Firpo V The Contenders Today?

Skills pay bills, Firpo had none even compared with guys like Tyson Fury.

 

Not from what I've seen of him on film.

 

Firpo is one of the old boxers that I have always thought would struggle today he really doesn't seem to be that skilled . That said I think he has a punchers chance if he connects with fighters like fury and even wilder , they could find themselves looking up at the ring lights . Seeing as I mentioned wilder some may scoff but wilder is pretty wide open defensively so firpo landing one big shot can't totally be ruled out and for me anyway wilders chin is unproven .

 

He would have to be carefully matched just like he was in his era. The problem today is that he wouldnt have the size advantages he had over most of the guys he fought back then. When you combine that with his lack of skill, one dimensionality, and slowness it doesnt look good for him.

 

He had to be reasonable to go the distance with Wills.

Firpo was tough and raw in his day. Today he would be Tough and Raw. If you look at the lack of pace of modern superheavys, the age of the curent guys, yes they are big, but what else are they? Renaldo Snipes and Carl Williams would have a belt each today and their era was not that good.

I don't think Firpo ever would be a world beater even in a so called poor era but I do believe he would be what he always was in his day. A rough, tough, hard hitting handful who would give most a run for their money....without beating anyone that great.

 

They are skilled too. A guy like Bermane Stiverne is a very skilled, accurate counter-puncher with impressive power. Someone like Bryant Jennings is decent in every area. Tyson Fury is definitely not a simple big guy with nothing else, dude can fight on the long range and also on the inside and things like these about all those guys can be said.

 

Fury has heart but can you bet on him? No doubt he beats slower, shorter, older pedestrian types to himself but Cunningham nearly iced him. Fury puts his "gung ho" head on once in a while and he's often very sloppy and hittable. Fury has long arms but can he knock out even decent 1980s fighters? I think Carl Williams beats fury. He would fold up like a deck chair against a Ruddock, a Cooney or a Bruno.

 

Williams was a good fighter imo too.
We are comparing Fury with Firpo.
You talk negatively about Fury pointing out he was dropped by Cunnigham. That can be said about almost every fighter.

I see more skills in Fury than in Firpo, unfair perhaps, let's keep it simple when you see one guy throwing a punch and compare with the other guy's punching technique, don't you see a clear advantage for Fury ? Or anyone else in the today's top 10 ? Just look at how Firpo is throwing those wild ass punches and you see that he did not know how to throw a simple shot with any of his hands.

 

All I know is Fury has age on most of the top ten as well as size, pace and everything else. Pace and age and power won't necessarily be on his side against Firpo. Maybe Fury beats him easy, maybe Fury gets caught by a daft shot? That's not to say that makes Firpo great either. He was just raw.

What needs to be put into perspective is how fighters from the 1980s and 90s do today and how those guys were regarded compared with earlier era's.

I think Anders Eklund could go 30-0 today, might make #4 in the ratings without fighting nobody just like everyone else. Fury would beat him but that would be his biggest win.

I don't think Fury is near to where Fransisco Damiani and "super" Brian Neilson were as fighters in their day. How would Damiani and Neilson do in the 1920s? Do they go the distance with Wills? I don't think we can be so sure of that.

 

I was ringside for Fury Cunningham. He managed to both impress me and unimpress me in the same fight, if that makes sense. I was decidedly let down by his apparent lack of skills in that fight, he looked clumsy, hittable and chinny. However he showed tremendous gameness I was very impressed with his willingness to mix it up, to not mind being hit and to not fold once dropped. At 6'9 250 with his determination he will be a tough out for many fighters. He has the size and right mental make up. He just lacks overall talent.

As for Firpo he was a big man for his day, not in today's game, outside of Wilder, who until I see put in with a live fighter I just don't know If I can pick him, I can't see Firpo winning against any other top 10

 

Do you think Fury is as good as Damiani and Neilson yet?

 

Certainly not Damiani, whom I like a lot, very skilled.

Damiani is vastly more skilled than Firpo.

 

Yeah, of course, Firpo would have a punchers chance and.. imo, that's about it.