Classic Forum Opinion:Micheal Dokes vs Lamon Brewster?

I think he was used up by the Ruddock fight too. I'd say Dokes was in his prime in the early 1980's and had that one last good performance left in him against Holyfield in 1989. He had very quick hands at his best.

I never thought Brewster was really top class. Clifford Etienne actually outbrawled him and he lost to Charles Shufford too. I thought Meehan also beat him and eventually Lyakhovich did.

He might give Dokes some problems with his pressure and always has the "puncher's chance" but in this case I think Dokes is just the more skilled boxer. It's not like Dokes couldn't hurt Brewster either.

 

Dokes was past it when he fought all those guys especially Bowe, No way was he even close to his prime. He was still pretty good though when he fought Holyfield. Actually Dokes was in his prime like 7 years before all these fights back when he fought Weaver twice.

 

I think the Holyfield fight was a real heartbreaking defeat. He gave his all, came close but came up short. In a terrific epic battle, no question. But that kind of defeat can finish a fighter psychologically, especially when it reverses the momentum of a sucessful comeback run. And the history of drugs and rehab made matters worse.

Interestingly, after Dokes lost to Holyfield he was being talked of as a Tyson challenger later on in the year, but that never materialised. Maybe if that had been made he would have sprung the upset that Douglas pulled and saved his career and set up a return with Holyfield.

 

I doubt he would have done a Buster Douglas on Tyson. He would have had to have been in the shape he was against Holyfield (around 220 lbs) to stand any kind of a chance. However after the loss to Holyfield he got to around 255 lbs and after the Ruddock loss 280+ lbs. He just let himself go. As you said, it was a heartbreaking loss to Holyfield, he had trained long and hard for the comeback but it was not to be.

 

I think Mike Weaver was more explosive than Brewster and Brewster can be outboxed..Dokes held his own with Weaver although I thought Weaver beat him in rematch and 1st match was a farce...Dokes had good hand speed and some pop...Dokes take the nod

 

Dokes had better boxing skills, but I don't know if he could fend off Brewster's relentless heart and attacking style. I think Dokes would build a wide margin of points early, but with his tendency to break down later in fights, as with the case against Coetzee, Holyfield and the Weaver rematch, I can see Brewster forcing a stoppage late. Dokes simply did not do well against pressure fighters would kept coming at him.

 

Agreed on all accounts. The Holyfield fight was a very good showing of Dokes. He was still only around 30 years old, a fit 225 lbs, was training with better management than he had before, and was clean for the time in years. He was also staying busy and had fought some 7 times in 1988 before fighting Evander in early 1989. This was probably the last time we saw a truly galvenized version of Dokes. In fact, had THIS Dokes been in the ring with Gerrie Coetzee in 1983, I wonder if the outcome would have been different.

As for the Tyson fight never materializing, I seem to remember hearing something at the time about Dokes wanting too much money to take the match, and Don King terminating negotiations.. Probably a bad move on Dokes' part in hindsite, given that he was KO'd for less money and by a lesser opponent several months later..... For whatever reason, he did not maintain his physical form and gained some 15-20 lbs in the year between fighting Evander and meeting Ruddock.. He was also floored against journeyman Lionel Washington on the undercard of Holyfield vs Rodriguez. Not long after the Ruddock defeat, he was arrested for possesion of cocaine, perhaps implying that he had once again been using by the time he entered the ring with Razor.

 

As far as Dokes and Coeztee, I dont think any version of Dokes would beat Coetzee that night, other nights yes but That was the best version of Coetzee I have seen. He was patient, boxed well and he used both hands and put the pressure on but patiently...If Gerrie could have kept that form for other fights he may have come out victorious in other big fights such as Weaver and Tate IMO

 

Dokes post-1985 would lose to Brewster by late stoppage, maybe unanimous decision.Pre-1985 Dokes(when he was at his best) would win by decison, Dokes' power being somewhat overrated.

 

During the first half of the 80s Dokes was neck and neck with Page for the title best uncrowned champ. He and Page were head and shoulders over the rest but both had peaked before their opportunity came along.

Post 85 Dokes was on the slide but I think he'd still have too much for Brewster, who was basically just a journeyman.

 

A clean Dokes outboxes the pedestrian Brewer, his handspeed would befuddle the predictable left hooker.

 

Just watching the delivery of those punches I'd wager that Ruddock hits a bit harder but its really anyone's guess.

As for the OP

I'd easily favor Dokes;

His handspeed and skills may produce a clinic that is one sided but compelling due to Brewster's equalizer.