Micky Walker against these heavyweights how does he do?

I think he loses all of them

 

I think Tunney had too much all-around for him, and he was probably too naturally small to beat Willard and Wills. The other two fights are tougher to call.

 

Where Tunney is concerned, check out Loughran-Walker. Mickey goes the distance with Gene, but there's no question who the decision belongs to.

Willard's height would pose serious logistical problems for somebody as lacking in stature as Langford or Walker, especially since Jess was so effective at optimizing his length for defensive purposes. His right uppercut was literally deadly. (RIP Bull Young.) Willard was one of those very rare heavyweights who actually could box when backing straight up against shorter opponents, and his jab could have given the smaller man headaches. Jess was faster and quicker than Carnera, and better defensively. Inside, he'd tangle Walker up.

Against Burns and Langford, Mickey would have been badly outgunned. Walker might have some success smothering Sam at close quarters, but would eventually find himself overpowered. As for Burns, Tommy would have eaten him alive on the inside.

Mickey might have a shot at decisioning Wills. Although tall, he wasn't so much taller that Walker couldn't have reached him. Harry's footspeed apparently wasn't exceptional for a heavyweight, and Mickey might have been able to outhustle him on the inside for a favorable score. A past prime Langford managed to beat him more than once, with the hook as his key punch, Walker's favorite weapon. Still, I don't like Mickey's chances in this one either. We're not talking about the diminished Wills who got crunched by eventual Walker conquest Uzcudun. Yes, Mickey became a contender in the heavyweight ranks, but that was not during a particularly strong era in the division.

 

Good thread!

Gene Tunney - well, you could say Tunney beat Greb who beat Walker but tose comparisons are often lacking. On the other hand Duodenum already pointed out how Loughran beat Walker and Gene is a similar fighter stylewise. But Gene is more willing to mix it up and make it a fight. I think Walker has a live chance in there but the favourite has to be Tunney.

Jessie Williard - this is one of the few fights where size would make the difference. It´s just too big and Willard wasn´t an unskilled, clumsy fighter. He used his strength to their optimum and one of these strength was his size. Can´t see Walker beating him other with a bodyshot KO and the chances for this aren´t big.

Sam Langford - both went from 147 pounds or even lower to hw and had some success but Langford was growing in the division much better and had more success. Walker would be in there with a fighter who did everything he did just better and was bigger too. That would be a bad beatdown for Mickey.

Tommy Burns - I think this is a winnable fight for Walker with the right plan. Burns was bigger and stronger but I think Mickey was good enough defensivly to take away much of his offensive while scoring himself. Walker by UD.

Harry Wills - Langford beat Wills but lost to him even more often. And like we already know, Langford did everything better than Walker. I don´t think he can smoother Wills. Wills would impose himself and his size on Walker and beat him. Walker would be a live underdog in there but finally crushed. If he fights him as often as Langford did he may get a win or two but would also lose the series.

 

Good post overall but I think Carnera was appreciably faster than Willard.
Wills was 6 ' 3'' or 6' 4'' to Walker's 5' 7'' that is 8'' or 9 '', that is plenty taller!

 

People seem to forget Walker was at one time rated in the top 3 for heavyweights,

I dont think the lesser guys like Willard or Burns would just row over on Micky.

 

No one has it easy with the" Toy Bull Dog".

 

I agree except Im sure he would have beaten Burns.

 

Yes i was thinking the same exact thing. Willis was too big for Walker and would have knocked out the super tough Walker. I also think Carnera was alot faster than Willard from the footage ive seen.

 

How exactly would Walker beat Jess Wilard?

The shot Jack Johnson that went 26 rounds with Willard probably beats Walker in a 15 rounder.

 

I think Walker might pull ahead in a 15 or ten rounder imo.

Not sure about a fight to the finish, I favor Willard by a large margin in that type of fight.(Or over any post 1920's fighter) in that regard.

 

Over any? I think there are a few who could take him, Marciano for example.

 

Schmeling had a pretty easy time from what i remember....

 

Fringe contender Art DeKuh was about the same size as Harry, and Mickey starched him in one. (While mentioning that though, I sometimes wonder how much on the level that was. Walker included a picture of this knockout in his autobiography. If legitimate, it's by far his most impressive heavyweight stoppage, coming in his first outing after Schmeling.) Don't get me wrong though. Wills at his worst destroys DeKuh at his best, and size is the only respect in which they're at all comparable.

My appraisal of Willard's speed and reflexes is based largely on the footage with Moran. Very few heavyweights would have looked fast against the version of Dempsey, or even Johnson that Jess fought. But he ducked, blocked, and outsped Moran from the outside and in, and Frank gave Johnson 20 rounds of hell in Paris. While footage of Carnera makes it clear he was far better coordinated and skilled than critical writers of the time describe him as being, I haven't seen him really outspeed any live opponents on film as decisively as Willard did Moran. (The flu afflicted Schaaf could hardly be categorized as "live" now, could he?)