Who is the “Tavern Brawl” “Street fight” “Straightener” GOAT here on Classic? What’s your case?

Fun to kick around but it will only ever be very cautious speculation.

 

So if an extensive boxing amateur career counts, then here's my man:

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Wrestling and grappling in my opinion is the best single combat discipline. Early MMA pitched pure fighters from all disciplines against each other and the grapplers had a consistent edge. Typically the striker (boxer, karate, muay thai) had a significant advantage that lasted for as long as the first clinch. The grappler would take the striker to the floor and I got second-hand panic waves myself as the striker realised that he was effectively helpless and would not be allowed to regain his feet. The grappler could basically gobble him up like an anaconda at leisure.

 

I've always heard that Holmes was the guy you wanted by your side in a fight. A nasty, mean SOB who would do anything...and guys, that's what wins outside the ring, not the person who knows the most, the person who is prepared to DO the most...

 

I would have to agree.

 

John L Sullivan would be an absolute demon in a bar fight. He was originally from the bare knuckle era, and knows how to throw without breaking his hand (modern boxers would end up breaking their hands if they threw with full power the way they throw in a ring). He also knows grappling, wrestling, roughhousing, fighting dirty. He also tavern brawled a bunch.

he’s my pick.

 

Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Riddick Bowe had childhoods filled with street fights. There are stories of Lewis’s friends getting into street fights, losing, then going to go find Lewis, and bringing him back with them to even things up.

Holmes has his head on too square to do much of that, or anything that would get him in trouble. The Trevor Berbick thing was defending his wife after Berbick was insulting her on live TV.

 

Not disputing any of that, and we are all strictly dealing in hearsay here, but I wish I could find the article from years back. Those interviewed suggested Larry could grapple if he had to, was ice cold and you knew he wanted to hurt you. And bottle is a massive part of 'real' fighting. I can see Riddick, Lennox, Evander etc all having big heart and bottle...Mike? I'm not so sure, I'm a huge fan, and don't subscribe to him merely being a 'bully' fighter, but I suspect he never had to look inside himself as often as the others so good, old fashioned bottle might be a little bit missing. I remember Jim Watt saying that to be a great fighter, you have to be in great fights....

 

for the Bigmen, I'll take Tex Cobb, James Scott and Dwight Qawi Braxton...

the Streets, the Yard and the Ring, well rounded fighter. Quick call the Cops and a few Ambulances.

 

It's Not James Toney. Randy Couture beat him in about a minute. I would say Tyson. He was so fast that a wrestler might have been knocked out before he landed his double leg take down
Ron Stander said if his fight with Frazier was in a alley he would be the favorite.

 

Wiggins was a renowned street fighter,as was Charlie Mitchell.
A smaller man, but Peter Keenan had a rep on the cobbles.
I'd guess Dempsey,Liston , Foreman and Greb.

 

Lew Jenkins
Al " Bummy " Davis
Ad Wolgast