Gibbons v Tunney

Tunney was quite persistent (on offense) when he knew he was better than his man and his big shots could shake or trouble him wasnt he? He looked determined on the offensive there, and still kept getting out when Gibbons shaped up to throw something. I also like how when guys get their heads down into Gene's chest, he usually keeps upright and smashes hard right hooks into the side of their jaw, Gene was a very rugged fighter.

 

I noticed in every fight I've seen of Tunney's he always seems to control the clinching he clinches when he wants and will spin the opponents there or push them around but always in total control. And he always pushed them far enough to make sure he is out of range for them the ref almost never has to break the clinch because he has so much control there he keeps his opponents so long enough to land some shots but not too long that the ref has the step in.

 

Good observation there, i think it sort of coincides in what my post was ultimately saying of Tunney, he was rugged and tough, more than what people think who havent really looked at the main body of his achievements.

 

I agree with what you said for the most part, but I not sure if Tunney was in the best shape ever. He's way up there in the stamina department. In Jeffries', Marciano's, and old timers who went 20 or more for sure.

One underated thing about Tunney is he had a very good attack. Watch this fight and you'll see. By no means was Tunney just an out fighter.

 

Gibbons was washed up, norfolk was even more washed up! norfolk was BLIND at this point!! he shouldnt have even been granted a boxing liscense.



Tunney looks good, lots of ring intelligence for his time. but on the flipside, I think gene looks very amatuerish and unmodern the way he keeps his hands by his waist and tries to lean back from punches, a modern skilled fighter would destroy that kind of style. He benefited from facing smaller older fighters, but against bigger young jabbers he'd be in alot of trouble. Tunneys straight right is fast and sharp, but its not very powerful. I think he throws arm punches a little too much, even though they are fast and straight. he doesnt twist his body into his punches for power. his whole style while fast, seems to herky jerky....way too stiff, no rythm.. he doesnt box loose, smooth, and cool like a charles. I think tunneys biggest strength was his intelligence, he was great at timing his punches because he was very intelligent.

Tunney while he defintley helped modernize boxing in some ways, I think many of the greats conn/charles/burley took what tunney did and developed it into more modern style... gene was great for his time, but boxing from the 1940s on much more advanced.

 

Norfolk was washed up but he was not blind. Thats bull****. Norfolk never went blind. He lived for years in New York and while he was blind in one eye like Greb he was never blind in both eyes like Langford.

 

That video was sharp. Really sharp!

 

Ironically it was Kid Norfolk thumbing Greb that led to Harry's blind eye.

 

Norfolk lost the vision in his bad eye against Lee Anderson in the fight just before his first fight with Greb.