How Big a Threat Could Teofilo Stevenson have been

It is always a very difficult thing to try and determine how a great amateur fighter would do in the pros. Stevenson was one of the very best 3 round fighters of all time, but at the same time, he was also a grown man fighting teens for much of his amateur career, and I'm not sure if his tactics would have translated well into a professional ring.

My guess is that he probably would have risen very quickley through the ranks to contention. What would he have done once he got there?????

 

Stamina is one valid issue. Going from 3 to 12/15 rounds is a huge leap.

Toughness (physical and mental) could be another issue. No disrespect to amateur boxing, but one thing is being hit wearing all the padding and another being hit without the padding. However, it must be said that Stevenson fought frequently without padding, so in his case we can assume he was tough enough.

I don't know how high Stevenson could have reached. I don't dare to say that he would have been able to match Ali, Frazier, or even Foreman. But I think that he, at least, had been at the same level than Norton: a legitimate and dangerous contender.

 

Stevenson hit like Foreman and had plenty of boxing skills. In some ways, he was an early version of Lennox Lewis. I think Stevenson could have been champion. Not sure for how long though.

 

I'm more interestd in Russian who ko'd him twice, one ko was after Stenson's second Gold medel. Fight was in Cuba, and Fidel Castro confiscated tapes of fight. The Russian guy was kept off Olympic team by his coutry. Officail reason was they werer afraid he had cut around eyes that was easy to open. Real reason was fear of defection.

 

Perhaps the two biggest travistities in boxing history are the color barier and the fact that Commiust nations like the USSR and Cuba would not let their boxers turn pro with the exception of Laszlo Pap.
From what I have sean Teofilo Stevenson had the ability to do very well as a pro boxer. I don't think he would have domanated. I don't think anyone could realy domanate that eara. Ali was the best but he didn't domnate. I think he would have been a world champion but he would have losses as well. Stamana may be an isue with amatuer fights only going 3 rounds, but if he turned pro young enough that might not be an isue.

 

My impression is that, skill-wise, Stevenson was way above Quarry and Chuvalo.

Stevenson had the required weapons to be a contender. My only doubts are related to stamina and toughness

 

Ali was an amateur also and he made the switch to 15 rounds, why wouldn't Stevenson?

 

Igor Vysotsky many years later said he suffered a serious cut leading up to the Olympics in 76, claimed he cut often in his career. The Cubans only let Stevenson fight once they realised Vysotsky was withdrawn. Milyano Romero was to represent Cuba initially

 

I think he does very very well. Stevenson had a big name and would've attracted the top shelf management and trainers. Very very important. He would've been groomed and the guy did have tools to work with. So the not going more rounds issue would've been solved and it's not as if the guy ballooned up in weight all the time anyway. The 72 era really did not produce a bunch of can't miss prospects and the highest hope was on former victim, Duane Bobick. Lyle turning pro in 71 was the bright star back then, but was old. Holmes was not a can't miss guy. In 76, you had Tate/Coetzee/Knoetze/Spinks. and around 78 had Page/Dokes/Tillis/Cooney/Thomas/Witherspoon and those guys just starting. I'd go with a Stevenson with top shelf backing to stand at the top of the heap.

I think Stevenson would've had big money behind him and the division had lots of guys going down the ladder and nobody better as a prospect going up the ladder. So the timing was good and timing counts for everything. Another consideration is if Holmes had beaten Bobick in 72, he was going to face Stevenson and not many would've picked him to survive that one.

But being groomed and having the top trainers/managers/promoters would've been the package Stevenson would've started out with. He sure wasn't going to have to take the Nick Wells route. Big big difference. And there was always a lot of talk and rumors of Stevenson turning pro but it never did happen. If anyone here followed football back then, it was kind of like the Johnnie Rodgers thing and it turned out being "if only" type career paths.

 

what was the nick wells route ?

 

His management and pro development and what he had and got versus what else was avaliable at the time.

 

could you be a little more specific please.