This fight pits a fighter was very good and had the potential to be an all-time great against a fighter who WAS one of the all-time greats. Would "terrible tim" have a shot against the "brown bomber"? I feel that the witherspoon who nearly took holmes title would have a great chance. What are your thoughts?
Louis would beat Witherspoon from pillar to post with a body/head attack...this would end in a stop and Louis would look quite impressive.
I can't see Tim winning this one. At his best,he'd give a good account of himself before going down to defeat in the middle/latter phase of the bout.
In a hypothetical matchup you'd pick Louis to take a win in a competitive fight. But if they actually fought? Admittedly I do like 'Spoon and there aren't many great performances to pick from his 'physical prime' (up and down in that respect anyway) and even though he usually showed a quality chin he could be hurt, as could Louis. Could go either way in all honesty in a fight. Levels? Louis of course. But 'Spoon at his best brings a lot to a contest with most styles. He was a really good fighter when on form, as were Dokes, Thomas, Page, Tubbs, Tucker, a talented era with no drive except for...well, between them they accumulated every vice at it's most extreme, coke, dope, gluttony I'll take Louis. But willing to hear arguments for Tim. If no one takes it up, I'll formulate one myself
"Terrible" Tim Witherspoon was Big, Strong, durable, awkward, had a lengthy reach, could box the distance over 15 rounds, or knock you out. He was not an easy man to beat by any means, even when he was off form. A well trained and motivated Witherspoon gave Larry Holmes fits and defeated some of the better top raters of the period. There is no way to pick Witherspoon over Louis without being ridiculed or scorned at, so I won't take the time to try and devise an argument. But anyone picking Joe to just land a few fast combos and take out Tim early needs to think long and hard before writing this off as an easy pay day for the bomber.
A serious Spoon of the middle 80s would be capable of hanging in there with prime Louis. The Spoon who fought Holmes and Tubbs was very good and strong... Louis prolly gets the win, but it ain't no walk in the park..... MR.BILL
This. Louis was very possibly the best all-round heavy ever, but we too often get caught up in the idea that "well, since he's #1 or #2, then he automatically flattens every other heavyweight inside five rounds" as if it's some sort of mathematical equation. You just can't figure stuff that way in boxing, it doesn't work.
