The Gene Tunney challenge.

We're basically looking for punchers, here.

I think Foreman or Tyson could've done it. I see them being able to knock out Matthews, Charles and Walcott. The question for them is how long it would take.

The big problem is Marciano, though. He's got a solid chin and, even though I could see Foreman or Tyson being able to knock him out, he would probably take a while longer to knock out than the other three.

But if anyone's gonna get it done, I would side with either of those two.

 

I am not sure any fighter could have actually pulled this off, including Dempsey. However, head to head, the Klitschko brothers because of their size, skill and fitness would have a shot.

 

the only answer i can offer is the disciple of dempsey... a prime version of tyson.

 

I think we're taking some truly glowing, gushing praise a bit too seriously here.

 

Tunney was talking nonsense, obviously.

 

edit

 

Handle? Okay. Knock them all out in one night in under ten rounds of boxing? A solid contender and three HOFers? That's pure nonsense, man. Tunney couldn't have believed that, I don't think. He was a smart man. I think he was just showing his respect through exaggeration there.

 

Coming from '52, I will buy Eugene Tunney's word / statement......... After all, Rocco Marciano was a newly crowned champion in Sept. of that year......

However, by the end of the decade, I cannot buy, nor do I believe Tunney's interview from 1952 holds much water.......

I can picture Jack Dempsey from 1919 beating the likes of "Charles, Walcott and Archie Moore" in a time machine..... But I cannot see Dempsey beating Marciano in a time machine...... Dempsey and Marciano were a lot alike in terms of fighting, but Marciano had better training and instructions that enabled him to be more polished and well-rounded than Jack Dempsey, who I found to be crude and wild at times......

MR.BILL

 

Although I still think it was just respectfully great exaggeration, maybe because I'm viewing the statement with the context of history and not from the perspective of someone in 1952 and he really was serious...but maybe it was still something he just started blurting out. I think we've all blurted out a big statement like that and then immediately realized it didn't hold up to realistic critical thinking.

 

I love dempsey, but i dont see him being able to do all that..he went many rounds with guys like Bill Brennan, and while i think dempsey would have beaten all the guys listed..doing it in one night is a bit crazy...as for who could have done..it guess the best chance would have been big punchers who could start fast..young foreman..tyson..lewis...wlad...also those guys would have had a good size advantage and where fast starters...still...it seems like a hard task to imagine.

I think Tunney was being a bit too kind to my hero...and yes, he references the dempsey that fought willard..but i dont think the was that off his game by the time he fought brennan.

 

MrBill...the only time dempsey had ever looked wild or crude to me is when he had already hurt willard..and knew that willard had no chance to hurt him..hence he was throwing very strong punches known as "swings" dempsey's defense was very good...watch the first mintue 1:40 of willard dempsey..his movement around the ring..his walking away from jabs..his slips..his fast punches...his dempsey roll that drops willard...marciano may have one....and i think its crazy to say that dempsey takes him out in one...but i think dempsey beats the Rock...straight up..and dempsey was definitly more polished.