Robinson vs Tunney

Tunney by TKO

 

Who said that?

Maxim pushed his size down on the much smaller, much busier man as any fighter with those advantages is inclined to do. Robinson boxed his ears off, and Maxim was hardly ****. Just didn't have much of a punch, which made him a pretty appealing LHW champion for the taking. Was a great performance, regardless.

 

While Maxim was a great light heavyweight, he was not a puncher, and this made him less dangerous to Robinson than some of the other top light heavies of the day would have been.

Tunney was prety much a wrecking ball against anybody smaller than him. I don't like the chances of a much smaller fighter trying to outbox him.

 

Great post, burt.

I lean towards Tunney myself for a lot of the same reasons regarding Greb's style and how it is dissimilar to Robinson. LHW Tunney is likely to do a number on Ray with body shots, counters and a fair amount of tying him up to sap his energy and slow his work rate. The only reason I'd leave the window open is due to Robinson's power being on a higher level than Greb, and not in a P4P sense, but as Middleweights. Robinson doesn't need the same type of accumulation to get a guy battered and cut up, and was certainly no slouch where speed and reflexes are concerned. He knew how to utilize his agility. I'd definitely like his chances better though over 10-12, not 15.

 

Robinson's power doesn't translate to the VERY sturdy 175 pound Gene Tunney...Tunney was never floored in his life except for the"long count" affair against the power punching HWt Jack Dempsey in 1927. Tunney in the clinches was very strong, and was a very good body puncher...Ray Robinson, great as he was never challenged the top LHs of his time. Nadir.
Except for the feather punching but tough Joey Maxim...Robinson knew his limitations. In 1946 Robinson tackled a good but not a topnotch Artie Levine,a MW of that time ,was dropped for a long count and barely survived
the long count...Gene Tunney,15 pounds heavier than Artie Levine and TWICE the fighter, would be a fight that the pragmatic Robinson would have avoided at all costs...Truly a "fantasy" fight that would never have occured...

 

It WAS clever, in a negatively diabolical sort of way for Maxim to let SRR do all the fighting and conserving nhis energy at the same time...it just worked out that way naturally, yet Maxim seemed to know that it would be to his advantage ultimately..at least that's my opinion. It's called negative strategy..utilized by Sammy Angott vs Willie Pep and used in more modern times by Jimmy Young...the Master of Creative Negativity.

 

For the sake of argument, Burt. :yep

I suppose the idea is that Robinson had more blunt force on his punches than Greb, who was able to leave Tunney a bloodied and bruised mess. Obviously completely different styles, Greb inflicting the damage through relentless pressure and accumulation -- I don't know that Robinson would need to match that type of work rate to inflict damage (not that his stamina would even allow for it) although his timing, speed, use of angles and leverage would need to be all but impeccable. Robinson had one of the greatest offensive arsenals in history IMO and part of what made him so effective was his ability to fight on instinct. However, with Tunney he wouldn't be able to win as he typically could - Not against that equal ability, reach or jab - circling the ring and seemingly very content to outbox his opponent with selective and abrupt attacks coming in the form of combinations to the body and head before taking it back on the outside and avoiding return punishment.

It's not a fight he'd realistically take, but one he could feasibly win over a shorter distance. I'd concede he likely gets worn down and stopped over the traditional 15.

 

I can´t see Robinson winning this fight.....really can´t....