This one brings the "Iron Fist meets Iron Chin" thread to mind. I'll take Mercer in this one. He has a good jab, and Tua could easily be outboxed. Mercer is durable enough to withstand the occasional bomb by Tua. Mercer UD.
Mercer has the better boxing skills, and has the chin to withstand Tua's arsenal. I think Mercer at his best would control Tua with the jab and win a decision.
Byrd lasted against Tua. Mercer did not have that elusiveness but made up for it in durability plus when focused was a solid boxer. He could outbox Tua and had a damn good jab himself. Not on the level of a Lewis or Holmes but he wouldn't need that to beat Tua.
Tua is too static. Looking through the prism of Lewis Vs Tua, and Lewis Vs Mercer fights, I assess: Mercer Vs Tua - Mercer wins by SD,MD, or UD.
It depends on which Mercer turns up I would expect him to be able to control the fight using his jab, Tua for me would have to win on work-rate Mercer is a pretty bad match up for Tua he is too durable and skilled. This would have been a really good fight in 97-98. It's a shame how many interesting fights like this have been left on the table.
It's his best performance but overall I still wouldn't say he has a better jab than Lewis career wise. Just my opinion.
Really good styles matchup. I think Tua gets outboxed. I good indicator would be Tua vs Oleg Maskayev on how this fight turns out. In that one Tua got to Oleg late in the 11th, and Oleg was notorious for having a weak chin. Oleg was winning on the cards by a large margin. Mercer has a chin of Iron. Tua does not do enough to win.
If Mercer uses a smart gameplan and does a second rate Lewis impersonation, he could win. If he brawls, it’s anyone’s fight.
Tua’s most explosive and dangerous asset (his power) will be negated here by Ray’s all time otherworldly chin that he had in his prime. Maybe there is an avenue where Tua wins on points in a slugfest similar to the Ibeabuchi fight (which I realize Tua lost) he could possibly out hustle Ray and nab a decision. But my prediction would be Mercer on points, but we need the Mercer who turned up against Holyfield and Lewis. Not the one who lost to Ferguson and Holmes. Styles make fights and this one would be fun as hell.