Leave the politics at the door please... Muhammad Ali v Lennox Lewis @ Heavyweight Ezzard Charles v Georges Carpantier @ Light Heavyweight Marvin Haggler v Bob Fitzimmons @ Middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson v Barbados Joe Walcott @ Welterweight Penell Whitaker v Roberto Duran @ Lightweight Willie Pep v Owen Moran @ Featherweight Here's a wee fantasty tournament that pits the USA's best, all time v the best of the rest of the world, all time. Who do you think would win? And who would your choices be at these weight catagories?
US wins: heavy, light heavy, welter, feather (Ali, Charles, Robby, Pep) Loses: middle, light, bantam, fly (Monzon, Duran, Jofre, Wilde). Result: 4-4
hmm make it like this tournament is held in Berlin... Ali-Schmeling DQ victory for Schmeling @ the opening bell. Sven Ottke versus any american =wide UD 4 ottke You might aswell pick Maske for that fight any american versus any german/european... wide UD
No. It is just that if Im were trying to produce a win for say the fighters outsiede the USA I could take the USA list and select oponents who would match up well with them. To be even handed I would have to asume that I did not know which fighter my picks were likley to be matched against.
The US would obviously be slaughtered in just about every divison below lightweight. The America doesn't produce enough small people to have a fighting chance.
You'd be neirther manager, promoter, nor captain, just trying to pick the best there are form both sides. But feel free to provide examples of stylistic match-ups that favour one side or the other - just be sure to point out what you're doing. Oh, and don't look at China_Hand_Joe's avater.
Ali decisions Lewis. I don't think Ali would have had the firepower to take Lennox out, but Lewis's lack of 15 round experience costs him dearly in this one. Ali's just too fast, too mobile, and too tough. Ezz had better rounded skills than Carpentier. Georges could be very tough against opponents his own size, so I think Ezz also settles for a decision. Fitz is going to have issues with Hagler's speed and southpaw jab. The shorter Hagler also has a reach advantage on Ruby Robert, more of one than Corbett enjoyed. Marv's left-handed stance also offers protection against Bob's shift and solar plexus left. Again, Hagler on points. If Gans could get the better of Barbados Joe, then I'm confident SRR would have turned the trick as well. Yet another time, Robby on the scoring. Duran decisions Whitaker on sheer aggression and rights to the body. He might even drop Whitaker with those rights, as he did Fernandez. Moran draws with Pep. You're not going to make me decide this one!
Duran is the only victor not waving the stars & stripes. I would give Lewis more of a chance against Ali than almost any other HW champ, however.
Muhammad Ali v Lennox Lewis @ Heavyweight Ezzard Charles v Georges Carpantier @ Light Heavyweight Marvin Haggler v Bob Fitzimmons @ Middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson v Barbados Joe Walcott @ Welterweight Penell Whitaker v Roberto Duran @ Lightweight Willie Pep v Owen Moran @ Featherweight Ali UD Lewis Charles KO 10 Carpentier Fitzsimmons TKO 11 Hagler SRR UD Barbados Joe Walcott Duran UD Whitaker Pep UD Moran So the US- Boys wins pretty easily... :yep
Well, in the case of my list, I doubt Pep would feel like flag waving after a draw. (But if he did, he might also be carrying an Italian flag!)