As usual, I am going to wade in with the note of caution, regarding hyping the still active fighter. The nice thing about the old timers, is they can never surprise you, even if they try their hardest. Now you say that Usky has surpassed Tunney, but perhaps that is exactly who we should compare him to? a man who did most of his work in a lower weight class, but than accomplished a short and spectacular run at heavyweight. His wins over Fury and Joshua are absolutely fantastic, but his heavyweight resume beyond that, is a lackluster win over Chisora. Now Tyson Fury for contrast, has been the lineal champion for nine years.
I hear you about judging an active fighter but Usyk is 37. If he hangs on too long and embarrasses himself, I won't count that against him too much. Where were Dempsey and Louis and Ali at 37? That said, it's not like Usyk was fighting heavyweight edge cases. I believe the average weight and height of his HW opponents has got to be around 6-5, 240. Not the same as Tunney fighting 188 pounders and getting that included in his HW resume. If Tunney had ever beaten a guy who looked and boxed like Dubois there would be 20 threads on the front page devoted to it for eternity.
I would love to see this but it's not going to happen. He has a Fury rematch, then onto Hrgovic to get his IBF belt back. But you called the two fights that I think would be interesting.
Lets be honest, Usyk's "split decisions" were unanimous decisions where be was robbed of those unanimous decisions. I will take prime Joshua over an inactive Dempsey and Fury is miles better than Heney. Yes, Usyk has only had a handful of fights at this weight. But he has shown he can handle massive punchers who are much bigger than him. No question he ranks higher than Tunney at heavyweight.
'fraid not, lad. Anybody can do that. Past prime, depressed out-of-shape druggie. Demoralized, gun-shy body builder, tentative since losing to the Pilsbury Doughboy.. Does he have any other names?
Fury might not want that rematch, at least not immediately. https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/who-next-for-usyk-then.721033/page-3#post-22878904
Could be right. I say, and not in a lighthearted way, but as a concerned human being, that he is probably headed for another bender.
This is great news since Tunney was never on anybody who knows boxing ATG heavyweight list since Tunney wasn't a heavyweight by modern standards. Lol Tunney was a guy who had what 65 fights. 1 fight he was 190., another 10 he was 180 and the other 54 he was 170 pounds even as low as in the 160's. Tunney was good for his limited era. That doesn't equate to being a ATG at a weight class he wouldn't be anymore. Also Usyk beat Tyson Fury a hype job known for beating no talent Deontay Wilder and a old Wladimir Klistchko in a a fight he didn't look good in and Usyk beat Anthony Joshau a guy known for beating Charles Martin, a 41 year old Wlad and losing to Andy Ruiz. Usyk isn't a ATG heavyweight great. Lol he shouldn't be ranked in the top 1000 heavyweights of all time. When Usyk actually betas a heavyweight worth mentioning instead of hype jobs in a watered down era we can talk.
This is the second post I've seen this morning that merits a nomination for stupidest post of the month. The other being... https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...nd-them-or-retire.721077/page-5#post-22880764