the '67 heavyweight tournament - what if?

I simply don´t know. Did Floyd fight more than one portsider? Agosto? Mildenberger could have fiddled his way to a decison (absolutly in Germany). Floyd did not have the brute power to blow Karl aside as Bonavena had. On the other hand I am very fond of watching dear old Floyd outpoint Oscar and at times make it look easy. Styles makes fights - And I love thinking about the good old 60ties and 70ties heavyweights.

Woller

 

Patterson vs Ellis-Well we know this fight actually took place but the result was controversial with some calling it a robbery.I disagree as I thought Ellis won the majority of early rounds against a passive Floyd,who did come on strong late.But all up I thought Ellis deserved the nod in a close one (although I haven't seen it for years and am going by memory) .I can't see a match up in 67 being much different.Both were evenly matched but Ellis' youth and greater activity give him the slightest of edges for a SD.

Quarry vs Bonanvena-This is a great match up that I'm surprised never actually occured.They both were tough,had iron chins and decent power but Quarry had a big edge in talent.A lot of rounds would be very hard fought and close but Quarry was great at finding openings against aggressive fighters and this would allow him to outscore the aggressive Argentinian.Quarry scores a flash knockdown enroute to a unanimous decision.

Ellis vs Quarry-Well it's the same final and it's safe to assume it would be the same result.Ellis keeps the fight at a distance with his very good jab and fast straight right and refuses to engage Quarry in any long exchanges thus preventing Jerry from finding any counter punching opporunities.In a dull affair Ellis scores more often and endures Quarry's occasional hard punches to take a decision in a tactical fight over his less experienced opponent.

So the end result probably would've played out the same unless of course you throw guys like Frazier,Liston or perhaps even Chuvalo into the mix.Jimmy Ellis was the right man at the right time.

 

The first point about the tourney is that allmost all the fighters picked by experts like us lost so our current speculation is equally suspect. Secondly Liston was excluded for obvious commercial reasons and his perceived mob connections. Had Mathis fought Chuvalo at this point? if he hadn't then Chuvalo or Cooper should have been invited before Mathis, if Mathis had the win, then he should have been in with Spencer out.
Cany really pick anyone to beat Ellis though, to be fair.

 

I actually considered the Quarry-Chuvalo fight when trying to decide Jerry's fight with Bonavena but I thought the chances of Quarry getting floored were remote and the chances of him again losing track of the count even remoter.

Still Quarry was beating Chuvalo before his blunder and I just think he'd be able to do the same against the equally as crude Bonavena.