(PRIME) Oleksandr Usyk vs. (PRIME) Joe Frazier

This isn’t your average Frazier vs boxer sort of matchup, this is Frazier against a man who is like 18lbs heavier, better technically.
Frazier typically did well against boxers because he’d force them to work harder than they want to because they’d have to move to avoid Frazier getting close, and him walking forward wouldn’t be an issue because they can’t keep him off, and when they finally slow down, he can get inside easier and take them out.
Against Usyk, it wouldn’t be like that because Usyk wouldn’t have to keep moving more than he wants to, because he can simply tie Frazier up and hold him there unlike an Ellis who was like 20lbs lighter, so Usyk wouldn’t gas, wouldn’t have to deal with Frazier on the inside, so he’d just be able to box him and tie him up whenever he gets close.

 

Usyk, easily.

 

Usyk doesn't clinch he always uses feet and upper body movement to outmaneuver. I don't find this a realistic outcome, if Usyk wins it's probably his tricky southpaw angles and jab that help confuse and control Frazier

 

I favor Usyk at this point

 

Frazier beats the living crap outta him.

 

Have to favour Usyk here.

 

Didn't Frazier go life and death with that midget Bonavena?

Usyk bigger, stronger, faster, smarter....

Late TKO/UD for Usyk

 

Great, great fight and I count out neither man, but Joe lacked the southpaw-killing right hand.

 

I always thought Frazier would be a bad stylistic match-up for Usyk.

Usyk is an ATG, a special fighter - no doubt about that. But, I always thought Frazier would do what Chisora tried to do to Usyk but a lot more efficiently and relentlessly. He had the skill including footwork to cut off the ring against masters of dancing and stamina to unload that relentless pressure to head and body in which I think Usyk struggles with. Usyk doesn't have enough power or inside fighting game to keep him off IMO. Usyk has the footwork and nous to beat Kabayel, and Chisora but the masters of his worst stylistic match-ups personally in the likes of Frazier, Mike Tyson, Bowe, Foreman - I'm not so confident.

Frazier close UD, honestly a late TKO would not surprise me.

Of all the ATG's - I think Usyk would beat both Klitschko's and Joe Louis. 50/50 with Foreman (Foreman was very adept at cutting off the ring but would struggle in the long-run to maintain that pressure), Holmes and Liston. But he would lose to Bowe, Holyfield, Lennox, Ali, Mike Tyson, Frazier.

 

I expect Usyk to win most votes as this forum is always crawling with a combination of recency bias and Euro bias.

The true answer is that the 71 Frazier would destroy Usyk.

 

Frazier by brutal, smothering mugging for me...

 

Frazier by devastating left hook to the body

 

To me, comparing modern fighters with those from 50 years ago is like doing a pound 4 pound head to head list. The thought experiment is fun but only makes sense if you account for the difference in context.

With that in mind I think that if we had a frazier now, being as relentless and powerful compared to today's fighters as he was back then compared to his contemporaries - That would be pretty difficult to beat as it takes away usyk's stamina advantage and would resemble some fights where he struggled a bit more like briedis and chisora.

The actual fighters from back then I think would find their worst matchup in a modern usyk because not only is he bigger than they were but he is also technically sound enough to beat much bigger (good) fighters than himself. I would only give prime ali a good chance