1976 vs. 1984 Olympic Boxing Team

Not much in it, indeed. Leonard and M. Spinks generally land a bit higher on ATG lists than Whitaker and Holyfield, respectively...But top to bottom, I think '84 shades it, too.

 

Strangest thing. Saw this thread about and hour ago and didn't read it. Sat down to eat, where I pulled out a handful of old boxing mags to read while I ate (its what I do, read old boxing mags while I eat) anyway first one I open is Jan. '85 issue of KO mag and lo and belold, they have an article 76 team vs 84 team. Here's the breakdown. Paul Gonzalez (84) over Louis Curtis RSC 3rd round, Leo Randolph(76) 3-2 decision over Steve McCrory, Charles Mooney (76) 5-0 dec. over Robert Shannon, Davey Armstrong (76) 4-1 dec. over Meldrick Taylor, Howard Davis (76) 5-0 decision over Pernell Whittaker, Ray Leonard (76) RSC 2nd round over Jerry Page, Mark Breland (84) 5-0 decision over Clint Jackson, Frank Tate (84) 5-0 decison over Chuck Walker, Michael Spinks (76) 5-0 decison over Virgil Hill, Evander Holyfield (86) 5-0 dec. over Leon Spinks. John Tate (76) 4-1 dec. over Tyrell Biggs. Final Total 7-4 76 team. Keep in mind this was the Jan 85 issue so it was probably written in Oct-Nov. of 1984 when the '84 guys were starting out.

 

It would be close .Davis vs Whittaker could go either way.
Armstrong would get by a fast but green Taylor.
Breland isnt shutting out Jackson and might get upset.
Holyfield vs Spinks i think Holyfield stops him in a war.
john Tate too big and quick for Biggs .
spinks vs Hill could go either way-Hill was very mobile .
gonzales beats Curtis but isnt stopping him .
Mooney beats Shannon but it would be so close.
ray Leonard easily beats Page.

 

You know whats funny? The 1980 team might have been the best we ever had .
Nobody talks anything about that team.

 

No way Evander is stopping Leon, but it would be close. And Tate is not quicker than Biggs in any way shape, or form. Also feel Howard would beat Pernell amateur or pro.

 

Howard beats Whitaker as a pro... based on what exactly?

 

His skillset.

 

What exactly about his skillset gives you this impression. Davis lost to the best fighters he faced.. The Rosario's... Comacho and Mcgirt. Got a draw vs. Taylor which I think was lucky. Pea is quite the opposite, he beat most of the best fighters he faced, and most convincingly so. The same McGirt that beat Davis, Pea also beat, while being a little past his best. Yet somehow, based on Davis' skillset, he actually ends up beating one of the best he never faced, unlike what he actually did with this "skillset" ? Odd.

 

You left off Henry Tillman.

 

Leon Spinks was a beast as an amateur. He was feared like Tyson was when he made his run in the pros at heavyweight.

Leon destroyed Cuba's Sixto Soria, who would later become the world amateur champ at the weight. Holyfield didn't face any Cubans in 1984. The Cubans boycotted. But the Cuban representative Pablo Romero had owned Holyfield in their previous meetings.

Leon ran the 1976 U.S. Olympic boxing team. He was "the boss." He could beat everyone on the team. Tate (who sort of slid onto the team with a couple upsets) included.

As amateurs, Leon overwhelms Holyfield, who put together a good Olympic Box-Offs (after losing the Trials) to slide in ahead of the favored Ricky Womack.

Amateur Holyfield might not see the final bell against "Neon" Leon.

 

Tate would've fought Henry Tillman. Tillman was the heavyweight representative. Biggs was the Super Heavyweight representative (first year they had super heavys was 1984).

But, I agree, there's no way Tate beats Biggs. Like Leon, Biggs was probably at his best as an amateur. Biggs was the man on the 1984 team. He was the boss. Breland was the future "star." But Biggs was the boss.

In fact, after Biggs won the world championships in 1982 and the National AAU title in 1983, Biggs and some other top amateurs showed up when Holmes was training for his fight with Scott Frank or Lucien Rodriquez, one of them. And Biggs started mouthing off to Holmes, and Holmes didn't say anything.

Biggs was kind of intimidating at the time, as weird as that sounds today.

 

That's a true story about Biggs.
The 84 team were a tight group.
The Duvas had to take them as a group as that's how the guys wanted it.
And yes I agree , there's no way Tate is too quick for Biggs.
Biggs shortcomings as a pro were lack of power and durability/ cuts. None of these hampered him as an amateur.

 

Paul Gonzalez W3 Louis Curtis
Leo Randolph W3 Steve McCrory
Charles Mooney W3 Robert Shannon
Meldrick Taylor W3 Davey Lee Armstrong
Howard Davis W3 Parnell Whitaker
Ray Leonard Tko 3 Jerry Page
Mark Breland W3 Clint Jackson
Frank Tate W3 Charles Walker
Michael Spinks W3 Virgil Hill
Leon Spinks W3 Evander Holyfield- WAR
John Tate W3 Tyrell Biggs
John Tate W3 Henry Tillman

Much more interesting to speculate head to
head in form they showed at respective Olympics since both teams were so celebrated.
There was no super heavyweight division in the 76 Olympics.

Head to Head advantage 76 team.

Per theme of thread, 84 had overall more professional impact as several 76ers had little to no impact and Davis was somewhat of a bust. It's pretty close though.

 

Tate beating Biggs is insane