So are most of the Heavyweights now barring a few but Tua did have a few standout attributes like one punch KO power, rock solid chin, and having the rare ability to stop a fighter at any point in the fight early or late.
Something weird is happening on this board. Of course Usyk should be favoured against Hasim. Hasim was, yes, best in the world for a few months at heavyweight but he didn't trouble the pound-for-pound list and there's no fundamental style with which to trouble Usyk. On the other hand there are a bunch of guys claiming he's the greatest heavyweights of all time. I like the dual short-circuit. It means something really great has happened.
Rahman was another Andy Ruiz, lucked out one night but overall his career wasn't great at all.. he got obliterated by Maskaev twice LOL
Exactly. And sorry, beating another mediocre fringe contender type like Corrie Sanders doesn't change that. As I said Rahman is limited, with poor punch resistance and not much in skill to make up for it. Usyk stops him, probably within 5 rounds.
Sanders obliterated Wladimir Klitschko like no other fighter has before so I wouldn't say hes mediocre. He was a Southpaw with very quick hands, good power, good skills, his problem was dedication but regarding eye test he certainly was not mediocre. Usyk has only ever stopped 4 opponents in the 1st half of a fight and that was in his first 4 professional fights against absolute nobodies hes not stopping Rahman in 5 rounds. I could see a late stoppage for Usyk or possibly a wide points win but certainly no stoppage in 1st half of the fight.
We must have very different definitions of mediocre. In my estimation, all of these guys we're talking about, Sanders, Rahman, Maskaev, even Tua, are all fairly ordinary fighters, who got lucky to fight in an era where guys like Holyfield, Lewis and Tyson were on the decline and the Klitschko brothers hadn't hit their prime.
I'm not saying Rahman is anything special i just think you're under selling him a bit, he was a solid contender and had some notable performances against known Heavyweights. Rahman is certainly better than Dubois for example who took Usyk 9 rounds before quitting after a jab. Like i said I'm not disagreeing that Usyk wins handily I just think suggesting Usyk wins in the 1st half of the fight, when hes never stopped a notable fighter in the 1st half of the fight is under selling Rahman a tad here.