Why is Gene Tunney super underrated?

Tunney definitely could have gotten up sooner had he needed, he just took all the time he could

 

Tunney was always more the sophisticated/gentleman type of boxer, who was interested in literature etc. For many fight fans, he was maybe a bit “too perfect” or "too slick". Many people prefer sportsmen with rough edges.

For example, Graciano Rocchigiani who sometimes had difficulties with the law, who often spoke clearly and honestly was considered more "down to earth" and was more loved by German fighting fans than the "Gentleman Boxer" Henry Maske.

Popular are also glittering athletes (Muhammad Ali, also Jack Dempsey, Oscar De La Hoya, Christiano Ronaldo, David Beckham…) or enfant terribles ala Mike Tyson, Diego Maradona, George Best, Alex Higgins etc.
Tunney was none of them. He married a wealthy steel heiress and led a withdrawn life beyond the public after his retirement. Maybe that's why he has fallen into oblivion a bit.

 

HE also had no personality and was boring as sin to watch- to make things worse he came after the most exciting boxer ever (Literally) up until that point.

 

Tunney was a true innovator of the sport and was a very cerebral fighter that I think I think is pretty well respected in boxing circles but not very well know to the general public. If you ask someone on the street who Gene Tunney was they will look at you sideways but say Jack Dempsey you will get a oh I have heard that name. It's no different from Tyson and Lewis. Tyson and Dempsey are talked about far more by the general public because of their fighting styles and personalities. The true technicians are usually only truly appreciated by hard-core fans like us.

Another factor that cannot be ignored is that race issue. He didn't fight any black fighter's and reportedly wouldn't and is judged for that as he should be. But as a fighter, he was one of those guys that took the game away from the one punch at a time clutch and grab style to using movement and true boxing intelligence and he has my respect for that.

 

That is possible. He was looking up at the ref and holding on to the ropes.
It's a good conspiracy that fight was. Will be talked about forever.

 

Amongst us boxing fans of the past, it's up there with, Ali - Liston 2and were Dempsey s gloves loaded against Willard!!

 

I think he was a terrific fighter, who fought his way up systematically. He's maybe not that famous anymore, but anyway.

 

Great fighter no doubt, Very textbook.

 

Brittany spears is more famous than coltrane but who gives a dam
Tunney wae one of the greatest boxers in history !
This case is Ka-loseddddd !
Ford farliane

 

So is he over rates or under rated?

Certainly over rated by the majority of observers historically, but perhaps a little bit under rated on this forum.

 

It's certainly possible he wouldn't have been recovered enough to avoid getting caught again. But I think it'd be really hard to argue he couldn't have gotten up.