Heavyweight paper champions who were actually good fighters

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mr. magoo, May 14, 2009.


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  1. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    There is always some debate when the topic comes up about lineal, alpha, or interim champions, particularly where heavyweights at various points throughout history are concerned.

    I'm curious to know who you would list as a paper champion, but more specifically one's who you felt were still very good fighters.

    Just as an example, I think Jimmy Ellis was a paper champion who never beat " the man " to get the crown, but who actually earned his right to be there in Muhammad Ali's abscence. During the late 60's, he had wins over Leotis Martin, Floyd Patterson, Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena. Ali of course was in exhile and Frazier was a rising prospect. Who else should we have called "champ"?

    What are your thoughts and examples?
     
    mr. magoo, May 14, 2009
    mr. magoo, May 14, 2009
    #1
  2. Vantage_West

    Vantage_West ヒップホップ·プロデューサー Full Member

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    tommy morrison
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    Vantage_West, May 14, 2009
    Vantage_West, May 14, 2009
    #2
  3. ironchamp

    ironchamp Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Ken Norton (never won the title in the Ring)
    Pinklon Thomas
    Ray Mercer (as WBO Champ if you count that belt)
    Tommy Morrison (also as WBO Champ)
     
    ironchamp, May 14, 2009
    ironchamp, May 14, 2009
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  4. HomicideHenry

    HomicideHenry Many Talents, No Successes Full Member

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    HomicideHenry, May 14, 2009
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  5. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Joe Frazier beat a paper champ for his title but then won it proper when he floored Ali

    Ellis and Norton were good shouts
     
    GPater11093, May 14, 2009
    GPater11093, May 14, 2009
    #5
  6. Longhhorn71

    Longhhorn71 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Longhhorn71, May 14, 2009
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  7. Duodenum

    Duodenum Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Mike Weaver blew hot and cold, but also defeated world class competition in every way possible. He went into Minnesota and boxed Scott LeDoux's ears off behind his jab for 12 full rounds. He ambushed Carl "The Lie" Williams in two. He came back from a historic deficit to upset Big John Tate in Knoxville, weathered a middle round storm to flatten Coetzee late, handed Quick Tillis his first defeat by decisioning him (a time limit situation one would have expected might favor Tillis), and posted a fine late career win over an inconsistent but dangerous Smokin' Bert Cooper. Hercules was the most viable of the WBA champions from the 1980s.

    There were some other HW paper titleholders who were good fighters, but Weaver was the best champion of any of them, in my estimation.
     
    Duodenum, May 14, 2009
    Duodenum, May 14, 2009
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  8. HomicideHenry

    HomicideHenry Many Talents, No Successes Full Member

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    HomicideHenry, May 14, 2009
    HomicideHenry, May 14, 2009
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  9. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I also have a 1987 fight with Mike Weaver kayoing an up and coming dude named James Pritchard in an upset..... :D

    Too bad Weaver had no luck against Bonecrusher Smith in '86 or 1990..... And Weaver fighting Lennox Lewis in 1991 was criminal.....
    :patsch:shock:

    MR.BILL:rasta
     
    MRBILL, May 14, 2009
    MRBILL, May 14, 2009
    #9
  10. tommy the hat

    tommy the hat Active Member Full Member

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    out of those "paper champs" of the 1980s, Mike Weaver might not have been the most talented, but he got the most out of what he had out of all of those guys. He was a very decent fighter who had the ability to change a fight with one punch. The more talented guys like Greg Page, Tony Tubbs, Michael Dokes, and Pinklon Thomas were much more talented fighters who were good fighters when they had their **** together. Trouble is, whether it was drug issues,managerial and promoter problems, and poor training habits we didnt really get to see just how good those 4 guys could have actually been,
     
    tommy the hat, May 14, 2009
    tommy the hat, May 14, 2009
    #10
  11. FromWithin

    FromWithin Living for the city Full Member

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    John Ruiz gets underrated because of his boring style but he's been a top 10 HW for years now with a good resume and can give almost any guy a tough fight
     
    FromWithin, May 14, 2009
    FromWithin, May 14, 2009
    #11
  12. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    SuzieQ49, May 14, 2009
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  13. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    "Tubbs and Spoon" were the BEST of the paper chumps in my view......... Tubbs and Spoon were actually very good when they took things seriously........

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, May 14, 2009
    MRBILL, May 14, 2009
    #13
  14. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

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    Spoon was the first to come to mind.
     
    Thread Stealer, May 15, 2009
    Thread Stealer, May 15, 2009
    #14
  15. Beeston Brawler

    Beeston Brawler Comical Ali-egedly Full Member

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