Harry Mathews As A Heavyweight Contender Today?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mcvey, Jul 11, 2015.


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  1. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Harry Mathews who fought Marciano in a heavyweight title eliminator in 1952 ,was 5'11" , never scaled over 183'5lbs and only scaled over 180lbs , 7 times in his 90 bout career.

    How would he do against the heavyweight contenders of today?
     
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    #1
  2. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    He'd beat Wilder and Stiverne.

    That makes him good enough to be WBC champ.
     
    Unforgiven, Jul 11, 2015
    Unforgiven, Jul 11, 2015
    #2
  3. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    I doubt very much he would beat either. He lost to Don C*ckell 3 times. The only heavies of any note he beat are Rex Layne who seemed to have had all the ambition knocked out of him by that ko from Marciano, winning just 16 of his 31 subsequent fights , a past prime Freddie Beshore who had won just 5 of his last 13 fights,and a washed up Ezzard Charles who had won 4 of his last 11 fights.
    Mathews would be giving up 3 inches in height and 56lbs to Stiverne. Seven inches in height to Wilder and conceding 46lbs.
     
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    #3
  4. thistle1

    thistle1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    a S-MW cum L-HW, and a Top one...
     
    thistle1, Jul 11, 2015
    thistle1, Jul 11, 2015
    #4
  5. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    As A Heavyweight Contender Today?
     
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    #5
  6. thistle1

    thistle1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    he wouldn't be a HW today.
     
    thistle1, Jul 11, 2015
    thistle1, Jul 11, 2015
    #6
  7. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    I give up.
     
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    mcvey, Jul 11, 2015
    #7
  8. klompton2

    klompton2 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    Matthews should have stayed at lhw. For some reason hurley didnt think he could beat maxim (id give him a 50/50 chance at worst) so instead moved him into a no hope fight against marciano. Bizarre strategy. Matthews was much better at lhw though. Boxing out of that st. Paul style he was very fun to watch against guys who couldnt overpower him but at hw he just couldnt keep them at bay and was too stationary to avoid them.
     
    klompton2, Jul 11, 2015
    klompton2, Jul 11, 2015
    #8
  9. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    If he was a little undersized for the division in his own day, I can't see the situation being better today.
     
    janitor, Jul 11, 2015
    janitor, Jul 11, 2015
    #9
  10. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    He was a light heavyweight. Beat the dangerous Bob Murphy

    He couldn't compete at heavy today. He could at 175

    Agree with klompton
     
    SuzieQ49, Jul 11, 2015
    SuzieQ49, Jul 11, 2015
    #10
  11. The Mongoose

    The Mongoose I honor my bets banned

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    I don't think you understand that if a white man from the past tried to add muscle with modern training his body would lose all athleticism and his skeleton would likely implode, leaving something like this behind...

    [url]http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/wennpic/danny-devito-2011-critics-choice-television-awards-01.jpg[/url]
     
    The Mongoose, Jul 11, 2015
    The Mongoose, Jul 11, 2015
    #11
  12. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    :good:lol:

    It's like when posters try to claim marciano never produced one punch knockouts

    Or better yet if marciano tried to bulk up to 205lb today he would look like a fat pillsbury doughboy
     
    SuzieQ49, Jul 11, 2015
    SuzieQ49, Jul 11, 2015
    #12
  13. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    If 205 were Marciano's best fighting weight, he would have entered the ring at 205.

    Some at the time (Archie Moore included) thought that Matthews was a West Coast hype job.
     
    Seamus, Jul 11, 2015
    Seamus, Jul 11, 2015
    #13
  14. The Mongoose

    The Mongoose I honor my bets banned

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    I welcome it
     
    The Mongoose, Jul 11, 2015
    The Mongoose, Jul 11, 2015
    #14
  15. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    He wasn't a hype job at light heavyweight, he beat Bob Murphy one of the division's biggest punchers.

    But at heavyweight, yes he was no heavyweight.
     
    SuzieQ49, Jul 11, 2015
    SuzieQ49, Jul 11, 2015
    #15
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