Floyd Patterson vs Gene Tunney

I'd be interested to see Tunney using the strategy Leonard gave him for Greb in a fight against Tunney(strong body attack). I think Tunney with good hands certainly has the ability to knock Patterson out with a big cross. If a guy like Ingo can, than a guy with a much better cross in Tunney certainly can... If we're saying that the advancement in boxing technique would make the difference in Patterson beating Tunney I find that kinda hard to believe seeing some of the guys that made Patterson hit the canvas. The only parallel we have for Tunney-Patterson are the Dempsey and Ali fights... Ali to me is a lot like Tunney but bigger and better with less infighting and body punching ability. Dempsey is a sluggier version of Patterson, tougher and harder hitting but slower. Even then, Gene won pretty much every round off Dempsey.

I think Gene KO9 Patterson. Gene has issues at first with Patterson's speed and combinations but weathers the storm, starts finding counter timing, and comes out on top.

Boxed Ears is going to hate me for this post.

 

I'm a huge fan of Floyd Patterson's, but this underestimation of Gene Tunney is just incredible. Just as Roy Jones is given a pass for all the tomato cans that he fought...cherry picking well into his chanpionship tenures..Tunney needs the same consideration despite his not fighting any 6'-3" black heavyweights and his limited heavyweight "resume".. period. You should be able to extrapolate how well he would have done based on the record he had and the accounts of how well he fought and what his strengths were..somewhat like his rival Harry Greb is held in such high esteem (despite having no filmed evidence)..instead of just writing him off as some kind of unproven "never-was"..as some of you are doing.

 

Tunney would have been quite a different kettle of fish for Floyd...fast, superb boxer with a great chin and most of all, quite a tough, technical boxer with a comprehensive grasp of the fundamentals and of course, tremendous DISCIPLINE..and Tunney had power...subserviant to his greater skills, but nonetheless, he had the power to flash on occasion, and would have , IMO, shaken up and decked Floyd along the way for a hardfought but clear decision victory...he would have overcome Patterson's speed and outpointed him over 15.

 

Tunney has a better resume than Patterson by far IMO. A carefully constructed career path, but pretty clear nonetheless. Heavyweight is whatever. Neither of these guys are big.

 

How far do you take this? Tunney is similar to guys like Ali, Pea and the like, he fights unorthodox because it best suits his attributes. It's not a weakness it's the opposite.

 

Notice how he didn't include Greb or Loughran in that list :deal

 

How does he have the chin to withstand patterson's combinations? What heavyweight puncher did Tunney ever fight besides a far past his prime Dempsey?(Who put him down for 14 seconds)

 

Tunney might have had a "carefully constructed career path" but a lot of Patterson's record was downright cynical matchmaking.
Peter Rademacher, Brian London, Tom McNeeley, the return bout clauses with Ingo, the "luck" of having to beat the LIGHT-heavyweight champion for the HEAVYweight championship.
And being brought back in the picture after the utter humiliation of losing two consecutive worl title fights by 1st round KO.

 

no way!

 

The luck? Moore was the Ring Magazine # 1 heavyweight contender in the world

 

Instead of speculating about Tunney's chin why don't we take a look at Pattersons? Down more than any HW champion and downed by some crude, crude guys... Iced by Liston in a round twice. knocked by Ingo. If we're trying to do chin talk i think it's pretty clear just in numbers who's in a worse position here... Talk as much as you want about the Long Count but that's all it is, talk. It's not a knockout.

Yes way. I guess you have an issue with the age of the guys? Tunney still has 8 LHW champs under his belt including a top 3 of all time fighter in Greb, Dempsey 2X who regardless as to how much his status has been revised was considered the best HW ever up until Patterson's time... A SINGLE LOSS? No contest really.

 

That is irrelevant. We are discussing "heavyweight" resumes, and Patterson blows Tunney out of the water.


ps Dempsey was far past his prime in 1926, Patterson would have knocked out that version of Jack Dempsey

 

1. What punchers did Tunney ever fight outside of a well past his prime Jack Dempsey?

2. What big heavyweights did Tunney ever fight?

3. What black fighters did Tunney ever fight?

 

You go ahead with your agaenda...this alone is ridiculous.:nut..it's ceased to be a serious dicussion...yes you have an agenda here.

 

Patterson hit very hard. Not many men could withstand Patterson's blows. Once again, what heavyweight punchers did Tunney prove his chin against? How many men did tunney ever fight with the power, combination punching, and finishing skills of Floyd Patterson?