If the heavyweights from Dempsey onward competed under London Prize Ring Rules, who would have been the greatest of all time? Just as a reminder, London Prize Ring Rules were bareknuckled, allowed throws, allowed holding and hitting, and ended a round when a fighter was floored. (30 seconds between rounds).
I would pick Mike Tyson, I don't see anyone being able to handle him in a bareknuckle match, the speed and power would be unreal. I definitely think it would favor him over a traditional boxer.
Accidentally. I'd intended to post it in Classic. Now that I think about it, though, it fits here too. London Prize Ring Rules allowed throwing, choking, and wrapping an opponent in a headlock while you pummeled them. It also didn't have gloves. There were some similarities to MMA.
Tyson would do well, no question, but he'd have a few problems: * Tyson always had issues with guys who clinched him. Under LPR Rules, those guys are now allowed to grab and throw him. * He used hooks a lot. These tend to break your hands more often than straight punches (Tyson actually broke his hand in a streetfight against Mitch Green), and bareknuckle LPR Rules contests put a premium on hand durability. * Tyson's power is a big asset, but his opponents have 3x the amount of time to recover from a knockdown -- a full 30 seconds between rounds. * That brings me to another point: LPR Rules contests could go on for a long time. Stamina and mental toughness were major issues, and Tyson could sometimes slow down and come apart in the later rounds. Not always, but he definitely did better early. Ideally, we're looking for a tough, durable guy with good stamina, good straight punches, durable hands, and a wrestling background. Size is a plus, but smaller fighters seemed to do pretty well under LPR for a while. A good jab would be really helpful. Pre-1970s, Liston might be a pretty good bet. I don't know if he had any wrestling, though. Carnera -- one of the worst heavyweight champions -- would do a lot better under these rules, since he had the wrestling, size, stamina, and heart. Later on, maybe Holmes and Holyfield. Lewis seems like a good bet, except that he always struck me as lacking a bit of mental grit. Oddly enough, Vitali might do pretty decently if he doesn't get injured. And then there are the guys who never won the championship -- fighters like Mercer, Chuvalo, etc.
