Greg Page - An overhyped bum or a lost potential?

thanks!!

I was somewhat of a boxing geek during my teen years - the mid '80s.

 

Outstanding reply, and exactly representative of what forums like this should be in the way of give-and-take, back-and-forth conversation.:good

I do think he was boiled down underweight for Berbick, and that Marty Monroe and Renaldo Snipes represent the weight at what was probably his best physical condition, where he would have remained if he just concentrated on training and getting his body to do the things he needed it to do for achieving his best performance potential.

Even in those situations with Monroe and Snipes, I regard him as limited, but the discussion can turn to what that version of Greg would have achieved or failed to achieve if remaining at that level of preparation throughout his career.

He certainly was no non factor in his division. He knocked out Coetzee to win the WBA Championship. Most of the first guys who beat him either won world championships (Berbick, Tubbs, Spoon, Douglas, Orlin at CW, Damiani with the WBO, Seldon), or challenged for one (Bey, Bugner), until Seldon ended his world class career in 1993. His other defeat to a world class opponent was Ruddock, who I'd imagine to easily be the foremost full career HW contender of his era to never get a world title shot. (I say "full career" with reference to the self destructive Ibeabuchi.)

The problems he had twice with both Chaplin and Wills are extremely troubling to me, especially with their rematches, when you'd have to expect Greg to be fully prepared at a prime age, yet he was gassed to exhaustion by the end of Chaplin II (where I've already stated I believe George deserved a second decision over Page), and he got knocked out in Wills II for his second stoppage loss to Mark, a completely different manner of two outcomes against a different rematched opponent.

Could Greg Page, at the best he could have been, neither overweight or weight drained, ever have been the best heavyweight in the world? I do not believe he'd have achieved that pinnacle. He could never have joined Ali, Holmes or Tyson as a dominant HW champion with the ability to beat all comers of all styles. Chaplin I & II with Wills I & II are just too damning. Even the 230 pound Ali of Jimmy Young would have found an answer with Chaplin and Wills.

 

thanks

I am glad we can give and take and remain civil. That's what it is all about