Kostya Tszyu Extremely Overrated

I don't think he was overrated. He may not be considered an ATG, but he was one of the best of his era. You're memory is wrong about the Mitchell rematch. He was under a lot of heat to make that rematch because he was accused of roughing Mitchell up and that fight ended with a Mitchell knee injury. Mitchell then went on an 8-fight win streak and a lot of people though he would win the rematch, but KT totally destroyed him.
I don't know about the Phillips rematch, but the guy was 36 when he lost to Hatton and wanted to retire. I respect that a lot more than guys that keep fighting far past their primes.
And you have no idea if his power would carry up to 147, so that's a non-point altogether. One could just as easily say it was Mayweather that avoided him by moving up. In fact, the competition was slimmer at 147 than at 140 at the time. All of Floyd's best wins since moving up were against guys that had to move up with him. He still hasn't fought a top natural 147 pounder in his prime. In fact, he never fought a top, natural 140-pounder in his prime. but I digress.
It's fine to say KT isn't an ATG, but your reasoning for saying he was the most overrated for the last 20 years doesn't hold water.

 

Not overrated in the slightest, and those who claim he is should watch more of his fights. Quit using the foul filled, dirty ass Hatton fight as the measuring stick for his career.

 

agreed and indeed

 

all i know is that i seen him DISMANTLE vernon forrest tall azz..like literrally playing with him in a sparring session and respected him ever since.

He is VERY smart of a fighter..real technical...imo he would've had the best chance of beating floyd out of everybody in his prime...no necessarily because he was the best outside of may or anything...but because he fights very smart and knows how to pick his shots and get around strategies.

 

Yeah, that's pretty much my opinion on one of my favourite boxers. Kostya was a fooking master tactician - an extremely skilled boxer. As you pointed out, it takes a special boxer to beat all the other guys who seem - bigger, faster, and better overall. I think he's amateur fight with Vernon was really a master piece. Remember the USA commentator wondering how this little Soviet is beating their guy to the punch. Priceless!

 

thanks for the memories guys. i miss kostya... i really do :-(

 

And so the longest whinge in boxing goes on.

 

:good

 

Ive allways said that haha but i aint gonna lie it was funny as hell

 

Yes he is. HOF worthy probablly but his resume isnt worthy of being ranked even close to number 1 all time at 140. When your best win is Zab Judah you got problems. Something has to be said for in easily the 2 toughest fights of his career Tszyu got KTFO by Phillips and quit vs Hatton.

 

Facts are facts and he didn't fight the best fighters of his era, not even one. I personally rank guys like Chacon and Gatti much higher. They may have more losses and not quite as talented, but atleast they got in the ring with the truly top fighters of their time.

 

How many Tszyu fights have you seen?

 

Tszyu was scared. Boxers that are on his resume were able to land fights with Whitaker, Mosley, DLH, Mayweather, Trinidad etc. but somehow the dominant JWW of his era, a champion for almost a decade, never did. Tszyu hid away in Australia defending his titles against bums. Is that true?

 

Oh great... Another thread that's a lame attempt to de-value Hatton's career!