If you had studied Tunney you would know he had fragile hands and became a toucher not a puncher. Look, he obviously wasn't shite. But his heavyweight resume is light as Liberace's loafers. And his light, speedy style looks good in contrast to plodders, older fighters and no hopers. But Usyk has faced skilled, athletic monsters... Joshua, Fury, Gassiev, Briedis, Glowacki. And he has always shined. Actually, if you want a competitive bout from that era, put a more prime Dempsey in there with Usyk, a guy who punched very hard and went to the body. That would be a good match-up.
Based on what? He could throw a powder puff jab? He beat a cum-dry starlet F'er who used to be a good fighter? There is nothing on his resume or on film that suggests he could be remotely competitive with Usyk.
I have to side with my late Grandfather on this one. Gene Tunney has very little on his Heavyweight Resume and really does not impress me that much on films I have seen. Usyk wins this matchup.
Tunney did have bad hands but he still punched proper, again look at his jab “through” the opponent text book… I meant to study up tongue in cheek I know you know boxing better then me Seamus no doubt, that’s why I read your posts you’ve read more books, done more actual boxing etc I meant watching him fight lol. At heavyweight his resume is light but his skills in general are exceptionally impressive at any weight which was my point, make him 6ft3 and 215lbs he bodies Usyk. Dempsey vs Usyk would be interesting… I think that it’d depend on his exposure to Southpaws.
Did you know @djanders had Gene’s skeleton hung up in the garage for heavy bag work and is 1-0 against him “on the cobbles”! All hail “Wonder Willard”… miss him every time I log on. Did he ever watch Tunney live or meet the man? (Outside there famous street brawl)
Gene never fought a man of such size with such skill, its hard to favor him when he nearly lost to a three years retired flatfooted reflexless Dempsey
Do you remember that scene in one of Laurel and Hardy’s films where Stan runs around the rung. That’s Tunney when he sees 6-3 216 Usyk and that mad look in his eyes. Tunney’s like “**** this I’m off”. Seriously though, what can a 1920’s barely out of light- heavyweight do to a modern superbly conditioned, highly skilled technician with good power apart from think I wish I hadn’t taken this fight.
Let's make this match up a little fairer to Slick Gene. Usyk comes in at 195 as in his CW reign. Tunney is 187. And it's only 10 rounds like versus Dempsey. Ok? Tunney gets on his bicycle, slapping away as he tries to Calzaghe-ize Usyk. Oleksander swats away the feminine jabs of Gene while landing solid overhand lefts and right hooks from the get go. Usyk beats him to a Greb level pulp. Easy decision. Gene changes his name to Imogene and never fights again.
No. Tunney was a great light-heavy but he wouldn't have the power to keep Usyk off him. I doubt Tunney's right hand would bother Usyk. Usyk by late stoppage of decision. A few competitive early rounds before Usyk takes over. The big left hands from Usyk would take over. Usyk tko 11.
Tunney was as tough as nails and a smart fighter. He went 65-1 and while I think he would be a little too small to win I could see a good match. Especially vs the cruiser version of Usyk. I mean Usyk is looking great against the big guys like Joshua and Fury. But at Cruiser Hunter, Breidis and even Bellow gave him a decent scrap. I see no reason why Gene couldn’t.