Tua by KO. Tunney would have to be constantly on the move for 12 rounds straight. He's bound to get tagged at some point
Depends. Can Tunney hit hard enough to keep Tua off? I am not sure. I think if Tunney fights a perfect fight, he might win a decision. But i think one of Tua's leaping left hooks would catch Tunney at some point and things would end.
Tunney has a 1 in 10,000 chance. Keeping away from an shot Dempsey in a wet ring for 10 rounds has zero bearing on the outcome here.
Tua is certainly heavier than Tunney and, without a doubt, if he hits Tunney he can hurt him and potentially end the fight. But here's the thing... When Tua was young and had his weight in check he was probably too green to match wits with Tunney. Never once in his career did Tua show anything resembling an aptitude for cutting off the ring, or much of anything beyond a left hook. And, yes, Dempsey was old and slow but Tua "at his peak", was obese and moved like a glacier. I reckon that Dempsey moved faster well into his 60s. Anything can happen. Tunney could turn the blob in circles and land jabs and right hands at will for 12 rounds. Or maybe he could find Tua so easy to hit that he would stand still and get caught.
Tua ko1. Heavyweight power vs light heavyweight/cruiserweight chin. Boxing must have stopped evolving like other sports. Tua brutal, probably not even brutal 1st round ko. Too fast to be brutal.
There would be a “long count” involved - the ref allowing up to 10 minutes without any hint during that time of Gene twitching a single muscle to arise after being cracked by a trademark Tua left hook.
Prime Tua could cut distance in a ring with great rapidity, provided the opponent wasn't a mammoth with a pulverizing jab. Tunney's stand up 1-2 style is like greasing a fastball for Barry Bonds. Gene's mandible is going out of the park.
Tua lost every important fight of his career...Tunney was one of the smartest men to ever step into the ring. Always in shape...always well prepared...good chin...quick...good power...take Tunney in this one.....an ATG.