How great could Jersey Joe Walcott have become if...

Walcott certainly faced more than his fair share of hitters.

 

1. I wouldn't imply it caused a decline in competition though

2. One of the biggest reasons walcott started training full time in 1944 was he was introduced to Felix Bocchicio who totally revived walcott's career. He brought in Floirino to train Walcott, gave him training quarters, and gave him meal money. Walcott could finally devote himself full time to boxing.

 

He had the skills to be one of the very best. Heck, he outboxed Louis, albeit past prime rusty Louis.

However, he was always a bit chinny, which was a weakness. And I have to think, did he really want it enough? Maybe his decision to take a backbreaking normal job was why he never made it earlier in the fight game. To become a champion, talent isn't enough - you need to make sacrifices and have single-minded insane levels of focus. Perhaps Walcott just didn't have enough drive to be a true top 5 heavyweight champion.

I don't agree he was a lucky contender. He made Louis and Marciano look average for much of their first fights. He was very competitive with Charles. He had great skills you can clearly see on film. He just seemed to lack that killer instinct and psychological fortitude which almost all the great champions have.

Anyway, I think it's nice how after his early struggles, he finally won the title and entered history as the oldest heavyweight champion. And what a way to do it, arguably the sweetest knockout of all time - he suckered in the great Ezzard Charles with a lovely feint and drop of the shoulders, which he smoothly changed into a devastating hook/uppercut which literally turned Charles head 90 degrees sideways. If you watch it in slow motion, it's a real thing of beauty.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzNA14VKMls&feature=related[/ame]

 

LMAO...I was thinking the same thing...Revolver was a troll of great magnitude and Mr. Marvel is him or a twin :think