Floyd Patterson V Oleksandr Usyk??

Great post in its entirety but I isolated the above portion because it is an excellent analogy and sum up.

Roughly, Floyd is to Usyk as Usyk is to, say, AJ. But then you more finely calibrated to highlight Usyk’s particular advantages over Floyd within the analogy.

I’m exactly with you. Usyk, a justifiable favourite but a pretty close fight all the same.

 

Great post.
That is very realistic, although I could see 10-5 too.
Usyk's work rate is a big factor too. Even when fighting in the 170's, I doubt anyone can find a fight where Patterson equalled the punches landed of Usyk.
It would be surprising if his height was not rounded up, especially when 6' is such an even # & he was listed at 5'11" early in his career...
If that is correct, he was like most of us, Leonardo's Golden Ratio/height = wingspan.
But most boxers tend to be longer, like Usyk.

It may not matter with a powerhouse like Tua, or preternatural speed & combinations like Tyson, or being as busy & good in close like Frazier...
But all other things being equal it is an advantage.

 

Tyson with Rooney was the most skilled heavyweight all-time, but he would always look human if a big heavy fought back because he was too small, Tyson would have destroyed anybody his size.

 

What exact examples are you looking at? Talking Rooney, we only really have Tucker and Smith who won maybe 3 rounds between them in 24 and never looked like winning? They were both tough outs for almost anyone.

I'd agree his size made it harder to counter their negative mauling tactics but again, he barely lost a round to them. Smith more particularly was a disgrace.

 

Tucker did far better than Smith and got Tyson`s respect with an uppercut in te first round, he took Tyson`s shots without blinking.

 

That he did, but these things happen in a boxing ring. No fighter is ever remotely close to perfect over a career, or even during peaks. Tucker still did not come remotely close to winning. Holmes was dropped or hurt by Weaver, Witherspoon, Snipes and others but he won those fights and it didn't necessarily mean X was going to beat him. Ali was dropped by Frazier and badly hurt earlier. Joe Louis was often hurt or dropped but invariably came roaring back. It happens to virtually all of them. It's what they do in these awkward fights and Tyson beat those two in a canter and stayed patient against a surprisingly awkward Thomas.

As far as Tucker taking Tysons shots, well he fought mostly a survival type fight off the back foot which lessened the chance of getting caught moving into a punch and also the chance of not seeing one. He also tied Tyson up at every opportunity so Tyson had no chance to get any flow on, any shorter term accumulation.

I'd accept that Tyson's passivity in clinches was one of the weaker points of his game. They all had their weaker points. He still won easily against Tucker and Smith tho despite this. When they are clinching non stop it's not like they are building up points themselves.

 

Too many factors for my small brain. I have all the boxing knowledge of a cup of ice so this one with not a lot to draw from I’m just gonna have to say… Patterson? Probably.

 

Patterson

 

Usyk schools him. Anyone backing Patterson in this one is embarrassing themselves and think that being a boxing hipster makes them better than other people.