Prime Tuaman of 226 pounds has a chance against the prime 206 pound Frazier..... Early on, I can see Tua smokin' Frazier out early with hooking power and using an underrated right hand, too.... Tua had the power to KO a cold Frazier.... MR.BILL
George Foreman had done that twice to Frazier, and he wasn't better fighter back then than prime Tua, actually Foreman had slower, more clubbing, less sharp punches, than the Tuaman. Anybody who thinks otherwise should watch those two bouts one more time. Or twice, or whatever many times to realize that stylewise this matchup is all wrong for Frazier.
Peak Tua of 1996 to 2001 surely has a chance to KO Frazier of '68 to '72...... In a Time Machine.... That's being real...... MR.BILL
I see lotsa' bleeding hearts outta respect for the deceased Frazier here...... 'Tis cool..... MR.BILL
I'm now reviewing "Holmes-Snipes" of '81..... I still contend this is similar to "Ali-Frazier" in sytles, etc........ Holmes the boxer with various skills, Snipes the swarmer with power and determination..... Yes, Yes, Snipes is green with 15 fights or so in 1981, but at 215 and undefeated, Snipes is hungry and wanting it.... He did drop a sleeping Holmes in round 7..... I love reviewing this fight...... MR.BILL
Styles make fights........... Stylewise, Tua in his prime matches very well with another swarmer of a smaller frame........ WORD! MR.BILL
My guess is, Tuaman of '96 to '01 would also KO "Ellis and Qaurry" of '68 and '69 in a time machine..... Plus, no way does Ali of '71 KO a peak Tua, either...... Ali might win a dec., but not by KO...... Who knows??? MR.BILL
Ears, I understand the word "Beat." However, Tua did go the distance with I-Beat-A-Hoochie in CA. back in 1997....... Okay, he lost, but Ike was on fire that night....... Tua showed True Grit... MR.BILL
Prime Foreman? When was his prime, exactly? Watch pre-Frazier I George Foreman on film, read the pre-fight opinions of the experts. Then come back to me.
So why don't you quote the very long list of experts' opinions from the Ring magazine printed before their first fight? Foreman that met Frazier the first time certainly was worse fighter than prime Tua, it's silly to even question that. His best opponent prior to that was former light heavyweight Gregorio Peralta and he made George look like ****.
Why don't I quote a bunch of quotes that supposedly support your opposing opinion? Because I'm not dyslexic, I suppose. So, the guy who curb-stomped two hall of fame heavyweights in Norton and Frazier in less than two full rounds a piece, in his most emphatic victories over the best opponents he defeated was somehow not prime as compared to...what? His more mature quality-over-quantity style against Ali? Or when he learned to patiently box behind the jab against Lyle? Or when he got jobbed out of a decision matching Young with his own slick negativity and counter-punching? Or, perhaps his prime began when he finally "filled out" into a mature uni-ab physique, late bloomer that he was? His more "conservative" efforts against Holyfield and Morrison, perhaps? Was that his prime? Or was his prime during only the Moorer fight, when he learned the potent technique of letting someone punch him in the face until he decides it's finally time and lands the big one. Or, as we have grown to think of it, the "Archie Moore trap-setting technique for mature but prime boxers". Enlighten us, my friend. When do you feel his prime was?
I may have followed boxing for much shorter time than you did, but I have an idea about styles matchups, at least, and when I see Frazier getting slaughtered both times by still green and raw Foreman, I can apply that experience to similar matchups. And to me the fact that Frazier died a few days ago doesn't cancel that experience out. Death doesn't make a fighter better than he actually was for me, I don't allow nostalgia to get in my way when evaluating old timers. Using Ken Norton as a measuring stick is laughable too, considering how badly he fared against big, strong punchers, almost as bad as Bob Foster. Both would have been slaughtered by prime David Tua in one round each.
That's rich. Lad, Frazier's death doesn't make him better than he was any more than Tua's life makes him better than he is. You're propping up a never-was against an all-time great because you figure he has a stylistic advantage and thinking it's in the spirit of going against nostalgia? It's going against sense, not nostalgia. It just so happens nostalgia is incidentally on the side of sense, here. Incidentally. Styles do make fights...so do differences in the levels of the fighters. Now, if you'd be so kind as to address, A. when you feel Foreman's prime was, if not against Frazier, and B. What you feel changed him into a different and better fighter from that point. I am listening. Consider my mind open. If you have a good reason, I'd surely entertain it.