Jersey Joe Walcott in the modern era

Honestly, starting off at cw is the only viable option because he'd have no chance breaking wlad's dominance over the division.

However he'd be favoured over the current cw daddy - hernandez.

 

He'd own at Cruiserweight, and have a helluva shot of Beating either or both of the Klitschko bros

 

Beautiful and skilled though he was, he was inconsistent.

Luckily, in today's era where he could pick and choose and take at least 6 months between fights....AND 24 hour weigh in's he'd probably go 50-0 at 175, and be called the G.O.A.T at Light Heavy before moving up to Cruiser (and most probably winning, well, of course he'd win everything, slow as **** Lebedev, average Hernandez and, let's be honest, shite Cunningham) before beating some shuck for a version of the HW title...yeah, he'd do alright.

 

He wouldn't have to fight 20 years before making some proper dough.

 

Walcott would no doubt bulk up slightly like Holy did being similar big and well muscled in the upper body and come in no lighter than 210 - I think Walcott has a field day with Klitschko - either Klit really - obviously it's a task for anyone against their size but Walcott represents something the Klitschko's have never faced - a fighter with excellent ring smarts, and excellent elusiveness, and excellent power, and excellent aggressive counter punching, an excellent jab, excellent speed, an excellent chin, a big ego, a winners mentality, and excellent proven pedigree in dealing with great boxers, and proven to be able to deal with tall guys with no real detriment to his performance level - everytime I've seen the Klitschko's I've always been saying to myself the opponent generally has had one or two of those parts to their make up and I've often been left thinking if they'd had the rest of the factors to that level then they would've been tested - ie Haye had excellent power and speed but zero winning mentality a lack of confidence in his own chin and no real commitment to his own punches etc

 

he'd beat everyone at cruiserweight

 

Firstly, what a stark contrast it would be to the unfortunate circumstances of his early career.

As an American heavyweight contender, he would be verry marketable, and would be aforded every advantage from the outset.

I can't see him having many problems at cruiserweight.

At heavyweight, he would have the frame to bulk up to say 215lbs, and was a verry physicaly strong fighter anyway. I don't think that the transition to taking on modern sized heavyweights would be impossible to overcome.

Could he beat one or both of the Klitschkos?

The answer to that is possibly.

 

I'm not sure extra weight would help a man naturally smaller.

 

Did the extra weight help Holy? Maybe? I think expectations and natural way of thinking would lead Walcott to bulk up a little bit - everybody else does so why wouldn't he? How much it would help? Well the only real way to compare would be to get him to come in for one fight at 196 or whatever and see how he went and then get him to come in for another fight bulked up - but fact is everyone bulks up these days it's just a given

 

jersey joe isn't beating wladimir.

he might be able to elude and outfox vitali over 12 but against wlad he's being shut out.

 

he would give wlad a hard fight,no doubt.wlad had problems with haye's speed and head movement,walcott is slick as hell,and has a sneaky counter right hand.wlad would probably win an ugly decision

 

For me, JJW had what it took to be competitive and top world class in any era. I believe most of his inconsistent performances in all likelihood took place when he was literally a hungry fighter, badly managed (if managed at all) and taking whatever fights he could whenever he could.

JJW was not a protected prospect appearing on the left hand side of the bill being matched against opponents over whom he had an angle (too old, too small, non-puncher etc), like many of today's pampered prospects.

An excellent fighter in any era, imo.

 

Maybe he was, or maybe he got bad decisions time and again, that needs analysis in my view

I think Walcott can beat anyone but the Klits and don't rule him out against either but make him an underdog none the less

 

Here's a thread about Walcott's losses:

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=377237