Which fighters peaked the highest of all?

1. Duran - Barkley, Duran - SRL, Favourite weight class would be De Jesus III

2. Lewis - Ruddock, Rahman II

3. Ali - Foreman, Frazier II

4. Jones - Griffin II

5. SRR -LaMotta VI

 

The reason the Barkley fight stands out for me is that Barkley had every conceivable advantage going into that fight. He'd just knocked out Hearns, he had a 6" height advantage, huge reach advantage, more power, and was 10 years or so younger. Really the only advantages Duran had was experience, defense, the ability to take a punch and something called heart.

How he didn't slow down with all those terrific body shots he took still mystifies me, much as it does when Ali played rope a dope against Foreman. Both took huge bodyshots and seemly were unaffected, the difference is Duran was fighting a much bigger guy and the flight lasted longer. Duran himself calls it his best win.

No, I think the Hagler who fought Hearns would be simply too much for Duran. I personally think Duran needed Hagler to fight the style of fight he fought in order to make it competitive for Duran, Hagler in destroy mode would beat Duran, he's just the bigger, stronger fighter.

 

Interesting concept! My 3 as follows:

Louis - Schmeling II
Curry - Jones
RJJ - Griffin II

 

I would say Mike Tyson in 1988.

 

Sugar Ray Robinson -Gavilan II
Ali - Cleveland Williams
Benny Leonard - Lew Tendler

 

the hearns who beat duran
the Chavez who beat taylor and Rosario
the Tyson who beat berbick
the foreman who beat frazier
the curry who beat mcrory

 

Some stonkers so far, from the Brittard side:

Naz - Steve Robinson
Hatton - Tszyu
Turpin - Robinson

 

Tyson easily. The Tyson who hit his peak was damn impressive and the fact that he took part in the biggest upset in history speaks to just how invincible he seemed.

 

So you're using a loss to demonstrate someone's peak rather than a win?

Interesting approach.

Couldn't you reverse this and say that Douglas peaked the highest of them all because he wasn't expected to win? And he beat a 42-1 odds against. That would be my take on the question.

 

Tyson's prime was incredible not coincidentally also the last time a boxer was the biggest name in all of American sports. He was bigger than Michael Jordan in he late 80s and every other professional athlete. I doubt the sport ever gets such an attraction again.

 

True, I'm a little older than Tyson and I remember that era well. What I also remember is that as big as Tyson was, the sport wasn't as big as well I was a kid, then the whole world stopped to watch Ali fight.

 

Frazier when he beat Ali in the fight of the century 1971....:deal

That right there in my opinion was the Grand father of all fights, that's why they called it the FOTC, lol...