How do you think Gene Tunney would do against:

I was just going to make a Tunney vs. Foreman thread.

Outta my ****in' head, McGrain.

I honestly think Foreman would maul him. A faded Dempsey eventually got Tunney against the ropes.

Foreman's going to get him there as well (Probably push him, the big *******)

 

Lewis KO 1

Tyson KO 1

Liston KO 1

UD Jeffries

Foreman KO 1

:good

 

Are you kidding? Didn't you see Foreman's stuggles with Peralta? How about Liston against movers like Ali and Machen and even Whitehurst? Certain styles give certain fighters fits. The speedy slick movers with great condition always bothered Foreman and Liston.

Gene Tunney had fast footwork, fast hands, set a good pace, knew how to clinch, and didn't fade late. Sort of like....hmm...who?

Not saying Gene beats them. Possibly Sonny and George catch up to him and nail him and take him out. But just as possible that he outpoints them and wins a decision or late stoppage.

Jeffries would have either lost a decision or knocked Gene out. Which one, I dont' know.

 

Lennox Lewis....I see Tunney moving well in the early rds when Lennox was most dangerous and Tunney had enough power to keep you at Bay, Lewis content to UD 12
Mike Tyson...Tunney gets past early sporatic onslaughtand possibly goes down. Gene gets bolder as the fight goes on, Dempsey was as fast as Mike and comes on in the end to stagger Mike...TUnney SD 15
Sonny Liston...Tunney boxing well but Sonny gets in a few powerfull jabs and is in pursuit...Gene is faster and moving well but gets hurt by a right hand from Sonny in the 5th rd AND TAKES A KNEE, Gene gets up on his Bike for 2 rds but start to come on in the 8th9th 10th, Sonny slows down and gene landing well on Sonny swolen eye, Tunney has a strong last rd to take the nod
Jim Jeffries...Tunney By UD
George Foreman....I see this fight almost as a repeat of Foreman/Young only Gene could hit harder than Jimmy...Tuney gets the nod

 

I'll let these assessments stand for me as well.

Liston was either beaten or forced to go the distance against sub 200 pounders Whitehurst, Marshall, Machen and Martin. None of them were even remotely in Gene's class. Greg Peralta and Jimmy Young showed what somebody with Tunney's size could do against Foreman.

Tunney/Jeffries would be Jeffries/Corbett I all over again. Jeff might be lucky to avoid a shutout.

Gene Tunney may have been the most fearless heavyweight champion of all time. He was certainly the most antisuperstitious professional athlete who ever lived. Mike Tyson had serious problems with opponents he could not intimidate, as did Foreman and Liston. He recovered very rapidly from a monster shot by Dempsey. He could weather any storm his more modern counterparts unleashed.

Lennox would let his height and reach do the work, and outbox Gene in a borefest. (Much like Ali and Holmes would.)

 

Lewis by tko11rds
Liston l dec
Tyson w ko 14
Foreman l dec
Jeffries l dec

 

I think he'd probably beat Foreman.
Foreman loads up on those big shots and Tunney would punish him with straight ones. Tunney wouldn't be intimidated by Foreman's roughouse tactics and great strength. And Tunney was great at rolling with punches he could see coming, or avoiding them altogether.

Tunney may or may not be able to outbox Liston.
Guys like Machen and Whitehurst frustrated Liston, but were not coming close to actually beating him. But Tunney was better, and confident, determined. I have no firm belief on the outcome.

Same holds for Tyson-Tunney. Tunney would know HOW to beat Tyson, but would he really be able to do enough, to execute the whole plan ? He might have to give up the first few rounds straight off the bat, to survive the onslaught. But he'd also have to get Tyson's respect quite early to maximize his chances, maybe even stop Tyson. Tyson was awful quick in there, and Tunney might be forced into being too defensive. But his chances increase every round, even if he's behind. He only has to have a good round later on in the fight and might break the front-runner Tyson. On the other hand, Tyson could finish this early. For all Tunney's heart and savvy and preparation, he only has to get caught once with the wrong combination, the punch he didn't quite anticipate.

I haven't seen a prime Jeffries on film, so I wont comment on that one.

Lennox would box Tunney, and his size and strength might win it for him comfortably. But Tunney may know how to exploit Lewis's weaknesses, and nick the decision. It wouldn't be an interesting fight. Tunney winning might seem dramatic in a "David and Goliath" way, but I'd imagine most the rounds would look the same, and neither fighter would do anything spectacular.

 

Lewis, by UD
Tyson, by close UD
Liston, TKO12
Tunney, by UD
Tunney, by UD

 

Exactly my thoughts. :good

 

... let's be fair he was faded but so what, the last thing to leave a fighter is power and he still had that in abundance. Regardless Tunney took his best shots, got up from the canvas, shook it off in no time and continued to dominate and thoroughly outbox Dempsey. :yep

 

Lennox Lewis TKO 8 Tunney

Lewis mixture of height, weight, one-punch-power, skills, etc. would be too much IMO for Gene

Gene Tunney UD 12 Mike Tyson

Tyson would have the better part in the beginning, perhaps even score a KD or 2, but in the end, I see Tunney winning comfortably because of his superior footwork and skills.

Gene Tunney UD 15 Sonny Liston

Liston, who´s IMO anyhow overrated, especially head-to-head, would be far too slow for Tunney, and he also didn´t have more power than Dempsey, so a KO would be also unlikely.


Gene Tunney UD 15 Jim Jeffries

Jeffries freaky pysical strength and power would be dangerous until the later rounds, ask Corbett for example. But IMO Tunney was smart enough to fight not in the inside with Jeffries, he would win most rounds simply because he would outpoint Jeffries with his jab and quick combinations.


Gene Tunney UD 15 George Foreman

A prime Foreman with his at the best mediocre stamina wouldn´t have a chance if he couldn´t KO Gene in the first 5 rounds, because he was too predictable and slow combinated with a bad stamina, so he couldn´t beat a pure great boxer like Tunney, Young, Ali, etc.

 

Lewis WU15 (11-4)

Tyson WU15 (9-6)

Liston WM15 (9-6)

Tunney W25 (16-9)

Foreman WU15 (9-6)

Tunney was a fine fighter, tough as nails, but probably just too small to beat most of these monsters.

 

Lennox Lewis KO1
Mike Tyson KO1
Sonny Liston UD
Jim Jeffries KO
George Foreman UD

 

Lewis and Tyson KO Tunney in one round? Highly unlikely.