I get Wilder being favored in this fight, but I think it's way too much. After all, the old saying is a good boxer beats a good puncher, right? And how many times in HW history can you think of when two high profile, fairly near prime guys of comparable abilities faced off, and the puncher won? I can think of plenty the other way around: Fury Klitschko Holyfield Tyson I and II Ali Foreman Ali Frazier II and III Ali Liston Tunney Dempsey For the puncher winning? Well, you could make an argument Lewis beating Vitali on cuts could fall into that category. Ali Frazier I. Can't think of anything else off hand. People are sleeping on Fury here. The layoff hurts him, and I think the style is tricky for him, but he's basically got history on his side.
I would say Foreman winning the tittle off Moorer was it? that was puncher winning I think. old puncher too
So I guess Usyk is going to beat them all haha ... But jokes aside, the main reason I'm picking Wilder is right here in your text: "two high profile, fairly near prime guys of comparable abilities". I just don't think current Fury is "fairly near prime" due to lack of quality opposition since inactivity, and as such, I don't think the abilities are "comparable" right now. The second reason is that the adage: a) applies more clearly to the lower divisions; and b) doesn't take into account that Wilder is really awkward/strange to fight. A good boxer beats a good puncher because he can avoid the big shots ... but Wilder's bombs are somewhat unusual and can come from weird angles that the boxer isn't expecting, as his former sparring partners testify.
Lamon Brewster vs Wladimir Klitschko 1 Hasim Rahman vs Lennox Lewis Ken Norton vs Big George Foreman These three fights all spring to mind.
Yeah, this is the appropriate counter. But, when do you ever have fully, indisputably "prime" people fighting? Most of my other examples had fighters you could make an argument weren't prime for some reason or another. Fury is 30, around his best weight, and has had a couple warm up fights. Personally, I think if Wilder wins, it will be more from the length and awkwardness than from Fury being shot, although it is certainly fair to debate. As for Usyk, well, I guess I should put a "size" caveat on that. After all, you could argue Holyfield was a better boxer than Lewis and Bowe, but when you scale it pfp, I don't really think he should count as the "better boxer" for the purposes of your adage, and to your (a) point. But, we shall see on all these fronts, hopefully.
Norton Foreman is a good one. Not sure I'd personally include the other two, as I don't really consider Rahman or Brewster as near comparable skills of the men they beat; more just that they got a somewhat fortunate upset win. Also, I'd take Wlad and Lewis's power over Brewster and Rahmans power.
Rahman / Lewis McCall / Lewis W Klit / Byrd I (II Byrd was at the end of it) Tyson / Holmes (Holmes may have been past his best but did fight for another 3 championships)
Joshua v Klitschko Joshua v Povetkin Joshua v Parker Joshua v Johnson Joshua v Martin Joshua v Cornish Joshua v Sprott
Wlad vs Brewster is pushing it a little bit, but at the end of the day a top level boxer (Lewis) was knocked out by a punch from Rahman who wasn't really known as that hard a puncher, but still I personally think it's a good example. It's a good question though, because most boxers beat the punchers. Holmes vs Shavers is a good example of this.
Joe Louis knocking out Billy Conn is probably the most famous heavyweight example. Any Marciano fight would qualify as the puncher winning over a boxer. In more recent times, Old Briggs winning in the last second of the 12th vs Laichovich.
A ton of them, historically speaking. Jeffries over Corbett 2x Willard of Jack Johnson Dempsey over Carpenter Louis over Conn, and Walcott Half of Marciano's fight, Walcott, Charles, LaStarza At heavyweight, small boxers are not out of business, unless they have very good durability and many punchers are skilled these days. You just don't see many really good pure boxer types without power. Byrd was an example. Usyk might prove to be an example.
