In which HW bouts was the nearest we came to having prime ATGs fighting each other?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Ken Ashcroft, May 10, 2019.



  1. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Any yet, Bowe is a staple in most people’s top 20 HW’s which usually qualifies into ATG discussions
     
  2. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    I think beating (a not shot) Holyfield twice proves he's an ATG
     
  3. Contro

    Contro Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Frazier foreman, foreman Ali

    Ali Liston(Liston was a bit past it in some people's opinions)

    Don't feel like Bowe and Norton are ATGs
    Had a favourable stylistic matchup against an ATG but didn't do quite enough outside of that imo, especially Bowe
     
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  4. Contro

    Contro Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Holyfield was clearly unfit to fight(for whatever reason) in the third fight.

    Because of his injury/steroid/heart related issues He looked so bad against moorer and Bowe 3 that it was the whole reason why people thought he had no chance against tyson, despite his skills and reflexes being intact.

    However those fights/losses made him far wiser, craftier on the inside and more responsible as a fighter. The 96-97 version of Holyfield did alot of things better than the 89-92 brawl happy version did that struggled with Cooper and Holmes.


    Bowes resumee is badly lacking outside of the Holyfield fights. Rocked and hurt by Tyrrell biggs and Herbie hide, struggled with Tony tubbs years after Tyson blew him out and then he got beat up by golota(he was shot the second time but not the first).


    Norton also has creditable performances Vs young and Holmes
    Bowe is missing the Mercer's, Morrisons, Ruddocks Tyson's and Lewis of course.
    In an era of great punchers he missed all of them and was hurt by lesser punchers.

    His big win was against a brawl happy 205lbs evander who came straight at him instead of moving and using his quickness like he did Vs foreman and had struggled against Holmes and cooper for the same reason
     
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  5. Gatekeeper

    Gatekeeper Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Surely Ali-Liston should be on there ??

    Ali-Frazier 1
    Foreman-Frazier
    Foreman-Ali
    Holyfield-Bowe (debatable if Bowe was an ATG admittedly)
    Lewis-Vitali ?? (Vitali in his prime and Lewis the lineal champ, clearly not at his peak and out of shape/over confident although that was still enough for a TKO6)
     
  6. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Obviously FOTC and Rumble but some more are

    Bowe Holyfield 1
    Fitsimmons vs Corbett
    Louis vs Max Baer
    Louis vs Schmeling 1
    Marciano vs Walcott 1 (or at least close)
    Charles vs Walcott 1
    Johnson vs Langford
    Ali vs Patterson
    Holmes vs Norton
    Patterson vs Ingo
    Schmeling vs Sharkey

    And maybe...

    Wilder vs Fury
     
  7. GordonGarner65

    GordonGarner65 Active Member Full Member

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    It shows how rare it is Ken.
    Which makes it all the more infuriating when match ups arent made ( Lewis / Bowe) and to some lesser degree the era that we are now in.
    F.O.T.C is the outstanding one , the irony being that by the greatest lost !
    I suppose by definition there usually is one champion who stands above all in most eras.
    Very rare they land together.
    If ages and developments had run more parallel how good could Tyson Bowe Bowe Holyfield Lewis have been ?
    Whether they wouldve fought or avoided is another question?
     
  8. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Jeffries vs Sharkey 2
    Frazier vs Foreman 1
    Bowe vs Holyfield 1
     
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  9. Rainer

    Rainer Active Member Full Member

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    Everything hinges on your definition of All Time Great.Sharkey doesn't make my top 35 heavyweights ,so he doesn't fit that category for me.We all have our own criteria and many names given on this thread would not qualify for me.Doesn't mean I am right and they are wrong, it's just that we have different interpretations of the word.
     
  10. Heavy_Hitter

    Heavy_Hitter Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Wilder Dustin Nicols.
    Great back and forth fight where Wilder came back after being dropped by that 400 pound monster.
     
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  11. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Archie Moore vs Rocky Marciano
    Bob Fitzsimmons vs Jim Corbett
     
  12. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Ali v Frazier 1 deserves a mention.
    Ali was no longer absolute prime perhaps but he wasn't so far off.
     
  13. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Agreed,,,but I'd take Ingo to dynamite Spinks in 3 rounds