In order of greatness: Michael Dokes, Tony Tucker, Mike Weaver,

Tucker
Weaver
Dokes

 

I loved this point, Fists. I hadn't really appreciated how knock-kneed Mike was so rewatched the Truth fight. Out of interest, I actually thought Carl was the more knock-kneed but neither had anything on either Henry Tillman or (beloved of our own @OP_TheJawBreaker) Merqui Sosa.

From the waist down those two look like a figure X. So I was just interested to see how you thought it might affect mobility.

As I watched the Weaver-Wiliams fight, I was struck by how quick the action looked and how in shape the two combatants appeared. It's getting quite rare now in a heavyweight fight not to see jiggling flesh and fast-paced action. These were talented guys who had good amateur experience and had risen to the top in a deep talent pool of black Americans who had been inspired by Ali in the late 60s and early 70s.

It's a real shame that the 80s is remembered as a decade of talent lost amidst a haze of coke because I am coming to believe that, had a few more of the bigger names stayed clean, it might have been the deepest decade of all in terms of heavyweight talent and could have given us a wealth of top drawer, competitive fights. Of course, it didn't happen but the decade gets sneered at, coming between the two golden ages of the 70s and 90s, while I think, with a fair wind, it might actually have eclipsed them both.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. If my aunty had nuts, as I keep saying to @cross_trainer when he throws out an alternative scenario.

 

But what if you didn't dismiss hypothetical scenarios?

 

I don't. Hypothetical scenarios are the point of the board. Otherwise every thread would be 'who do you think won when Ali met Foreman? Frazier met Ali? Tyson and Holyfield in 96?

As I have said before, your innovative threads are the oxygen of the forum.

 

Weaver was the greatest of the three to me because he overachieved imo.

I actually think Dokes' handspeed makes him the most talented of the 3 which the other posters seem to disagree.

Never been that into Tucker. to be fair, mostly seen his fights where he was the opponent (excepting his KO of douglas) and think he maybe get a little too much credit for losing a lopsided decision to Tyson. His hair is the most memorable thing about him to me but I will make a point to go watch some more of his wins.

 

I was just kidding -- asking you a hypothetical question about hypothetical questions.

And thanks!

 

At their best:
Dokes
Weaver
Tucker
Dokes had some great skills before he threw it away
Weaver had some great performances but he too was inconsistent
Tucker , I always thought he had more to offer

 

Weaver

Dokes

Tucker

 

I've always liked Tucker. Someone who stays on his feet after a fight with Lennox Lewis, and Mike Tyson (both prime) deserves first place in this trio.

 

I might have it :
Weaver
Dokes
Tucker

my reasoning is that while Dokes and tucker were very good fighters, weaver fought and beat a lot of top contenders