Tougher opponents throughout there career. Tyson or Marciano

It really is a shame that the guy went into his biggest fights coming off of layoffs:

Holmes fight - 13 months and only 1 fight in 20 months

Spinks fight - 13 months and only 1 fight in two and a half years

Foreman fight - two and half years.

He also looked like absolute **** against Spinks, as though he hadn't trained a day for that fight. The cocaine and alcohol use put the top on it. The man could have beaten most of the better alpha champs of the 80's, if only he stayed active and kept away from the booze and drugs.

 

In terms of heart and will to win, Marciano by a mile.

In terms of ability to take punches, I would side with Tyson.

 

Cooney had monster power in one hand, but lots of HWs do. He probably could have been developed better but could say the same for many contenders that didn't live up to expectations. He's not special, he is one of many that didn't make the cut.

 

I know and the one fight before the Holmes fight was a 1rd KO so rounds could have helped him. Gerry is a great guy and still a big fight fan so he supports the game. I was very disappointed with the Spinks fight I was there live in NJ Atlantic city his condition was poor...I really think if he stayed away from the poisons he would have done some serious damage.....He did not know how good he could have been

 

Going into a fight with one of the greatest heavyweights of all time after only seeing 54 seconds of boxing action in 20 months is bound to end in defeat. For the record I don't think Cooney was ever going to beat Holmes regardless of how he prepared. But under more ideal conditions, he might have taken Holmes the distance in a closer fight and gone on to winning a fragment title. I don't believe some of the critics who say that Mike Weaver, Gerrie Coetzee, Greg Page, etc were head over heels better than Cooney was. Sure, there are some of them like Witherspoon who I would have picked to beat him.. But he was right up there in terms of talent and ability with the best of them.

 

Tyson had 58 fights.

 

I think this comes from a Lewis fan.
What was Joe Louis' best win after Marciano? Nothing!!!
What was Holmes' best win after Tyson? The prime,unbeaten Mercer.
It's big difference.(Lennox Lewis had big problem with a fat,out of shape Mercer.
Only Tyson could knock Holmes out.
Tyson was good enough for two era.But a fighter has only one prime era.
Tyson beat the best fighters in his era(holmes,unbeaten spinks,unbeaten biggs,
unbeaten reignig champion tucker,reignig ch. berbick,reigning ch smith etc.)
I think the prime Ruddock was better than holyfield.
But Ruddock was unlucky with these Tyson fights.
Holyfield beat 4 easy opponents before Bowe for title.
The two Tyson-Ruddock werer better than Holyfield's title fights against the fat,out of shape
douglas,bum bert cooper(who knocked holyfield down),42 years old holmes and 42 years old foreman.