Is Michael Dokes overrated?? I think he is

Dokes was a useful tool for King. He couldn't convincingly get past a fading Weaver or Cobb in two tries, and the rest of his record was padded with cans to make him look good. Coetzee KO was a huge loss. He had ability for sure and drug problems, but certainly worse than his official record. If matched like other 80s titlists, wins some and loses some, a pack guy who only stood out thanks to King protecting him and some favorable officiating and scorecards.

 

Borderline top ten for 80s. He gets mentioned more than guys of a similar level because he was flashy, had a great fight Holyfield, and got his head knocked off by Ruddock.

The Ring actually ranked him highly in the late 80s.

 

This.

He was an impressive talent, who frankly could, and should have done a lot more!

 

This. Dokes had all the tools to be a great fighter, but drugs and laziness resulted in him wasting his talent and underachieving.

 

He definitely wasn't slow in his prime.

Cocaine ruined him.

Up thru the first Weaver fight he was a legitimate threat.

He weighed 223 for the second Weaver fight. The heat and his lack of conditioning plus partying caught up with him. Still it was a good fight.

Then he went off the rails totally and got starched by Coetzee.

Full blown coke addiction followed and he looked bad in subsequent fights

Gotta give him credit for kicking coke and coming back to give Holyfield hell in a great fight in 1989.

 

The forums of the pre-internet age existed in the form of the letters section of the mags. Here's something from the Between Punches letters section of Big Book of Boxing, March 1982:

Dokes is Tops

Every time your magazine mentions the top heavyweight contenders, it's always Cooney, Page, and Dokes, in that order. In my opinion, Dokes should head the list!

Cooney is an awkward bum who kayoed fossils that can't move out of the way of his left hook. Holmes will destroy him when they meet. Page is the poorest excuse for a contender I've ever seen. He is flabby and lethargic and just too lazy in the ring.

Meanwhile, Dokes continues to win and win impressively. He has excellent speed, a fine jab, great ring generalship, and a proven chin. He is the only heavyweight who has a chance of dethroning Larry Holmes.

- Anthony Silva

 

He was a hell of an amateur. If he hadnt been a headcase he could have been great. He had everything except what was between his ears which is every bit as important as the physical part.

 

Was Holmes next in line for a unification bout if Dokes had gotten past Coetzee?

 

Michael, to some degree, was overrated. Especially in terms of boxing ability and power. But he was a legit talent. But being under Don King helped him tremendously. And he did have great heart. But the drugs kicked in.

 

I remember reading that 30 plus years ago.

 

No talk of it whatsoever.

 

He messed up with the coke.
But Coetzee might well have KO'd him anyway.
Coetzee was in shape and up for that fight, his 3rd shot at the title and he was serious.

 

Dokes at his best beat Coetzee at his best. Coming into the ring high on coke was a bad thing to do, especially among his home crowd.