Is Gene Tunney the most underrated Heavyweight champ?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Ken Ashcroft, Dec 5, 2014.


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  1. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Got to admit apart from the Jack Dempsey fights, I knew little about him but reading up about him, he seemed to be quite an outstanding fighter with a final record of 61-1-1. He had one loss during his light heavyweight days against Harry Greb which he avenged several times over and retired as the reigning Heavyweight champ. You would have thought that someone like that would figure high on people's all time heavyweight lists but its very rare that he gets any mention at all except when Dempsey's name is mentioned and someone brings up his fights with Tunney.

    So is Tunney the Larry Holmes of his day? A outstanding fighter in his own right but just unlucky that he followed an hugely charismatic superstar like Dempsey just as Holmes was to do with Ali decades later? or was he just lucky that he came up just as Dempsey was on the way down?
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Dec 5, 2014
    Ken Ashcroft, Dec 5, 2014
    #1
  2. slash

    slash Boxing Addict Full Member

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    the only heavyweight champion boxer that floated around the ring better than him, like a butterfly, was ali.
     
    slash, Dec 5, 2014
    slash, Dec 5, 2014
    #2
  3. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Dubblechin, Dec 5, 2014
    Dubblechin, Dec 5, 2014
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  4. tommytheduke

    tommytheduke Active Member Full Member

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    The Klitschkos are both pretty underrated.
     
    tommytheduke, Dec 5, 2014
    tommytheduke, Dec 5, 2014
    #4
  5. SILVER SKULL 66

    SILVER SKULL 66 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Tunney was an awesome boxer, a great fight would have been Tunney vs Braddock, to bad it never came off...
     
    SILVER SKULL 66, Dec 5, 2014
    SILVER SKULL 66, Dec 5, 2014
    #5
  6. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think he rated very well and held in high esteem based on his 2 wins over the leg rusty Dempsey (long count) I dont think we can put Gene anywhere near the top 5 based off his limited heavyweight resume. I can see a top 10-20
     
    Bummy Davis, Dec 5, 2014
    Bummy Davis, Dec 5, 2014
    #6
  7. RockyJim

    RockyJim Boxing Addict Full Member

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    MAYBE the smartest heavyweight ever...
     
    RockyJim, Dec 5, 2014
    RockyJim, Dec 5, 2014
    #7
  8. BUDW

    BUDW Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Gene is over looked by many
     
    BUDW, Dec 5, 2014
    BUDW, Dec 5, 2014
    #8
  9. klompton2

    klompton2 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    Tunney would have absolutely embarrassed Braddock. Even worse than Loughran did when he made Braddock look like one of the worst title challengers of all time.
     
    klompton2, Dec 5, 2014
    klompton2, Dec 5, 2014
    #9
  10. The Long Count

    The Long Count Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Braddock not in his league. Carnera also gets taken to school. I think Sharkey loses as well. Schmeling and Baer would have been solid contenders. Louis would probably struggle at times too against Gene. He is underrated today in terms of skills. However his time spent at heavy just isn't long enough to truly justify ATG status. He exited just as he was peaking there is a chance we never saw the best of Gene Tunney.
     
    The Long Count, Dec 5, 2014
    The Long Count, Dec 5, 2014
    #10
  11. split_decision

    split_decision Electronic information tampers with your soul Full Member

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    Gene Tunney is regarded as one of the best, looks a little like John Cena
     
    split_decision, Dec 6, 2014
    split_decision, Dec 6, 2014
    #11
  12. PowerPuncher

    PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

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    Buster Douglas is probably the most underrated HW Champ. Tunney's better than any version of Dempsey though.
     
    PowerPuncher, Dec 6, 2014
    PowerPuncher, Dec 6, 2014
    #12
  13. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It is about time Tunney came back into fashion. The late 1980s was the last time Tunney was given proper kudos by the boxing fancy as a whole.
     
    TBooze, Dec 6, 2014
    TBooze, Dec 6, 2014
    #13
  14. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Yes, but he is underrated for all the right reasons.

    Not many champions retire at their absolute peak, leaving so many unanswered questions.

    Not criticising him for doing that, but we have to rate him based on what we know.
     
    janitor, Dec 6, 2014
    janitor, Dec 6, 2014
    #14
  15. Surf-Bat

    Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

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    No. Incredibly overrated in fact. His heavyweight resume is nothing earth shattering at all.
     
    Surf-Bat, Dec 6, 2014
    Surf-Bat, Dec 6, 2014
    #15
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