Which of the eighties heavyweights could have gone furthest

Tyson would have cleaned them all up anyway.

 

Maybe Tucker because of his height and reach, Tubbs had fast hands but no power same as Dokes who was too reckless.

 

For me it's between Thomas and Witherspoon because they're the most well rounded for me with less weaknesses overall.

Page was never in love with boxing his father forced him to do it so even with better conditioning I don't think he goes to the next level.

Tucker was too passive despite his height and reach he didn't have that real killer instinct.

Tubbs was very fast but his chin may of been a bit of a question mark.

Weaver had no issues outside the ring and overachieved.

We never really see Cooney against current contenders of his era hard to say.

Overall I'd say Thomas and Witherspoon.

 

Tucker was the biggest "what couldda been" of the '80s IMO. He went outright MIA for a few years after Tyson, then returned overweight but was still a decent fighter for a time.

 

Jeff Sims could have come at least marginally farther... One of the biggest punchers of his time, he nearly had Earnie Shaver's out of there in one in 1981 but couldn't close the show.

5 years later he'd hit Tyrell Biggs so hard he broke his collarbone int he 2nd... but again couldn't finish the show.

Next fight he dumps Jose Ribalta... but can't finish.

This what the beginning of a 6 fight losing streak would see Sims stopped 4 times. He retired after Bonecrusher Smith smoked him in one round.

 

88 Tyson had he stayed with Rooney would have achieved time travel adding numerous highly notable knockouts to his resume such as prime Louis

 

Although Witherspoon, Tucker & Page were all gifted, the clear answer, if you gave everyone a perfect set of greased skids, is Thomas.

It’s kind of a moot point though because none of these guys would ever overcome Holmes or Tyson.

 

An embarrassment of wealth. I'd say that Witherspoon had the very highest ceiling but Dokes and Tubbs were the fastest heavies I've even seen this side of Clay. Cooney hit like a bulldozer. Page was skilled like crazy. Tucker a skilled giant with the ability to not get hurt... It goes on and on

 

Unfortunately, this is the over-compensatory reaction the wasted talent of the 1980’s now gets. It was a weak era all the way. But what little talent did exist, was squandered. Then the cries of, “So much wasted talent!” get out of hand.

 

Witherspoon. I have Tucker rated higher but at the end of the day he was always going to have his reign abbreviated by Tyson. But Witherspoon could have taken power in 1982 and become the king for an extended period of time. Witherspoon is also the best HW Tyson didn't beat.

 

In terms of depth it wasn't a weak era so much as it lacked the ATG opponents that the modern fan obsesses over. Also we view things through the prism of a decade but the early 80s HW division was far weaker than the late 80s. Both your anti Holmesian and their "so much wasted talent" perspectives are valid.

 

Witherspoon, Thomas and Tucker. Also Douglas should definitely be up there.

 

True. I found it mildly amusing but not greatly surprising that the 80s titlists have a big list of excuses behind them, but the 2000s titlists get nothing but rebuke and smear.

 

Chagaev not getting any love puzzles me greatly. These people who think Usyk fighting super heavyweights makes him cossak jesus should love Chagaev.