Could Joe Bugner go the distance with prime Mike Tyson?

God I certainly hope not

 

Yes he could and has a chance after 5, but his approach would be like Smith's and Tucker's - designed to see the final bell rather than actually try to win the fight.

 

But Quick had previously said "Tyson hit harder than Acorn, and Acorn can whack". So changed his mind many years later.

 

I didn’t know Tillis had said that - good info.

Clearly the “hit like a sissy by comparison” comment was an exaggeration at any rate. Tillis wasn’t a big fan of Mike, was he? Lol.

Interesting that it seems as if the true measure of Tyson’s sheer punch power has been lost in translation and/or underestimated in recent years.

Perhaps that is due in part (or whole) to Mike himself claiming that several other fighters hit notably harder than he did, Mike putting his punching effectiveness more down to his speed, accuracy and punching in combination.

Sure, all those attributes definitely contributed to the overall effectiveness of Mike’s punches - but Tyson still had very formidable, raw punch power anyway, imo.

While it can still call in speed and the punch “unseen” factor, Mike certainly landed some devastating single bombs during his career.

Nothing against Larry, but one of my favourite single shots landed by Mike was the huge right hand on Holmes’ left temple for the first KD.

Had that punch been right on the chin - it would’ve been all over right then and there I think.

 

Set up for it was even better. Admittedly haven't watched it in years so my memory may be a bit fuzzy but iirc, Tyson kind of punched Larry's hand away to create the opening which was insane.

 

I'd like to know the sources for that quote.

Well, we definitely have heard in Quick's own words (on camera and via telephoned interviews) repeatedly what he said about the vast supremacy of Earnie's power.

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And that's where we need to defer to the footage itself. Tyson decked Quick with what was essentially a flash KD, while Earnie floored him with a right hand bomb that flattened him on his face, and Cosell was shocked that James beat the count at nine by abruptly bouncing up from that position. No question which KD was by far the more devastating one.

 

Just one of those comments I always recall reading and I always remember him saying "acorn". It could be an interview with Tillis or from the fight report in one of the boxing publications at the time (i've probably got the Ring, Boxing Illustrated, Boxing News, KO and World Boxing fight report of the Tyson-Tillis scrap or at least 4 out of 5 of them, soul it could be that).

We know years later Tillis changed his mind and went down the old 'the guy I beat definitely hit harder than the guy who beat me". Happens all the time...and it makes for better after-dinner chat too. Maybe Tillis did think that, but in the 1980s he said differently. Henry Clark, who fought Shavers, Liston and sparred with Foreman thinks Eddie Machen hit harder than anyone. Of course he would, he beat Machen (and was stopped by the other two).

 

It was definitely one to remember. I can still see it now, with that moment having been etched into my memory - not only the punch itself but the reaction of everyone else who was watching.

Has to be one of the best connects Tyson made.

 

I think Mike just threw a left to set up for the right Swag.

Joe Louis deliberately threw a left hook to knock away Braddocks guarding left hand - which cleared the path for Joe’s KO right hand. That was insane.

 

Man i wish i saved it or even knew what fight it was. A year or so ago watching this black and white film, i think i came across it looking at Hedgemon Lewis and offshoot fights from around the era. Anyway two black fighters and this guy throws this jab, aimed straight at his opponents glove, not his chin. As soon as that punch hit target and moved the glove there was already a right hand flying straight thru that gap, completely unseen and exploding off his chin. I watched it about 6 times to make sure i was on top of it. That jabs sole purpose was to open that gap up for the scorching right hand. The right hand was delivered sooner than it normally would have been in your common 1-2 to heighten it's chances of success. It was brilliant and i'm pretty certain this guy was never even a champ or really elite fighter from memory, just a contender. There's no way skills have improved since the 40's or so, earlier for some fighters.

 

Yeah, one of those punches you remember perfectly. I always thought that punch left a slight dent in Larry’s left temple - temporary of course…well I hope so. But then again, I’d never given Larry’s mug that close a look until after Mike landed that punch - the dent a pre-existing cranial feature for Larry? - perhaps.

 

Gotcha. Almost like a small overlap, the right
already launched upon the recoil of the left. Killer combo and timing.

Totally agree, skills haven’t improved - people simply don’t look closely enough to appreciate the old school skills. I’ll admit, I’d seen Louis KO Braddock many times before realising Joes nuanced set up for the right hand.

Re punches you never forget - I’ve had this in my back pocket for a while - now half an excuse to link it.

It’s also topical in light of how Garcia v Davis ended.

Norton’s left to Ali’s body in their rubber match.

This one doubled Ali right up. Huge punch. A terrific example of a perfect liver shot.

The sight and sound of the punch literally makes you feel sick (or at least it does me).

Could’ve been all over for many other fighters - but not Ali who possessed not only an iron chin but iron body also.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0vNVzVK23WY?feature=share

 

Exactly mate, already fired by the time the left was recoiling. Brutal shot that one by Norton. If it doubles up Ali you know it's hit something good and was damn hard.

I think it was the legendary Jimmy Cannon that once said nobody took it to the head and body as Good as Ali. He was certainly onto it.

 

Jimmy Cannon might very well have said it after the FOTC, but I would imagine it was somebody who witnessed most if not all his career. But by then, everybody was saying it. The question is, who said it first, and Cannon lived long enough that it definitely could have been him.

Howard Cosell (who knew Cannon well) also said it during his voice over of the FOTC in March 1971, when Frazier's final round knockdown made Joe a champion, while getting back to his feet to fight on made Ali a legend. "This man can take a PUNCH!"