The 80 s Heavyweight Alphabet Champs - Then And Now?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Fergy, Jun 3, 2022.



  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    The Alphabet Boys of the 1980 s (not Larry or Mike), have they gained respect now that they certainly didn't have back then?
    I can remember the era of the Page, Dokes, Spoon, Tubbs etc, very well.
    And if I'm honest they didn't seem very appealing. A lot of guys over weight and losing the title with in a year.
    But they do seem to have more respect now.
    Right or wrong. IYO??
     
  2. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I have more regard for Weaver now. He gave prime Holmes hell, had two really nice wins against Tate and Coetzee and did defend successfully against an unfortunately awful Tillis. And I still feel he got ripped off both times against Dokes.

    I was disappointed too many times by Thomas, Witherspoon, Tubbs, Page, Dokes, Coetzee to have a different opinion about them today. Once they started losing badly (and/or gravely disappointingly) they never got me back all the way. I just don't think they were particularly good from an overall perspective. And no, I don't believe any of them in their respective primes could beat Iron Mike or pre-1985 Holmes (that's right folks, I had Witherspoon losing to Larry in their actual fight by 2 points).
     
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  3. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    It was infuriating back then. Guys get the belts, you started thinking this fellas solid, he looks good, he may be the best, then bang, he goes and blows it.

    Happened a few times. Had high hopes for Witherspoon and Thomas.
    But strange thing is, now I do actually look at em and miss em. Lol
    May be the old Rose tinted glasses but I belive a good few of those guys could have beaten either of the K Bros.
    Idk, maybe it's an age thing!
     
  4. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    No shame in havin Spoon lose to Larry. It was a close fight, same as Larry v Williams.
     
  5. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I had Larry squeaking that one too. Both Spoon and Carl didn't do near enough in the last rounds to win imo.

    I actually thought both Spoon and Thomas would end up being the level of what Iron Mike eventually became. Thomas had, if not a Holmes/Ali/Liston level jab, then not far from it; and I have to point out here that his right was a dangerous weapon whenever he sat into it.

    Spoon looked rugged as hell during Holmes, and his trainer had him fighting like a boxer with over 10 yrs of ring experience. But his fights with Page and Tubbs put me to sleep, I didn't think he looked ANYTHING like the guy who fought Holmes in those fights...in fact, I'm positive he would have stopped them both if he had.
     
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  6. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    He fought great against Larry. Suppose he had nothing to lose in that fight and went for broke.
    Wonder if he had got the win, how gracious Larry would have been?
    And if a rematch, the result.
    And if it changed Tim's all career.
     
  7. LoadedGlove

    LoadedGlove Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Mostly bang ordinary . Witherspoon could fight, Weaver was a real tough fellow but the rest ? Put them in with the main men now. Joshua v Page or Tubbs ? It shouldn't be allowed.
     
  8. Fogger

    Fogger Father, grandfather and big sports fan. Full Member

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    Back in the 1980s they suffered from being compared to two top notch heavyweights. This made them seem of lesser quality than they were. That being said, other than Tim Witherspoon, none of them were too special as far as heavyweight champions go. I consider them to be along the lines of the John Ruiz, Chris Byrd group of the early and mid-2000s.
     
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  9. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I think this pretty much sums it up, in 70s you went from the most charismatic Heavyweight of all time Muhammad Ali. To the 80s with the most exciting explosive Heavyweight of all time Mike Tyson. With Larry Holmes in the middle of that being forgotten, because of what came before and after.

    And that's kind of the story with Alphabet champions of the 80s, although they didn't help their cause with their outside ring issues and inconsistencies.

    I think Pinklon Thomas was the most consistent, he went undefeated from 78 to 85. Until he seemed to age over night after an impressive KO over Weaver, then just seemed to get worse and worse because of his drug habits.

    I also think this era could of been better, had Larry Holmes fought the likes of Page, Coetzee, Thomas, Weaver 2, etc. Instead Larry Holmes fought some questionable opponents, in the latter part of his reign. That didn't exactly get the pulses racing and it became quite dull.

    Overall they all had ability Thomas had an amazing jab, Dokes had some of the quickest handspeed ever, Page had the movement and flash, Witherspoon could just plain fight and was good all rounder, and so on and so on.

    But as stated earlier none of them could sustain it, and none of them really stood out amongst eachother, as they would often be trading wins.
    Which is why they're all in a pile together forgotten under Larry Holmes, also as stated earlier because of what become before and after with Ali and Tyson.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2022
  10. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Great Post.
     
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  11. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

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    That it was.
     
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  12. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 I’m become seeker of milk Full Member

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    I don’t think the 80s where much worse then the 70s if at all. If you take away Ali…
     
  13. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker Full Member

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    Dokes, Witherspoon were huge disappointments .. While Page was so highly hyped and seemed to have it all I'm starting to think maybe he was overrated out of the gate.. something was missing when all the terrific parts, speed, size, power just didn't gel like they may have .. I feel Thomas got the most with the least with his heavy jab but drugs and other distractions kept his prime short .. Coetzee came to fight but horrible hands took away his best attribute , his power and without it at it's max he was more vulnerable ..
     
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  14. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    A talented bunch of guys,Fergy. If their focus had matched their talent we'd have had another golden era of heavyweights. Infuriating,is n't it? Here's a question for you - who was the third best heavyweight of the 1980s?
     
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  15. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

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    Coetzee always had his power HG he just had his flaws too. He just wasn't good enough against Tate, Weaver and Page. He was right in the mix tho.
     
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