Best heavyweight Billy Conn could beat?

I think he matches up well against Bobby Chez, although Chez was a more prominent CW, but I could see these guys mixing it up in an entertaining bout.

I'd be curious to see him in against bigger men, may be a Vinny Madelone or Mike Mollo type fighter, but the jury's still out on him I doubt he could take a punch from them

 

He almost beat Joe Louis.

Sky’s the limit really.

 

He’d have more trouble with Patterson then Liston. His strength is in his boxing ability and elusiveness.

 

There is absolutely no way to classify Ali as a good technical boxer. He did not do one single thing technically correct.

 

Looking at all of boxing Ali was not a good technical boxer and neither was Holmes. Conn would have no issue with either one’s technical ability or power- what can they offer? You could argue Louis was one of his worst possible match ups on paper and he did more then held his own.

The issue becomes when the size is just too much when these really big guys with power realise they can just grab him and jump on top with no repercussions.

I’m not sure how he’d do with certain guys like say Marciano but the Ali’s, Holmes and Holyfields of the world? He’s to me the favourite.

 

I don’t think Holmes is “technically good” either when you look at the guys below 160lbs. Overall he’s arguably “bad”

 

He was slick. If he could avoid Larry Holmes' jab it might even be a bit close. But as far as beating him or any other top class Heavyweight outside of Joe Louis, well, I'm not sure. There isn't that much footage of him.

That said he could probably beat most of the guys from the 80s, and from the 70s too.

 

I think Billy conn could potentially match up well with guys like Jimmy Ellis, Jerry Quarry, Zora Folley, Oscar Bonavena, George Chuvalo, Eddie Machen and a slew of others who are on a similar level. Conn was an exceptional boxer.

 

I remember back in the early 70s, one of the better known New York sportswriters, not sure if it was Dick Young or Bill Gallo, wrote that he had Conn over Ali.

 

One of my favorite boxing books is the one on Billy Conn because it goes beyond the headlines and the fights and into the personal life and the what-was-he-like-in-everyday-life of a boxing legend, The book is as smooth was Billy was.

The knock on Billy was he did not have whack everyone type of power but so what? Neither did Ronald Wright, Gene Tunney, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Carlos Ortiz, Duilio Loi or Andre Ward. They are still all tome greats, boring as their fights were in some of those cases.

 

I like Conn's chances versus "light" HW like Patterson or Spinks.

I also think he has a good chance versus the likes of Moorer or Norton.

Now, versus a "small" HW like Tyson??? ... that would be interesting. I need to think it over.