Tunney v Charles

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by robert ungurean, May 30, 2021.



  1. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He didn't face great boxers either. Dempsey was past his prime when they met, and then there's the long count in the rematch.
     
  2. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    In what world Gibbons, Greb, Loughran, Levinsky and Dempsey were not great boxers?
     
  3. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    I don't have a problem with someone picking Tunney, but Charles certainly isn't "the rest".
     
  4. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    I don't think you can really make any argument for Levinsky being great when Tunney fought him.

    Gibbons and Greb were past their best, but still great fighters. Dempsey was still good, but I don't think you could say he was great when he hadn't won a fight in 3 years, and should have lost to Sharkey.

    He has some other decent wins in Georges Carpentier, Jimmy Delaney, Johnny Risko, Charley Weinert. Overall a pretty thin record though, certainly compared with the overwordly depth of Ezzard Charles's record.
     
  5. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I already explained about Dempsey. Tunney beat him when Dempsey was past his best and would have lost the second bout if not for the long count.
    Greb was a MW, it's logical he didn't have enough power to stop Tunney.
    Loughran was a LHW.
    And Gibbons is not an ATG HW as far as I'm concerned.
     
  6. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Don't get me wrong, I pick Charles here and I agree that he has significant resume advantage. I just don't agree that Tunney didn't face good boxers, even these version of Gibbons and Greb were really good and Dempsey was always dangerous.
     
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  7. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    So was Charles...?
    Again, we're comparing him to Charles... Charles was LHW himself.
     
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  8. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    To be fair, this fight is at heavyweight. Ez had a deep resume in that division. Gene did not.
     
  9. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Charles has an extremely deep resume at the lower weights, his resume at Heavyweight in stronger than Tunney's but I think it's a lot closer than their overall resume.

    I don't think it really matters here anyway, they were pretty similar sized guys.
     
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  10. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Do you really think it matters though? They are the same size basically and they would probably fight around 180 lbs.
     
  11. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    This is not the 1980s anymore when Tunney made the top ten heavies of the heavies of the then last century (1880s to 1980s).


    Gene generally lacks love in this era, and Charles gets the kudos (that he deserves) that he did not get in that period.


    For me this is far more interesting as a clash when both were at their 175lbs pomp, but at Heavy I still have my mullet and love the decade, so I am giving Tunney the nod on a decision.
     
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  12. Samtotheg

    Samtotheg Active Member Full Member

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    easily not on a resume level at light heavy and overall Ezzard is better than Tunney . But in terms of skills I got Tunney .The only thing that stopped Tunney from being the goat light heavy is his lack of depth ,he should have fought more elites .
     
  13. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I disagree but fair enough
     
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  14. BUDW

    BUDW Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Gene wins a chess match fight is close but Tunney wins close match
     
  15. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Ez faced Rocky at 185 and 192. He faced Layne and Walcott at 192.

    Tunney was 190 for both Dempsey fights.

    More importantly, Ez faced a lot of very good heavies for his day... Layne, Walcott, Oma, Louis, Valdes... guy who went 190-218.

    I think it matters to a degree, not overwhelming but not totally insignificant.