Fighters who often floored their opponent but let him get away

Shavers, Bonaven, James Tillis, and Bert Cooper all stuck out to me.

 

I should have clarified. I was thinking of guys who lost to a guy they dropped and nearly beat, and that happened several times.

 

I wouldn't know. I was just adding it in there.

 

I actually think that Tillis's main problem was that he didn't confront his problems until later in his career. He started to recreate his style in '82 as a boxer-puncher following the Shavers and Thomas fights, which I thought was a good idea. But he didn't get the stamina issue resolved until before he met Tyson, which was 8 yrs. into his career. A bit late imo to be figuring that stuff out. Logically, by 1986, results or not, Tillis would have been near the end of his prime anyway.

 

Other than that, Tillis was a good fighter. Very, very mobile, top jab, incredible handspeed, and truly a tough guy. People get stamina and chin confused. Tillis was hurt badly against Weaver, Shavers, Thomas, and Page-late. In the Tyson fight, with his stamina issues licked, Tillis showed himself tough. He survived a 3rd round knockdown to get up and give Tyson one of his toughest fights ever, and arguably beat him. And if you're a Tyson fan, Tillis lost but still withstood a horrible beating but continued firing back often.

 

Yes. He was one of the most experienced fighters of the 80s. That's what the said in the 80s. He usually gave a good account of himself, and probably lost some fights he should have won. He suffered some stoppages that were debatable as well. His only good win was over Shavers, which was not very impressive, other than that he got up from a devastating knockdown. He dropped Page, Truth, and Mike Williams, but was beaten by all three. The losses to Weaver, Coetzee, and Tyson were close, and it was questionable that he didn't win those. The stoppage losses to Thomas and Bruno were bad decisions on the refs' part.

 

Just a matter of differing opinions. I will always concede that that was a fairly close fight, but oh well. What close fights were you thinking of Mr. Goo?

 

The Williams fight was not close, in terms of points anyway. Tillis dropped Williams from right hands two times in the 1st. Williams took control of the fight in the second on, outjabbing Tillis. The fight was close in that from then on neither fighter was hurt, and the rounds were close, but Williams won every round after the 1st.