Prime vs Prime, at Heavyweight. Can Ruby Robert do to Gene Tunney what he did to Corbett, or was Tunney better than Corbett?
Tunney was more athletic than Corbett, I don't know if he was "better". I think Fitzsimmons has the style to beat Tunney. The strong body shots would slow down his quick feet, and the head movement would make it hard for Tunney to pop out his jab. I think Fitzsimmons has trouble adjusting to the faster paced slightly modern Tunney, but eventually breaks Tunney down and stops him in the 10-11th.
He was not only better, he was far better, far more proven. I know that Gene had nice words for an elderly JIm when they met on some rooftop, but Tunney was a gifted fighter and of the two still looks great on film. Fitz would need just the right opportunity to stun Tunney. And if there's one thing Gene did with almost perfection, it was to not give opportunities to his opponent.
I think Tunney is better than Corbett and even though inactive, Corbett was still having his way with Fitz through 6 rounds, punctuated by a hard KD of an already bloodied and battered Bob. Jim began tiring after that point and Bob methodically began to take over before landing the body shot some 8 rounds later. So, I’d have to go with Gene by clear decision via a fair margin and a later round stoppage is also more than just possible.
I see Fitzsimmons scoring a knockout after many rounds of frustration. I just feel like it’s an inevitability for Bob to catch him and when he does, I don’t see Gene surviving.
I dont think Tunney ever faced anyone as dangerous as a prime Fitz, the closest being the washed Dempsey that he fought. I think if its the version of Tunney after he fixed his hand problem and could actually punch, he should take it more often than not.
The way the showdown read for me between Jim Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons was that “Ruby Rob” was building the fight, laying his traps finding the feints and letting the “Gent” run his legs to the limit. Jim Corbett run his motor too hot against Peter Jackson before this and like an old machine gun he warped his barrel almost harmless in that one, here and other fights to the finish. Jim was very confident to his detriment, in his own description of the fight he was proudly making Fitzy miss by “10 feet” bounding out of the way coming in and marking him up whilst Bob kept swinging “wildly” I think he was trying to make Corbett move. Corbett believed it was desperation. “One good punch will settle him now” he’d said to himself he decided to pull back and counter leaving his presumably tired legs planted. Bob Fitzsimmons feinted Jim Corbett into wagging his head around and sunk his knees with that famous punch.
I think Corbett’s dancing style is a big reason why Fitzsimmons looks so awkward in the footage. Descriptively speaking, it seems like Bob would much rather have his opponent come to him and have them open up so he could counter them. Someone like Corbett, forcing Fitz on the front foot and follow him, seems like the worst person to fight. When Corbett actually tries exchanging it seems like Fitz got the better of it and looks sharper/crisper.
Tunney by decision .... more sophisticated, excellent movement ... Fitz was also a smaller man ... no knocking Fitz who was very tricky , very tough and a murderous puncher but I feel the sport was developing in style and scope in Fitz's day and by Tunney's time far more advanced ... it matters less in slugger's matches but against a high end boxer the scale may be more apparent ...
