Joe Mesi

Him and Sultan Ibragimov would have been a fun fight a year or two later.

 

I don't look back on his career. He was a talentless scrub.

 

He was viewed as a potential player in the post-Lennox Lewis heavyweight landscape. This was right after Wladimir had been shattered by Corrie Sanders and before we realized how good Vitali was. Since a lot of American fans figured that the Klitschko's wouldn't have a lasting grip near the top of the division, a lot of people assumed that Mesi would be primarily competing with guys like John Ruiz, Chris Byrd, Oquendo, Jameel McCline, etc. Some people reasoned that Mesi could emerge ahead of that crop, but I think the more realistic fans figured that Joe might beat some Top 10 contenders while losing to others.

Off the top of my head I think it would have come down to styles. I can see Joe beating Oquendo by the type of decision Oquendo was prone to lose: one where activity seems to count for more than actual effectiveness. Byrd and Rahman would be majorly favored, although Mesi did beat Rahman in the amateurs. I can see Mesi using his spunky hustle, back by the threat of his right hand, to outpoint McCline. Golota? Not sure how that one shakes out, or Brewster for that matter. Joe would put away Lance Whitaker, Michael Grant, and he would have outpointed Domnick Guinn, another overhyped commodity from that era. Keep him away from James Toney!

After a series of pretty good stoppages, Mesi's hype train slowed after he got up off the floor to win narrowly against Monte Barrett. It wasn't just that he was dropped; it was more to do with the fact that Mesi slowed down so much. He also seemed to realize he likely had the rounded he needed in the bank and he was content to coast. Although that showed ring intelligence on one hand, it didn't scream 'Heart of a Champion'.

 

I think he would get badly beaten by most of the contenders today. Around 2003/2004 heavyweight was at an incredibly weak point. Within the span of a few years, that crop of guys began to get weeded out by up and comers and things were looking better, although the Klitschko death grip stifled excitement. I don't know how many people will second this, but I think guys like Guinn, Grant, Mesi, Byrd, shot Holyfield etc. were weaker than Brewster, Krasniqui, Ibragimov, Chagaev, Sam Peter, David Haye. Even guys like Tony Thompson and up and coming Povetkin, Brock, and Chambers. Its not a perfect comparison, but I'd point out that guys who straddled both eras like McCline and Oquendo had dropped several rungs in the span of two or three years.

 

I never bought into Mesi. Thought he was hype. He faced Monte Barret that was close fight. Thought Barret May have edged it but saw it only once.
He would of lost to either K brother. And probably several other guys.

 

The matter we were concerned with in the Monte Barrett fight was how close he got to being nailed in the rounds after being dropped, wide open. He took a step backwards in this fight, his skills and the way he moved his feet and body were off and sluggish, this wasn't a fighter going anywhere up. With those and the brain bleed in mind retiring seems to have been the wise move for Joe.

 

He made a comeback and had a few years later.

Wasn't really that good. He struggled with Barret and Jirov, which is all you really need to know. Props to the man. He had a good run, retired undefeated, and I think became a sheriff. Not a bad life.

But him, Guinn, and Harrison had to be the worst crop of "prospects" ever, in any era.

POST SCRIPT: I guess he became a politician, instead of a sheriff.

 

He was a very good amateur fighter and beat a few good heavyweights as a pro before he got injured against Jirov. Good but not an elite guy.

 

His destruction of DeVaryl Williamson is legit.
Wins over Barrett and Jirov were very tough and very close.

Nothing to write home about ...... but in hindsight that whole immediate post-Lewis era was crap.
Wladimir was getting stopped by Brewster and struggled with Wiliamson.
Vitali had a defence against Danny Williams and then went off injured for 4 years.
Prospects like Audley Harrison were proving to be rubbish.
An old, fat 'roided James Toney was one of the better heavyweights of the day. Byrd and Ruiz reigned. Oleg Maskaev was soon to win a title.
Mesi isn't out of place with that bunch really.

 

He sold a lot of tickets in Buffalo.

 

I liked Mesi but I remember him being rated very high by the WBC when he got hurt vs Jirov. Vitali Klitschko would have kicked the **** out of him

 

I won’t lie, bud - I was taken in by Dominick Guinn for a time. I even remember Larry Merchant claiming that he was the most talented American fighter since Bowe. And then it seemed like Guinn just quit trying and stopped throwing punches

 

He did not have the qualities to suggest he was elite.

 

Decent fighter a poor mans Tommy Morrison not a champion caliber fighter but entertaining