If James survives Michael's initial bumrush, could he use his comparable hand speed and respectable power to take the fight into the later rounds and upset Dokes over 15?
Dokes without drugs handles Tillis easily in my opinion. He was a pretty damn good fighter who ruined his potential with drugs. Tillis is a fringe contender at best and not really in the same class. If Michael Cokes turns up - who knows? Mind you, I'm no Tillis expert - was he a Coke fiend as well? It seems that there were a lot around in that era. Pretty lame matchup, it'd be on the undercard of Snipes vs Berbick IMO
I wouldn´t give Tillis a chance against a motivated in-shape Dokes (I know both sounds a bit funny when it comes to Michae l), Dokes would UD him...
Funny you should mention, had Tillis managed to upset Mike Weaver in 1981, this fight likely would have been in the cards for Tillis's first title defense. I have to agree with everyone here in that Dokes takes this one. However, Tillis was trained by angelo Dundee in those days, plus went 15 rounds with a prime Weaver. Therefore I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be a close fight. Tillis had documeted stamina issues, which doctors guessed was a relsult of a chemical reaction in Tillis's body from consuming eggs. Ironically, his stamina improved later in his career towards the Carl Williams and Mike Tyson fights, but by then, he was past his prime and losing other critical components.
No. Dokes had too much talent -- even when fighting subpar -- to lose to Tillis. Worse that happens to Dokes is that he wins a close and unimpressive, but clear cut, decision over Tillis. If Dokes fights his best, he would win a decisive decision, or have an outside chance at stopping Tillis. Most likely a Dokes win by decision.
