Excellent Video I didn't agree with it all but it was well thought out and explained clearly, I'll probably do my picks later on
Thanks for watching. I know it's near impossible to reach a consensus on any one match-up, so surely most people will disagree with several of my picks, perhaps many. It's a tricky exercise, because at the end of the day, it boils down to trying to make educated guesses, many of which are probably way off the mark (as real fight predictions will prove for anyone over the long haul). It sure was fun to make though, and I already think I have a way to do another one that I hope produces greater variety with mostly new match-ups (as far as I can stretch it).
Tournament 1 Ali vs Folley Picture this but Folley looking a little sharper but ultimately the same result This content is protected Ali KO7 Louis vs Sharkey Picture this but both looking a little sharper but ultimately the same result This content is protected Louis KO3 Wlad vs Liston To me Wlad is a very difficult HW to beat for certain guys, Liston is not one of those guys. The way to beat Wlad is too be explosive and jump on him with good Technique, Liston would do this. Liston KO3 Holyfield vs Povetkin This would be a pretty decent scrap if I'm honest. Povetkin would come to fight and throw a high amount of hooks. This would lead to an expert counter puncher like Holyfield landing some very hard straight rights that would hurt Pov, I have a feeling they'd both be landing some good shots with Holyfield just being tougher, bigger, technically, better, hits harder and overall just a better fighter. I think he'd soften him up early and stop him late with a nice potshot then jump on him. Holyfield TKO11 Lewis vs Vitali Prime Lewis pounds Vitali imo, he'd throw his heavy artillery at Vitali from behind his much better jab and he'd be able to catch Vitali coming in. The clinches would be ugly and I think Lewis showed what he'd be doing in the clinches in there actual fight, lots of hard body shots and some hellfire uppercut. I like Lewis to beat Vitali up and slowly grind out a mid round stoppage. Lewis TKO8 Holmes vs Foreman One I disagreed with Rummy on, I'm not convinced Holmes could take what Ali took, or Frazier. I think Holmes does well in the first but is backed up, and then in the following round is beaten badly upstairs and down, then is stopped in the round after. Especially with a modern ref aware of Foreman's power. Foreman TKO3 Patterson vs Schmeling A strange fight if I'm honest, I like Floyd to pounce on Max and get a KD but Max would most likely get up and time Floyd jumping in and hurt him, follow up and force a stoppage. Schmeling TKO6 Tyson vs Frazier I have flipped on this one repeatedly. Rummy summed up what could happen brilliantly. I like Tyson to get the early Stoppage but if he didn't, he'd be in a world of hurt from 6 on Tyson TKO4 Round 2 Liston vs Schmeling Liston early KO. Stylistically neither has a big advantage, Liston was a better HW imo with much more power and was clearly more durable. I think he'd out jab Schmeling then set up bombs that would take him out and probably force him through the ropes, and Early. Liston KO2 Louis vs Tyson I like Tyson to pounce on Joe from the start, and force a stoppage. I'm not counting Joe out but I think Tyson being able to duck under his jab and pounce with left hooks doesn't match up well for Joe. In fact I'd pick Frazier to win as well. Louis said that he hated being Pressured, Tyson would give him a whole new outlook. Tyson TKO5 Lewis vs Holyfield I like Lewis to do what he did well in the first fight, he would push Holyfield back and not fight on the inside. He'd take a UD imo. Holyfield would be more aggressive and quicker but Lewis of 97 would keep him at bay with power punching, a stiff arm and his jab. Lewis UD12 Ali vs Foreman It would look like Ali vs Liston imo, he wouldn't need to do the rope a dope coz he could dance for 12. I like him to that and take a very wide UD Ali UD15 Semi Finals Liston vs Tyson I like Liston to keep Tyson back with a jab and unload his heavy artillery on him and force a stoppage. It's a bad match up for Tyson. He'd play right into Listons hands by coming forward. Liston TKO3 Ali vs Lewis I like Lewis in this one. Same reasons I like Wlad vs Ali. I think he keeps Ali honest and at range with his power and use Ali not throwing as many punches to win the rounds. I think Ali would still win rounds just not enough to win over 12, Rummy pointed out that Ali would attack whilst Lewis was having a rest, and I agree, that would bring the scorecards razor close but I think Lewis would be the winner, on none bias cards anyway. The right hand timing issue that Rummy spoke about is a real threat but it didn't really happen to Lewis at his best by good punches. I think it's a possibility but not the most likely outcome. I like Ali to stop both, Lewis and Wlad, over 15. But over 12 Lewis UD12 Final Liston vs Lewis I have long stated that Liston beats Lewis. I think that his jab puts Lewis in a position that Mercer did and causes him to brawl. Liston isn't Ray Mercer, he'd land more and harder and I don't think Lewis can take that. I like Liston to win in an entertaining fight that slowly grinds Lewis down. He'd stop him late with 1 hard punch that he can't take after brawling with Liston Liston KO8 And the Winner is This content is protected
Incidentally, Liston and Tyson have been two guys I seem to be getting the most criticism over. He seems to divide people a good deal.
I'd love to see a rundown of the significant HW fights from 2000-2010 sometime. Any plans to do this one day? I really enjoyed the 90s one you did some time back.
Would it change a lot if it was double-elimination? Here is a losers bracket I made from Rumney's video with the first heavyweight tournament. https://i.imgur.com/P3rCFIu.png Edit: Just found out that link looks pretty bad on mobile. (1) Folley vs Foreman (2) Vitali vs Povetkin (3) Sharkey vs Frazier (4) Wlad vs Patterson (5) Holmes vs (1) winner (6) Holyfield vs (2) winner (7) Louis vs (3) winner (8) Schmeling vs (4) winner (9) (5) winner vs (6) winner (10) (7) winner vs (8) winner (11) Lewis vs (9) winner (12) Liston vs (10) winner (13) (11) winner vs (12) winner (14) Tyson vs (13) winner Ali vs (14) winner, Ali needs to win once while (14) needs to win twice.
