent like Frazier, someone who grows more dangerous as the fight goes on and is actively offensive. Fury's best chance is to try and take Frazier out early, but Frazier can eat a four course meal of an ass kicking and keep coming forward.

 

Advantages.
Size, weight, and reach . Fury.
Skills, power, speed, endurance , Frazier .
How they match-up . Frazier.
Frazier handled many taller bigger opponents with
better skills.
Fury has never seen anything like Frazier in a boxing
ring.
The pressure and ability to slip and counter quickly
used to break down slicker fighters like Ellis, Mathis Sr.
and Ali would be just as effective against the bigger, but
less skilled Fury.
Plus , Frazier's endurance is also an advantage. After
some frustrating early rounds Frazier's assault on Fury's
body will began taking a toll around the 5th or 6th rd.
Fury's questionable endurance will really be noticeable
when he's ' forced to fight at a pace he's never fought.
Wear and tear will show it's ugly head around the 9th
rd as his hands began to drop. Frazier times
it perfectly and catches Fury with the left hook flat
footed. Drops him. Fury bravely gets up but gets
pounded against the ropes to tired to defend himself,
ref stops fight around the 11th rd.

 

I’ve seen some good analysis of a Frazier-Fury fight on this thread. My feeling is that it would be a pretty tough fight for both men, and that Fury’s size would be a serious issue for Joe. But I favor Frazier by close decision. Tyson Fury is a very good fighter. Joe Frazier was a great fighter. Despite the size difference I believe that Joe would pound the body and outwork the bigger man. I would have liked to have seen Fury unify the title and clean out the heavyweight division. I think that would enhance his historical standing considerably.—Mark

 

this to me is the center of any argument for Frazier winning. By the time Fury is exhausted, Joe will either be just beginning to get tired, or finding a strong second wind. Once Joe starts smokin' he doesn't stop, if Fury doesn't get him out in the early rounds, I can't see him out point Frazier over 15 rounds.

 

Size isn’t necessarily everything in boxing(but seems to be in certain things!).

 

Tockah, I think that the memories that most of us have of Foreman bouncing Frazier around the ring causes a lot of us to underestimate Joe .—Mark

 

A fight between Frazier vs Fury is more Frazier vs Mathis than his fight against Foreman.

 

Mathis was bigger than Ali, and he tried the jab and grab,lean and push strategy. How much did it help him?
Mathis Sr. Was better skilled than Fury.

 

In no way, shape or form was Mathis more skilled than Fury.

 

Mark I certainly agree. I think Foreman was stylistic poison for Frazier, the metaphor of an unstoppable force (Frazier) and an immovable object that (Foreman). of course neither was entirely unstoppable or immovable, but Foreman in my opinion during the 70s is a much more technical fighter than he is given credit. He was a master at smothering, framing, cutting off the ring and judging distance. All people think Foreman is remarkable for is his supreme power but honestly I can't think of a fighter with a long guard as brutally effective as Foreman's.

 

I would rather you pick one version of Fury rather than unfairly combining attributes from two very different versions.
Vlad Fury was more mobile on foot but had low punch output. Wilder Fury was not as fleet as doot but far more offensively focused.
Either way Joe makes Fury pee blood for 5 weeks after the fight. win lose or draw.

 

This is near a 2ft 60lbs difference. Fury is a more complete fighter on top of that. He'd smite Frazier like Zeus.