I was being sarcastic. Why do you guys have your sarcasm filters set to "extreme"? Gil Clancy once said "Tillis needs a heart transplant" during the TV telecast of a Tillis fight . I know he did not have a heart condition ffs.
I think there’s some truth to the last statement. Saw an interview somewhere where he said he saw an interview with Muhammad Ali and said, ‘I don’t want to end up like that’ and how boxing was a big part of his life but he’s glad he got out when he did.
The bout was on the table. It was part of the HBO heavyweight tournament. All Tim had to do was get by what was considered to be an easy fight for him---the Smith rematch. He'd already dominated the guy A to Z & a rematch win gives the WBA champ the WBC/IBF title shot against Tyson.
Spoon had old school pedigree. I think that he looked the aggressor and the winner against Holmes and of course Larry wanted no part of a rematch(but you will read 100 excuses here)
There is interview with Larry Holmes where he may well have been stroking his own not inconsiderable ego but he was adamant that Cooney would have been world champion had he (Larry) not been around.
It was on the table yeah and Tim blew it but I still thought he could have been given a shot instead of Tubbs. At the time I thought he would have been a far better opponent than Buster Douglas. May have to admit I got that one wrong !
Same with Tim as the rest of those guys outside of Holmes===they could rise up and win the title on career best performance night. they had the tools. what they could not do was sustain it for like 2 fights. And these guys all seem to have a horrible B game. It was like A game or C game that we had to endure for quite a while.
Larry was never one to under play his, admittedly, considerable talent but it's interesting he said that. Larry probably fought the best Gerry Cooney that night.
Mitch Green had the size and pedigree but like the other HW on this list potential wasted by substance abuse.
