Could Anthony Joshua have smashed Michael Spinks (1988) out cold in round 1?

33 is young for that weight class and he'd just come off the back of beating an undefeated Larry Holmes.

Tyson deserves full credit for what he did that night

 

You're forgetting that he did that in order to get a huge payday against Cooney, who was about the same size as Joshua.

 

Joshua would beat Spinks 10/10 times. Not sure about the early KO but if Spinks goes into the fight shaking in his boots like he did against Tyson, AJ sparks him early. I was at a live PPV showing of the original and remember being so angry at Spinks. It looked like he wanted a quick payday and had no interest in fighting Tyson. He also had those goofy looking tube socks pulled almost up to his knees. Disgraceful.

 

This. That's not really how AJ fights.

That said "could" is a wide word. Yes he 'could' have.

 

But not 1/3 the boxer. You need more than being a heavy puncher to beat Spinks. Cooney hit harder than Joshua and got stopped by Spinks.

 

People were not afraid of Mike because of his size. It was the full package of skills, aggression and punching power.

 

Mike until end of 1988th also had patience.
Very good legs even for CW dude, not alone for HW boxer at 210 lbs.

Later he was just athletic, nervous, durable, willing to fight and brave......... headhunter in 90 ies.
Not like mike from 1987 th for example.

No in 1 round A.J will not beatup this spinks version, but both: ruiz and A.J will stop such spinks version in distance.

 

No way

 

"Could Anthony Joshua smash 1988 Michael Spinks out cold in round 1? I feel Tyson was a much more skilled finisher but could current AJ have KO`d the Spinks that Tyson destroyed in round one?"

IMO, no.

 

Spinks would go several rounds and might even give him trouble.

 

Joshua hasn't got the aura of a pre Douglas Tyson but very, very few fighters did.

That said, Joshua would knock the **** out of Spinks, any round he wanted.

 

Nobody else smashed Spinks like that.