Most adaptable heavyweights?

Larry Holmes, particularly in his second career (90s version. Not Tyson version). Against Mercer, Holyfield and McCall, he hung tough with some much younger, top men despite no longer having the mobility that had helped make him great.

 

Oh yeah. That Mercer fight was stupidly brilliant. Duh.

 

Film is out there on these guys. I would suggest for Tunney to maybe watch his fights with Tommy Gibbons and Georges Carpentier where his punching power is evident, fighting light heavies, which he too was. His heavyweight bouts with Dempsey and Heeney really displayed his ability to box. I loved the way he was zeroing in on Heeney's jaw with the right hand after having outboxed him early. Also when he got decked by Dempsey, his ability to utilize the ring until the cobwebs cleared. A real thinking fighter.

As for Bivins, we all know what a great light heavy he was and his ability to box, punch and body punch. However, when he 'moved' to heavyweight, I don't believe he brought much of a punch with him, so he was always at a deficit. By consistently giving away height (he was only 5' 9") and often 30 pounds to his opponents, it was amazing how he navigated around these big guys to become #1 contender and duration champ in both divisions. He was a Canzoneri type. And by that I mean a guy who could box the punchers and punch the boxers. Of course, his abnormally long arms helped him compensate for any physical deficiencies with the big boys.

 

That's versatility. He could fight in various styles. Mind you he lost two of those.

Cobe is after in ring change ups to win or even a change of style/strategy to win or go better in a rematch.

 

No disrespect to Larry, who was a great Heavyweight but his survival against Shavers was, more than anything, down to Earnie's inability to be clinical. If you got up against Shavers, chances were you'd win.

 

Ali was the most analytical and fastest thinking Heavyweight of them all. Many times, he changed strategy during a fight but Zaire was utter genius.

 

That's true. He wasn't the best at executing his game-plans, but at least he kept things interesting by trying something new. Actually, in the cases of Liston and Frazier, those are the only two fights I know of where he fought like that.

 

There's 68 career knockouts that says you're wrong.

 

Excellent points Cobra. Fair play.

 

Yep. @Glass City Cobra was just making the same point.

 

Just so long as it is taken lol.

 

Every day's a school day.