Pinklon Thomas W 12 Tim Witherspoon

I saw the fight on television when it was broadcast live in 1984. I remember being very surprised at the ease with which Thomas dominated Witherspoon. Thomas's left jab was the punch of the night...he was in complete control of the bout.

Based on Thomas's performance that night, I expected him to be one of boxing's two or three dominant heavyweights for years. I thought Thomas was the goods.

I was totally surprised when Thomas lost his title to Trevor Berbick in 1986. I don't know why Thomas never lived up to expectations...he seemed to have the talent and all the tools.

 

Pinklon Thomas is another fighter who in my opinion is regarded for what he could have been and not necessarily for what he actually was. The Witherspoon win was a very good victory, but outside of that fight he has very few notable wins. Mike Weaver was past his prime and hadn't beaten a rated fighter in nearly 4 years. James Tillis was Ok when Thomas beat him, but never amounted to anything specatacular. Pinklon supposedly gave a great effort against Gerrie Coetzee in a bout that I did not see, but the outcome was a draw during a time when most of Thomas's peers were beating him. Pinklon losing to Berbick didn't help him much either.

 

And Holyfield and Bowe both mauled him worse than Tyson.

What's your point?

 

Anyone see the fight with weaver? This is a very good fight if you are looking for action. Anyways, Trevor berbick is the man responsible for ending the career of Thomas. I thought Pinky was used up after this fight while Berbick, after reaching the pinnacle of his career, came crashing down in his next fight being crushed by Tyson.

 

He was certainly still capable of punching at this time like so many other big hitters can do into old age. I'll also ad that in addtion to the Williams win, he also chalked up two others against Pritchard and Duplooy.

However, we also have to look at how he was dusted in one round by Smith right after the Thomas fight. Also,reaching a tie verdict with a very troubled Michael Dokes, and a full two years earlier, doesn't say much about what he was in 1985 either. Razor Ruddock was 11-1 when he beat Weaver and was recently beaten by journeyman Dave Jaco. This was not quite the same Ruddock who fought Tyson in 1991. Carl Williams had an allergic reaction when standing in the same room with a fighter who had anything resembling a left hook, so I'll attribute that win to stylisitic issues more than Mike being anywhere near his prime.

Although still competitive, Weaver was in his prime between probably 1978-1982. Pinklon did not beat a peak Hercules, no matter how we cut it.

 

Agreed. He was still dangerous.

 

And Tommy Morrison blew Thomas out in one round. One of Morrison's hooks literally took off Thomas’ eyebrow off. The gash was wide and deep. Thomas was forced to retire at the end of a one round beating.

 

Thomas was appalling in every fight after losing to Berbick.he was already on a rapid downslide and coke addled when Tyson fought him.