What are the biggest height differences overcome by a heavyweight when the heavyweight who won was under 6 feet tall? I know Tyson is like 5'10 and defeated 6'6 Eddie Richardson which is like an 8 inch height difference. I wonder what the tallest opponent David Tua defeated was. I have read Tua listed as 5'10 but i highly doubt it. I think he was more like a 5'9. Does anyone have any other examples of a heavyweight under 6 feet tall defeating significantly taller opponents?
In 1985, 5'11" Randy Davis needed just one round to stop Tom Payne, who was 7'2" - a height difference of 15 inches!
I doubt this 15" discrepancy will be beaten. The closest I can think of, and even this is tenuous, was 5ft 1ins Barbados Joe Walcott overcoming a 14.5" height disadvantage to beat the 6ft 3.5ins Sandy Ferguson. The reason I say tenuous is both men agreed if the fight went the full 10 rounds it would be scored a draw, but iirc, BJW was reported to have had the better of the action.
Rocky Marciano vs Johnny Shkor 5'11 vs 6'5 (6" difference) Tommy Loughran vs Ray Impelletiere 5'11.5 vs 6'7 (7.5" difference) Johnny Risko vs Victorio Campolo 5'10 vs 6'6 (8" difference) Mickey Walker vs Arthur De Kuh 5'7 vs 6'3 (8" difference) (Walker was a ranked heavyweight and weighed 175 so he was in fact a heavyweight here) Tony Galento vs Leonard Dixon 5'9 vs 6'7.5 (10.5" difference) Not a shorter heavyweight, but a very notable height discrepancy: Barbados Joe Walcott vs Sandy Fergussen 5'1.5 vs 6'3.5 (14" difference) I personally really don't regard height as an advantage in boxing unless it comes along with weight or reach. It genuinely might be a detriment on it's own.