How far, in your opinion does Tony Tucker get if Tyson didn't exist? Spinks gives up his IBF belt to face Cooney .Meanwhile Tucker beats Berbick,Smith and then Buster for the unified belt .He would then have to face Biggs Holmes Tubbs Spinks Bruno William s Rematch with Buster . How far along the name's does a fit ,clean Tucker get before losing ?
Not sure how Tyson's non-existence keeps TNT off the pipe? At any rate, Larry probably doesn't make a comeback yet without Tyson around, so conceiveably Tucker could go as late as 1990 or 91 before losing. Or, injury-prone as he was, *any* of the guys on your list could have beaten him on a good day.
As much as I like Tony .. I think he falters on the way.... even Orlin Norris came close to beating Tony...he was too passive at points in his fights and wish he could have fought some of the other late 80's and early nineties guys.. without the injuries and coke maybe his career would have been held in higher esteem... Hope he is doing well today? any updates on how TNT is doing?
A more interesting "what if" for me, is what if Tucker had received his two shots at the lineal title? He should have had a chance at Spinks before Tyson, and later a shot at old Foreman.
A lot of what ifs with TNT ! I remember the Tyson fight and wondered when they would fight again .Tony at his best was an excellent fighter pity he wasted his peak years .