How would Tszyu have done at 147 - in his day - and who would he have beat?

He'd take out Cotto with his suspect chin but struggle against the bigger guys like Mosley and ODLH. Is it true that Shane and Oscar ducked Kostya?

 

Kostya was a decent fighter, but anyone who took his punch had a chance to win. He stayed at 140 rather than move up. Dlh and Shane are fighters who went after the money, and fought everyone, so why would they duck Kostya who lost to Vince Phillips who lost to Ike Quartey who lost to Dlh, who lost to Shane...lol? Kidding...

 

I've never bought that either ducked Kosta. Shane jumped weight classes to fight Oscar, which to me is a much tougher fight. It doesn't make sense to say you're ducking someone when you go and take a much tougher fight. And, well De la Hoya fought Mosley, lost and eventually moved up to weight classes that Kosta would never follow.

 

honestly, i had trouble seeing kostya getting over on many of the guys on the list. the only one i know for sure he would walk through is thomas damgaard because damgaard was never, at any point in his career, anywhere near the next lowest guy on the lists in terms of skill, strength, power, speed or anything else. kostya was one of the very best the 140-pound division has seen...but i think he would have had a far, far less phenomenal career at welterweight.

kostya was a man made for the division in which he fought his entire career, junior welterweight. it is not often that a top fighter has, very specifically, one weight that his body remains suited to for the entirety of his career that happens to be at or around a divisional limit.

accordingly, kostya would have suffered a massive slowdown and loss of flexibility at welterweight. i think the range and reach of the longer welters would have made it difficult for him to avoid getting boxed around to some points losses. on the other side, big, compact, strong, rough, bullying, hard welters like baldomir and now josh clottey would have been harder nuts to crack--especially with the added stress of the additional weight.

i was a huge tszyu fan, still am...but the division north of where he made his mark is all wrong for him. i mean, it's no discredit, if marvin hagler fought at super-middle or light-heavy he probably would have fallen drastically short of his all-time glories too.

 

Not many of 'em, he was made for 140

 

All of them except Mosley. Mosley by split decision.

 

no doubt. i am really surprised by the number of people who think he would have beaten up on most the welters in question here.

 

He would be to small for Welterweight. Not that 5'7 is small just that he had a small frame for his body.

 

At 140 he's pretty damn unstoppable if focused. At 147? he's an average fighter at best. Funny how weight classes work out sometimes.

 

Vernon Forrest well Tszyu molested him as an Amatuer yet he doesnt outbox at 147 why.

Thomas Damgaaard was a Southpaw and not that talented Zoo was 8-0 8 KO's against southpaws in his career.

Judah he beat the **** out of and would do at any weight.

Spinks lost to Judah and was another southpaw yet Zoo who ate southpaws for breaky would lose to Spinks Tell me why.

I feel both Baldomir and Cintron would get eaten alive by Tszyu no matter if it was at 154. These guys were bad champs and well as anyone seen Cintron's chin.

The only fights i see being not for Tszyu or close and i cannot decide is

Shane Mosley
and Margarito

But Tszyu would win the others espiacally the fights against Southpaws.

 

Well said BoppaZoo.

Tszyu's power would have carried to 147 ... but he wasn't a big fighter so I could see him getting roughed up guys as large as Margarito and Mosely is a proven 147 superstar so he's got to start as an obvious favourite.

He nearly got the Spinks fight ... it was only cancelled at the very last minute because of money issues I believe and had he won that one single fight, he'd be talked about in legendary terms at 140 and 147.

Vernon Forrest would be close, Vernon was very very big so I think that would have been interesting ... however, watching Tszyu against a huge guy like Pinada suggests that he loves getting inside on fighters like that.

And yep, I think he's more than smart enough to box his way around a guy like Baldomir.

That said, he's a born 140 fighter and could never dominate the 147. Too small, too willing to take punches to give punches and too much of a headhunter.

 

1. Forrest was 2years younger than Tyszu and got allot better and bigger as a pro, he beat a prime Mosley after all
2. Easyish win
3. Judah probably gets caught upto at 1 point, IF he managed to concentrate for 12rounds he could possibly win
4. Styles make fights, Spinks has a great defense and liked slower easier to hit fighters, Spinks also arguably beat Jermaine Taylor. Would be the best Southy Tyszu faced
5. Yep although Baldo goes the 12
6. Maybe he can beat Margo, maybe too much pressure
7. its worth noting the southpaws Tyszu did beat were all flawed

 

Well, he'd beat Zab. He had Zab's number at any weight.

I'd see him beating Spinks, also, with a little more trouble. I just fancy him to time the southpaw with his straight right at some point.

Damgaard was not in Kostya's class by any means.

Baldomir while presenting some stylistic issues...I'm just not sure he has the speed or power of Phillips/Hatton. I think Tszyu's skill would make the difference in the end, clear decision.

I think he could beat Cintron, also. They both like to keep the fight at a similar range, but Kostya's timing was impeccable. Even outsized I think that would be the main difference here, and I'd also question Cintron's heart when he's tagged.

 

He beats all on that list but Mosely.

Tszyu vs Mosley = draw or very close SD for either man.