jersey joe walcott in the 70s

Foreman was surgically efficient at cutting off the ring, but Ali and Dino Denis were fairly predictable clockwise movers. (Muhammad could circle right, as he showed with Mildenberger, but that wasn't his usual MO.) However, Jersey Joe would feint left, then move right, vice-versa, then feint, then go in the direction he was feinting in. On the gridiron, tackling him would have been a nightmare. (When I first watched Walcott box, I was reminded of Mercury Morris of the Miami Dolphins, who could drive opposing defenders nuts with his shiftiness.) George wouldn't know which way to step to cut Joe off. Then, when he did manage to corner Walcott, he'd find himself getting hit like Louis did. Walcott wouldn't need to take six steps to Foreman's three because of that incessant feinting.

Walcott was Ali's foremost advocate among his living predecessors as heavyweight champion, and stated on camera after Manila that he believed Muhammad would have defeated any titleholder before him.

 

Those 2 KO's were over Jurgen Blin who was Ko'd by Ali and Joe Bugner before Lyle and the other KO is against the Big but much KO'd Jack O'Halloran.

Once Lyle moved up in level he was dominated by 6" 195lb Jerry Quarry and then most of his fights other than the Earnie Shavers Ko went the full route



Joe Bugner SD, Jimmy Young L10 Oscar Bonavena w10, Lou Bailey W10, Wendell Newton SD 10, Gregorio Peralta D10, W10, Bob Stallings W10,Stan Ward SD10,Jimmy Young L10, Manuel Ramos W10...many of these guys that took Lyle the full route were KO'd many times before and after Lyle

Could Lyle punch yes, was he an elite puncher in top level, no way

was he one of the best punchers in career one that actually landed on Foreman, YES because Joe Frazier who hit harder did not land anything on Foreman.

 

good post and as a whole, lyle seems to be a bit overrated by some. his power and entire reputation seems hinged on the foreman fight, a fight in which he was knocked out

 

Walcott was a late bloomer and he had great fights late in his career, the 2 Louis fights and Marciano 1 was a great effort at any age against 2 ATG Champs.

Walcott also beat punchers like LeeQ Murry, Jimmy Bivens, Joe Baski, Curtis"Hatchet-man"Sheppard and Tommy Gomez, off the top of my head George could punch like hell but was a wide swinger and slowand lacked stamina in career one. an experienced guy like Walcott may have seen what Ali and Young did and Walcott was a harder pin-point puncher than both of them.

 

Actually, Walcott won the first fight. It's one of the worst decisions of all time. Louis is a greater puncher than Foreman.

 

that's what i've heard but without a full version of the fight, i can't say for certain how bad the decision really was

 

Part of the debate on this hinges on the fact scoring was by rounds, not on points. According to this, it was been proposed that they were even after 13 rounds, and that Walcott lost the last two by running away. However, although portions of all rounds are readily available, we don't seem to have the complete 45 minutes of action to view. (Nobody disputes that Walcott would have been a winner on the ten point must system.)

 

What you had in Walcott was a cutie that could hit ... a Jimmy Young type ( not exact but a type) plus the ability to swat ... I personally don't buy the he was better in his late thirties late bloomer trend of thought .. he became the fighter we knew because at that point in his life he was able to pull it together ... my point is we never saw the best Joe Walcott but then again we did not see the best Dempsey ( inactivity), Louis ( WW2) or Ali (exile) ... whatever, evemn the Walcott who fought Louis /Charles and Rocky would have done serious damage in the 70's .. he was a dangerous fighter ... I see him beating Lyle, Shavers, Bonavena, Quarry, possibly Foreman and Norton althought I'd favor Ken and place George pick em ...

 

Walcott would have done alright.
He might beat Ali. He might beat Frazier.
I think he would beat Foreman.
On a bad night, he could lose to Bonavena or Norton, I guess. He lost to Rex Layne after all.

 

Fraizer,Foreman,Lyle,Ali would all beat him either too big or too hard punching. Probably Norton too, but a Walcott ko wouldnt suprise me at all. Not sure how Mathis would do? Could see that going different ways in either mans favor.. Bugner was reakk big for him and tough as nails,but Walcott was so much better it might not matter. Shavers kos Walcott more times than not but,that could go either way... Young would take a close decision over Walcott.

Id take him over Foster.. Hed beat Wepner easy... Hed probably decision Chuvalo, but Chuvalo might smother him and wear him down late, more times than not Walcott takes a decision.

Fights with Ellis,Patterson,Quarry are even matched.

 

Assuming he is the same fighter he was in the 50s, Walcott would do well, consistent top 3, maybe briefly make a claim at the title if the circumstances are right. He might even get more title shots considering he wouldn't be stuck battling the top 5 multiple times while waiting for Louis to come back from the War. I would favor him over Quarry, Lyle, Shavers, Young, and Foreman. Peaking contender Norton is the big enigma, he would give Walcott hell or get sparked out. And he would have a chance against the fading Ali and Frazier.

Patterson was done in the 70s, not sure why he's being brought up.

 

He beat Elmer Ray #44 on Rings P4P Greatest Punchers, if isolated to just HWs he would be top 10. Tommy Gomez would be as well.