OK so we have the golden era contenders at heavy, Shavers, Lyle, Quarry etc. Now put them in to the 1990 s, another golden era, which could win a major title if any? Or if Oliver McCall could, can Shavers.. Iyo?
All of them. We'd have to go at least 10 deep to find one who couldn't. I'm using the most liberal usage of the word title. Bruce Seldon won a title even if he got it by beating a very respected Tucker albeit an old one. An interesting paradox here is the 90s have a better fighter to never fight for a title than the 70s do. Though I guess you can argue the Lewis fight was a title fight given Lewis was rewarded for winning it with a title.
Quarry easily wins a belt at LHW or possibly cruiser. No way does he fight at heavyweight. Lyle doesn't. He lost all his big fights. Shavers could grab a belt from a weak alphabet holder with a lucky punch.
Let’s look at the actual champions, because it’s a no-brainer if we include any old belt. Of course the best contenders could win those. Tyson Douglas Holyfield Bowe Holyfield Moorer Foreman Briggs Lewis Top to bottom, there’s the list of actual champions, not just every cheap titleist. Quarry, Lyle, Ellis, Bonavena, Young could all beat at least one of these men. Ellis would be shoulder-to-shoulder with Moorer, & beat the Douglas who fought Holyfield. Young would be too slick for Briggs, & very possibly decision Tokyo Tyson. Quarry would outwork Moorer, Douglas, & Briggs. He might also beat the Holyfield who lost to Moorer. Bonavena has a chance to outmuscle Moorer & could beat the same Douglas Holyfield defeated. Lyle would KO Briggs, & probably Moorer for mine too. & all of these guys save maybe Ellis could defeat Foreman between 1994-97.
