it would be hard to make a case for Douglass no matter how big his win was He should have had enough to defend against Holyfield but he came in of of shape and blew it, so I picked Walcott
Imagine if Douglas had beaten an undefeated Mike Tyson and an undefeated Evander Holyfield in the same year... I got Walcott
I'd go as far to say Walcott's first loss Marciano alone allow me to rate him above Douglas. There were reasons Tyson lost, but it doesn't absolve that there was no better man than Douglas that night to have got the job done. I rate Tokyo Douglas very highly. But. Show me another 37 year old who can stand and throw with a prime Marciano... you can make a case for Foreman in his twilight years but against a prime Marciano? Idk. I can still watch watch that fight and be in awe to see Marciano on the canvas for the first and second time in his career.
I'm really surprised about the one-sided response favoring Walcott on this forum. Prior to the Holyfield fight, Douglas was a well-conditioned 6' 3-1/2" 232-pound fighter with an 83-inch wingspan. He was very much bigger than Jersey Joe, and IMO he was about on a par with Joe as a boxer and as a puncher for that matter. Walcott is fun to watch and I love his persistence and his back story, but if you look at his overall career he was always an in-and-outer. If you compare their records, Douglas was a more consistent performer. I'm not saying Walcott couldn't win, but I wouldn't sell the big man short on this one. If I had to place an even money bet, I'd go with Buster.
James Douglas shined for one night only. That's not to be underestimated either. But he did not knock down the challenger in the title defense. Joe Walcott is above James Douglas, as the poll says. And not with a difference in nuance, but a difference in essence.
Jersey Joe Walcott isn't a heavyweight by modern standards so Douglas a heavyweight who actually fought and beat heavyweights would rank higher. If you mean pound for pound Douglas would still ranked higher. Douglas beating Tyson and Oliver McCall is better than anything Walcott did.
Douglas was good for one night only, it was a bloody good one night only success and i have the biggest respect for him achieving it. Mr Walcott in his era was good for many nights, so he gets my vote.
This poll should have an option for about even! In both men's best night they were great. Walcott had more best nights, and better losses, but he also had more questionable losses. Both were very formidable on their best nights. I think Walcott should get credit for a Joe Louis win in 15 rounds. Scored under the modern 10 point must system, Walcott has two 10-8 rounds, and won most of the action that I have seen which about 25 minutes if the fight. Louis was down in rounds one and four. Louis was so disgusted by his performance that he attempted to leave the ring as soon as the fight ended, but he was restrained by his handlers. A ringside poll of 32 boxing writers had 21 scoring the bout for Walcott, ten scoring it for Louis and one calling it a draw. So it's clear to me that Walcott won the fight. What if he is given credit for it, he vaults up the ratings, right? Walcott also gave Marciano a very tough go and was narrowly in the lead prior to Rocky's right handed bomb in the 13th Round. Yet Walcott lost 20 times, drew once and was knocked out six times. Douglas has his share of good performances too. Beating Tyson ( An epic and unforgetable performance ), along with Berbick, McCall, Page and Cobb. That's quite a resume. Like Walcott he has a good loss coming to Tucker ( who's really under rated too ) where he was ahead Tucker landed a bomb in the 10th. I vote for a draw here!
Both have flawed resumes. I’ll take the guy with the best win, Douglas, over the one who kept getting handed title shots due to shady connections until he won it. Joe’s best wins are over aging guys (even if you want to say he beat Louis) and he lost to some pedestrian performers. Jersey Joe had a better showing in losing his title but both got counted out. JJW has nothing on his resume that ranks near Douglas’ win dominant over prime Tyson. I’m not saying Buster by a mile, but by a slim margin.
