Teofilo Stevenson

I disagree a and agree. A great or good chin means a fighter is far less likely to get sparked, or TKO'd from a few select hard shots. I think Wlad's chin is average, but that is off topic.

I agree that Stevenson was a huge boxer puncher, somewhat like Lewis or Klitschko, and these types do very well vs boxers, but are somewhat vulnerable to good swarmers with top end power.

 

That's a fair point too. Wlad's chin is obviously suspect but in a division full of big men he has been more than holding his own.

 

You might make a case they were less skilled, but smaller. That "little guy" he knocked out in 1976 is John Tate, 6' 4" and 240 lbs as a pro. Mercea Simon looks small next to Stevenson, but he was 6' 3" and 220. I can't think of a really top heavyweight of the 1970's or 1980's who would have been bigger than Stevenson. Cooney might have been as tall.

Just curiously, how many times was he knocked out as an amateur? And do you also consider Holmes' chin just average as Nick Wells stopped him twice as an amateur?

 

Just curiously, Mendoza,

"vulnerable to good swarmers with top end power"

Who prior to Tyson (when Stevenson would have been well past his best) fits that description from the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's.

 

Joseph frazier.

 

He would have been fading fast at the point Stevenson would have been moving up. I don't think a 32 year old Frazier would be that good a bet against a 24 year old Stevenson if Stevenson progressed as I think he would as a pro.

 

Stevenson amateur record was something like 302-22! Holmes had but 22 or so amateur fights ( 19-3? ), so an early TKO loss when he was 185 pounds to Nick Wells can't be viewed in the same vein. Boxing can be a hard sport to the in-experienced and undersized. As Holmes matured, he proved he had a great chin and amazing recuperation powers.

Stevenson was vunerable to good swarmers with top end power. Russian amatuer star Igor Vystrosky was a balls to the wall two - fisted bomber with paper thin skin. Vystrosky put Stevenson down for the count once, and defeated Stevenson in a second match where Stevenson looked imtimidated.

Who prior to Tyson (when Stevenson would have been well past his best) fits that description from the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's.

Stevenson amateur record can be viewed at the below link:

[url]http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?tt=url&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geocities.com%2Fpedrinet%2Fstevenson.html&lp=es_en&.intl=us&fr=yfp-t-501[/url]

 

If I am reading his record correctly, Stevenson was stopped once in 324 fights--Not exactly proof of an "average" chin. There is a film on youtube of David Tua going down and out from an inside right from Felix Savon. Does this prove Tua had an average chin?

I would like to get more info on the Visotsky fight in Minsk. Perhaps Senya can help.

I did see Visotsky back in the 1970's and my memory is not of a swarmer. He boxed normally, as I remember. I would really like to see a film of him and especially the film of the Minsk fight with Stevenson.

 

If the Ali vs Stevenson dream fight was made, it would have happened around about the same time as Ali vs Spinks. This would have been very, very interesting. Stevenson (in hindsight) would maybe even start favourite, given the poor performance against spinks. But then again, Ali has such a great hear and chin, and he really was at his best against the big hitters, as opposed to the smaller faster types like Leon Spinks. At this point in time, an Ali vs Stevenson fight, even though Ali was incredibly gone would have been an absolute blockbuster and Stevenson would have been in a no lose situation. If he loses to an ATG, he is inexperienced and against an ATG. If he wins, he becomes an ATG (arguably) himself. His 2 fights with Ali, you would think would see him either win, or push Ali all the way (with the possibility of a trilogy). Either way, when Ali finally retires at this stage, he is either the champion or he is the main contender and he probably fights Norton or Holmes for the title at one point soon.

When you think about it, there is no way that Teofillo wouldnt have been involved in several high grossing fights, so there it is pretty safe to say that he would have been a success as a professional heavyweight.

 

Stevenson was stopped more than once in 324 fights. He was KO'd a few times toward the end of his career by other Cubans for sure. The record there is nice, but not complete.

Stevenson was tall and thin. He did not take a great shot. The thing is getting there was not easy.

Vysotrsky was a two fisted fighter who could deliver a KO blow with either hand, from any angle. His prime came and went quickly.

 

It's a bit pointless speculating on what Teofelio Stevenson COULD HAVE done in the pros.

The point to be taken from his amateur career is that Olympic boxing and amateur boxing - under the old rules - could produce champion fighters who rival the professionals for excitement and discipline.

If Stevenson had turned pro and not lived up to expectations we wouldn't be talking about him now.

Some say he took a principled stand against an American-sponsored commercialisation of his craft, or against "professionalism in sports" or maybe just a blind obedience to Cuban socialism, or a fondness for staying at home where he's a hero. For whatever reason, HE DID NOT WANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL, and in the process he demonstrated how thrilling and serious world class AMATEUR boxing can be.

I'd love to see Olympic boxing back to 3x3min with normal judging, no headgear, and refs who "allow knockouts". A kind of fast-paced mini-version of pro boxing, as it used to be.

 

I agree with you. No hook, no uppercut - a swarmer like Frazier or Tyson would give him fits. You need an uppercut to beat a swarmer, assuming you are the taller man.

 

Surfing the internet, I have not been able to come up with any info on Stevenson being stopped by anyone other than Visotsky. Could you give a source? Are you perhaps confusing him with Savon? who was knocked out by other Cubans.

 

I will check. Maybe I am thinking of Savon. Does the link for Stevenson tally up 22 losses?