Do you consider Tim Withersoon an ATG?

If he’d been blatantly robbed, sure, but you can’t call yourself lineal Champion on a lineball decision.

 

Love Tim. Helluva fighter but not atg

 

Tim Witherspoon was one of the greatest heavyweight contenders of all time.

He was in the Ring Magazine end of year rankings in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996 and 1997.

That is an exceptional run of form.

 

I'm a fan, and the best Witherspoon might spring the victory against virtually anyone. As far as building a legacy, absolutely not an all-time great. Didn't pull off the wins, didn't pull off the discipline, didn't pull off the consistency. I don't know if Tim himself would say he should be in the company of the top guys ever? I mean, as a fighter, he might say he could beat anybody, I don't know, nor would I blame any fighter for admitting they feel that way. But would he say his work was on par with guys like Ali, Louis, Lewis, Frazier, Foreman and Tyson? Okay, but maybe he thinks he's a top twenty guy?

I don't know. I don't, even though I'll listen to H2H at their best arguments, because he was a bad man and there are some significantly more distinct vulnerabilities when you get into the twenties, if your ATG list extends there. But as far as some of the coolest standoffs between up and comers and ATG's...Witherspoon/Holmes was a classic example. He's been on the forum but I don't know if he looks at threads like this. If he does, I don't want him finding me and I said I was a fan, mostly out of cowardly fear of being troll-whipped. He is more man than I am.

 

I am really a fan though. But I wouldn't have bothered to say it without the fear.

 

very good but not an all time. notice how almost NO ONE talks about him now? in fact, i think this is the first time that some one actually brought him up in a LONG time!

 

Believe in yourself BE, be strong.

 

I believed in myself as a lover once and I discovered that my wife had created 'our' son with an injun named John Redcorn. That is what self-belief does for a man. Or they win the title, but that didn't happen to me.

 

You won the title of "Cuck".

 

I guess I did!

 

I'm sorry to hear she was given the Frankie Forn from Johnny Redcorn.

If it was Tim i'd understand your trepidation, or even if the injun was named "Terrible" Tim Redcorn but fronting Tim has nothing to do with your self belief as a lurver.

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In a casual manner, I would say Tim Witherspoon?, hell yeah, a great fighter - and I would definitely mean that.

In the strict, technical sense, I’d say not quite there.

I love Ken Norton also but Kenny didn’t quite make the grade either - but he rubbed shoulders with ATGs and gave them absolute HELL - beat at least one at least once and arguably might’ve beat another.

That’s no insult - there are a LOT of boxes to be ticked and heavy dues to be paid before one can be afforded the status of being an ATG.

To say a fighter isn’t an ATG isn’t to shortfall or discredit them - rather, it’s not to shortfall or discredit the fighters who truly earned their stripes as ATGs. It’s a somewhat relative measure in that sense.

 

Excellent answer!

 

If he'd barely won he'd have still been the lineal champ just like Spinks and Sharkey. Briggs is considered lineal champ despite most disagreeing with the decision.

The point isn't that Witherspoon should be considered a lineal champ just that he wasn't just an alphabet champ.