Tony Tucker vs Michael Spinks

He fought Buster Douglas to a draw

 

It means he liked his nose candy like a lot of 80's heavyweights.

 

Tony Tucker becomes a significant what it at two points in the timeline.

He was mandatory for Spinks when he was the lineal champion, and he was mandatory for old Foreman when he was the lineal champion.

Both declined the encounter.

Tucker had what it took to beat Spinks at his best, so perhaps there should have been a bit of a shuffling of the pack, as there was in the early 30s.

 

Tucker in an often boring fight...TKO in the last rounds.

 

Tucker was a good fighter but in truth he didn’t deserve to be in the position of being mandatory for either of those scenarios. I think the ratings were set up for him to be easy pickings for someone else.

 

Sucks he broke his hand on Tyson's head...

 

Tucker injured his hand in sparring earlier that week and broke his hand in the very first round. He definitely deserves credit for winning 4 rounds against Tyson with one hand, who knows maybe a rematch would've gone in his favour

 

Definitely. The new champ finds out that 'somehow' Tony Tucker is #1 again was one of the great boxing puzzles of both the 80s and 90s. Another Joe Bugner 'just glad to be here' fighter who appears to be even more overrated now than he was back then.

 

If he was confident in winning a rematch he wouldnt have stopped boxing for over 2 and a half years.
Tucker looked tremendous against tyson.
I dont buy that he was significantly impaired. In round 3 tyson counters 3 or 4 consecutive right hands by tucker with a fully loaded up left hand to the body out of the southpaw stance. Tucker was reluctant to throw the right after that.
Watch that sequence in round 3.

If he thought he could beat tyson he would have gotten right back in line for another shot.

 

Not really. With a healed hand he possibly opens up more and gets decimated. His "broken" hand was a blessing in disguise. He couldn't have fought a better fight. Besides, we box with broken hands all the time.

Tyson always beats Tucker.

 

Aye, there was no clamour for a rematch, as Tyson won going away and was hardly out of 2nd gear.

 

I think 4 rounds is a bit generous more like 3 for me. Tucker never showed in any of his wins that he could beat someone on Tyson's level. If your going life and death with the likes of Orlin Norris chances are your not beating a prime Tyson.

Tyson was never in any trouble against Tucker who mostly fought a defensive fight.

 

Tucker would have been the first viably world class heavyweight in his prime that Spinks had faced, at that point, had the bout come off.

I think Spinks (and Butch Lewis) saw it as a high-risk venture. Tucker at that stage of his career would have been able to force s stoppage, I suspect.

Tucker W TKO 10

 

From what I recall Tucker didn't get in real trouble with cocaine until after the Tyson fights, hence his disappearing act the rest of the 80s basically.

Tucker with two good hands or one good hand vs Spinks? Because one good hand I'm going with Spinks, with two good hands......I'd probably go with Tucker to win, but I wouldn't be surprised for Spinks to win a close decision and I wouldn't be confident.

Tucker's size, the fact hes pretty decent and the fact Spinks dropped his belt instead of fighting Tucker is what brings me to Tucker. Then again Tucker isn't going to bum rush Spinks, and I could see him being too passive. Hmmmm.

 

You're...alive. Haven't seen you in here for some time.

You're one of the older gods and seeing you post is a joy.