Height is not everything, but I think history shows us that it is a clear advantage and therefore there are limits of what a 5'10 boxer is likely to achieve. Why were weight limits implemented otherwise? Trying to pretend my point is height is the only deciding factor in a boxing ring is being silly, though. It would be like arguing that Lewis' success wasn't wrapped up in his physical attributes and the advantages that gave him during his era. Wilder would definitely have a punchers chance. But Frazier is an ATG; he is going to beat Wilder. But in truth, I think 5'11.5" Frazier would have had a career similar to Povetkin in the modern era. People saw Chagaev outpoint Valuev and lost their minds about how 11 inches is nothing in boxing. The men at the top of the division have been getting bigger and bigger for 100 years. Is that just coincidence? p.s. Eric Molina is 6'4"
1996 David Tua beats every current heavyweight not named Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. Wilder can't fight on the backfoot like Lewis. Wilder generally gets outboxed and then his right hand bails him out. His right hand won't bail him out against Tua. Look how many flush shots Tua ate from LL. Tua by KO and early.
Lewis did actually hurt Tua, and Tua had been dropped in his career. So I think it's rose tinted nostalgia to remove Wilder's puncher's chance For me: Fury Joshua Joyce Usyk Wilder Ruiz Jr. Could all beat Tua with decreasing levels of certainty. I give him the advantage over Whyte, but it would be fun while it lasted
Tua had fantastic head movement, Wilder has none. Tua had a great chin, one of the best in the last 20 years. Wilder has a below average chin. Tua ices Wilder within a round via leaping left hook.
So your whole argument is Wilder defended his title. Regardless of how awful those opponents were. Also Tua height means he loses? Those are some very weak arguments. Tua isn't the best heavy weight fighter there was but only guys that had exceptional boxing skills gave him problem. Prime Tua vs Prime Wilder, Tua gets inside and KO Wilder. Wilder doesn't have the boxing skills to keep Tua of him.
Weight limits are weight limits not height limits. Height matters but Weight matters a hell of a lot more and Tua weighed from 225-240. He was a monster puncher. Just because Thomas Hearns is 6 foot 2 does not mean that he beats 5 foot 5 Dwight Muhammad Qawi at light heavyweight. Does Tuas Height limit him ? Yes but not to the point where people as rudimentary as Wilder can outbox him for 12 rounds. His height is a disadvantage when fighting a range fight but he can pressure and fight on the inside and his short height and short reach help with that. Heavyweights have been getting bigger but aye Andy Ruiz murdered Joshua Granted Ruiz was almost 260 but most of that weight was fat. If we can classify Andy Ruiz as a superheavyweight then we can classify Buster Mathis as one and Frazier beat him. Mathis weighed in at 243 against Frazier and most of his mass was fat just like Ruiz and he had decently fast hands and had some notable head movement and he was actually taller than Ruiz at 6'3 Size does matter. No disputing that but 210 Steve Cunningham gave Fury a difficult night and David Haye stopped Chsiora quicker than Whyte and Fury did, albiet Fury had an easier time. Chris Byrd gave Vitali a competitive fight. Wlad himself said Cruiserweight Usyk gave him a hard time in sparring. Smaller heavyweights can still hang if they have the skill. Ali or Young or Moorer would be top fighters today
Dwight Muhammad Qawi wasn't 5'5" Thomas Hearns wasn't 6'2" At least put some effort in. But to the actual point Hearns height was an advantage to him in his weight class. Fighters tend to enter the lowest possible weight class that their frame allows and take it from there. But I agree in classes below heavyweight it is easier to overcome height through weight. But back to heavyweight... Andy Ruiz Jr. stopped Joshua because Joshua tried to rush his KO and got caught trading with a guy with a solid chin and fast hands. But the rematch was definitive. And besides whilst Ruiz Jr. is a short heavyweight, he is still over 6'0". Which puts it at most 5" height difference if Ruiz is lying about his height. Not sure why you would bring up 6'3" Buster Matthis. Frazier was what 3.5" shorter? Steve Cunningham was not a plodder and he was still 6'3". So that means at most the height difference between him an Fury was 6" and Fury outside of his prime absolutely battered him. So yes, I think a 9" height difference is an unrealistic margin to expect a plodder like Tua to overcome. So my argument is this: When we look at the top end of the division and consider height, we can say there are some differences that can be overcome by the ATGs, but there is a limit to what is realistically possible except for a very special fighter. Tua is not it
Also something to consider. If Tua is going to employ a jumping left hook to beat Wilder. I think it is fair to argue he is going to be at full extension. i.e. Apex of his jump and almost straight arm. Compare the loss in power to that of a grounded punch where you can generate far more power than one like the above. The further you need to leap and extend the hook the more the power will drop off. A grounded punch won't have the length. A leaping hook won't have the power.
Qawi was 5'6 at the most. Hearns was 6'1. Ok still a significant height difference. Joshua fought a smart fight in the rematch but he still got destroyed in the first fight. Height matters but only to an extent. I think if it did then David Price should have easily schooled Chisora and Povetkin and Wach should have been a top 10. I brought uo mathis cause he was a short but huge guy kinda like Ruiz and Whyte isn't much taller. Steve Cunningham was 36 and while Fury wasn't in his prime. Cunningham is nowhere near as skilled as Ali or Holmes. Even ancient Holmes in the 90s has a better resume. The argument is if Tua can overcome the height difference and i dont see why not. Wilder cannot box effectively or fight tall effectively. He doesn't use his height well at all and has poor footwork. Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis know how to use their height and it's something Tua wouldn't overcome. But against 1 trick pony Wilder ? Lol. Tua would close the gap and will be landing flush on the overrated tall for nothing Wilder. I can't see past it. He can also go to the body like he did against Lewis in spots. Wilder has almost zero head movement, poor footwork, trash fundamentals, mediocre jab and limited ring iq. He's an absolutely murderous puncher I'll give him that but thats about it. Tua is a plodder with limited ring iq and only knows how to brawl and move forward but he has a cast iron chin. He is also great on the inside and has a powerful left hook. The height isn't going to matter if this fight is going 12 rounds. Wilder will eventually get caught like Lewis did. And Lewis was boxing well so Wilder will get caught a hell of a lot more
You didn't take into account that he could add the momentum from the jump into his punch. As a matter of fact Tua leaped into a left hook against Ruiz and sent him to asgard
Was David Price ever a top ten heavyweight? Again my argument is not tall equals win. But the tallest opponent Tua beat was former IBO belt holder 6'4" Danell Nicholson. I agree he sent 6'2" Ruiz reeling back with the leaping left hook. BTW I noticed that you said 6'7" Hugging Henry Akiwande would "easily" beat Tua. A man who famously took a DQ loss to Lennox Lewis, and was KO'd by Oliver McCall (Just like Lennox Lewis...huh, how strange...). It's almost like you are more interested in rubbishing modern champions as a way of protecting Lewis' legacy. Is Tyson Fury having Wilder on his resume making you nervous or something?
I followed Tua's career for years His leaping left hook was his standard KO tool Wilder is gone inside 4.
Because a prime Mccall was a good fighter you bonehead. Lewis lost and avenged it just like he avenged the Rahman loss. He beat Bruce Seldon and Larry Holmes (something Ray Mercer couldn't do) got a SD against Tony Tucker and went the distance with Frank Bruno who had an over 80% KO ratio. Anthony Joshua got his ass whooped by Ruiz but he avenged it defenitive just like you said. Styles make fights. Akinwande could box relatively well and that would have troubled Tua. Lewis attacked Akinwande aggressively in round 1 and landed powershots that backed Akinwande up on the ropes in the beginning of round 2 and had him scared to the point where he hugged Lewis every 5 seconds and got disqualified, thats why he wasn't KOd by Lewis. Funny how you have no knowledge on this. Wilder can't box like Akinwande. Now riddle me this. Whos a decent fighter that Wilder outboxed ?. Wait I've got the answer, nobody. Because he can't box and he's fought nothing but bums besides Fury and Ortiz. His only decent win is dinosaur Ortiz and he got outclassed in both fights until he landed his powershot. Wilder is a world level fighter and all credit to Fury for beating him up but he's limited and can only throw one punch, take that away and there's nothing there. I can name 4 fighters off Lewis's resume who would beat Wilder Oliver Mccall Ray Mercer Evander Holyfield Vitali Klitschko Even a shot Mike Tyson as he beat Golota Actually even shannon briggs might have beaten him as well Debate me if you want on that
