Who would win between the Jack Delaney who twice ko,d Tiger Flowers, or Michael Spinks, both in their primes?.....
Some people regarderd Delaney (Bright Eyes) as being a candidate for the greatest light heavyweights of all time in the decades following his career. He was seen as something of a phenomenon at 175lbs though he did not carry up to heavyweight well.
This is a tougher fight than many would think who have no knowledge of the fighters Delaney beat....Lou Bogash,Johnny Risko, Mike McTigue, Maxie Rosenbloom, Tommy Lougran, Paul Berlanbach, Augie Ratner....I am not sure who would win but I am certain Delaney would be Spinks toughest challenge, South of 200lbs
Delaney was a verry complete package at 175 but like Bob Foster he did not carry up to heavyweight well.
I've only seen Delaney's heavyweight efforts against Jim Maloney and Tom Heeney. Stylistically he seems similar to Loughran, whom he once got the better of in a 10 round bout, except he carried more power but was perhaps not quite as crafty which is why one was able to compete against heavyweights and the other was not. I can see him giving a headache to Spinks and most other light heavyweights but Delaney could be caught cold. Spinks's best opportunity is to land "the Jinx" early.
That's because he really was a natural SMW. He typically weighed 165-170 for his LHW fights, and even when he only weighed around 178-180 he reportedly looked a bit chunky.
I give Delaney a good chance here,he was a fine boxer ,very good footwork ,and with a ko right hand,a cunning ring general.I have a fight of his against Berlenbach a real banger,who would stop some of the champs we have had since. Ovila Chapdelaine " Bright Eyes ", is a criminally underated LHY Champ imo.
This is verry true. I would go as far as to say that he did not hold much of a physical advantage over Tiger Flowers when they fought.
When Jack Delaney Ko,d Tiger Flowers twice in 1925, both weighed about 163 to 165 pounds...In one of the bouts Flowers was about 2 pounds heavier....In point of fact Delaney ko,d Flowers twice in their first bout...Flowers was counted out, in a contested 10 count in the first round...Flowers corner claimed that Flowers beat the 10 count...Delaney agreed to allow the fight to continue AGAIN, and once again ko,d Flowers ,in the second round with Delaney,s famous right cross....Jack Delaney was a truly alltime great light heavyweight, but could not tackle the better heavyweights of the 1920,s...
Well said. Delaney was actually outweighed by Flowers. Delaney looks like the Gene Tunney/Tommy Loughran type in the Jim Maloney fight until he runs out of gas. Heeney just outfought him in the clinches so Delaney got to show little outside of his good combination punching. Neither Heeney nor Maloney were exactly big heavyweights but what they did was use their strength advantage extra-ordinarily well. They never let Delaney box and stayed on him at all times. Loughran was more adept at dealing with those types but he couldn't get the better of Delaney. Haven't seen the Paul Berlenbach fight so I can't say how great he was at 160-175.