A new perspective Tunney vs Ali, who wins?

Ali takes him to the cleaners.

 

Close fight, would go the distance.
Could go either way.

 

Well, one would have to believe the fight would go the distance but I have a hard time seeing Tunney outpointing Ali.

 

Ali mocks him ashe batters and stops him the way he did to other undersized LHWs like Patterson, Foster and Moore

 

Ali's height, reach and speed are the difference here. Gene would study him carefully, and make it a challenge, but Fleischer rated Muhammad as the fastest heavyweight in history. When Tunney had to deal with a faster opponent than himself, Greb gave him hell. Loughran was no picnic for Gene either. Ali had a combination of size, speed, mobility and durability Tunney never had to deal with.

No knockdowns, no stoppage, a fairly uneventful distance bout with a clean decision going to Ali. Gene could outmaneuver and outbox a Marciano, Louis, Liston or Jeffries for 15 rounds. Ali and Holmes are a little too much for him to overcome though. Tunney would likely concentrate on the body for scoring purposes, but it wouldn't be enough. (Grantland Rice in fact did not think Gene's body attack was sufficient to earn the decision in the second Greb match.)

 

Tunney can't win.

 

In three fights: Ali by UD; Ali by SD; Tunney by SD. Tunneys exceptional stamina, in addition to his skill and smarts, keep him in two out of three fights.

 

It's an utter mismatch. Ali has just about every advantage you could possibly conceive. Faster, rangier, better legs, better tools. He'd get to the punch first, control all of the exchanges and be the more physically imposing fighter. Tunney just has no way to get to him.

 

I would pick Ali by decision in this one. Tunney was a lot like Ali. He was the best boxer in the heavyweight division in his time and had great foot movement, timing and speed. Having said that, it is clear that Ali was faster, so that gives Ali a clear advantage, in my opinion. I don't think it would be easy though. Tunney was a tough customer. Ali himself spoke highly of Tunney when watching footage of the past heavyweight champions with Howard Cosell.

 

Due to his ring IQ and skills, Tunney's a nightmare for guys he's faster than; that's not an advantage he'll have vs Ali and I don't think his ring genius would overcome the difference in size and speed Ali would have over him.

Ali on points for me, but it wouldn't be easy.

 

And equally as smart, regardless of how much Shakespeare Tunney reads.

 

Interesting matchup. I wouldn't quickly dismiss Tunney's chances! At first glance it seems that both would box and move. This would make the fight a pure boxing match...mmm...slightly favoring Ali...in my opinion. But I'm not so sure it would go that way. One of them could decide to fight more aggessively. If so, the question becomes who would be the matador? Or would they take turns? Then again, Ali sometimes had problems with small heavyweights...and Tunney was brilliant at figuring out an opponent! If my back was against the wall, and I wanted to bet, I would bet on Ali...but I would be a bit uneasy about it.

 

Tunney went 15rds 6 times,in 4 of those fights he had significant weight advantages,in the other 2 there was no difference to speak of.

Only 1 was a heavyweight, Bourke ,Dempsey's sparring partner.

Tunney retired at age 32, he never had to concede great amounts of weight or age to an opponent.

Ali went 15rds 14 times, in at least 9 of them he was past his best ,and ,fighting 200lbs or more heavyweights, all younger than himself.He was 36 when he regained the title from Spinks , and in his mid 30's when he finished stronger than a young Bugner in sweltering humidity.

I see no evidence that Tunney had superior stamina to Ali

Ali can do anything Tunney can, and, in the majority of cases better.U DEC for Ali.

 

Ali and Tunney would be dreadfully dull, but Ali would be the master and controller of the bout from start to finish...... Ali too tall, fast and cagey for the slick but smaller Tunney in a time machine......

Tunney loses like "Patterson, Ellis & Foster" did to Ali....... Tunney has nothing to keep Ali off of him.... Ali knows that too..........

MR.BILL:hat