If Jersey Joe had being Tunney s last opponent ?

Yeah. Joe would have seen dozens of great jabbers and movers, Gene would not have seen many guys who moved like Jersey Joe. Gene Tunny is textbook. Joe knows that book inside and out.

 

I have to go with Tunney who was a clearly peaking fighter. Jersey Joe looks great on the limited footage we have of him, but a look at his record (not the early record) shows that against good competition even at his best he rarely separated himself from his peers often trading back and forth split and majority decisions. Against Maxim, Ray, Bivons, Charles, good fighters yes but not the quality of peak Tunney. Tunney’s ring IQ would help him adapt and win this

 

I think Charles was significantly better than Tunney.

 

I'd pick Jersey Joe, but not confidently.

 

Not significantly ‘better’ I don’t think, but definitely far greater all things considered.

 

I’d pick Gene, but Jersey Joe was a very crafty and capable foe and could pull an upset against anyone on a good night.

 

Better maybe, even if I would concede that point and I would “significantly” is strong adjective Tunney did go 65-1. So let’s say Charles is better - Walcott went 2-2 against him and in their final fight many felt Charles had won- more than half the writers in attendance and the decision was booed. Doesn’t mean Charles did win, but again Walcott in a razor close, could go either way, call. Something about Walcott seemed to make many of his fights toss ups against the best fighters he fought. Because of that I have to go with Tunney in peak form.