If they did an all time heavyweight tournament whod win?

[DeeMoney]

Seedings and matchups would be important. The OP stated random matchups, but I think it would be a shame if you had one section of the bracket with Ali, Louis, Dempsey, Foreman all in the pod, while the other side was Johansson, Wills, Corbett, etc (or whomever your bottom four to make it are).

I think it would have to be a world cup style seeding draw, where fighters are ranked in one of four groups prior (A, B, C, D) and then an A is matched up to fight a D, followed by a B to fight a C (filling in the bracket accordingly). So you could feasibly get 100 different brackets, but at least theyd be a relatively fair run.

Rules and Equipment.....theres another fly in the ointment. Youd probably best saying modern for all if you ran through it.

[Willie Pep 229]

BTW Who are the best 32?

Who is in? Hart? Briggs? Both Ukrainians or just Wald?

Any claimants in there? Norton; Terrell; Wilder; Ellis? Any non-champions? Jeannette; Wills; Quarry?

Does lineal automatically get you in? Carnera; Sharkey; Neon Leon?

I think we are looking at 48 plus deserving fighters (for different reasons) but that would mean first round byes and more distortion.

I'magine the contract negotiations. Good thing most of these guys are dead and have nothing to do, negotiations will take a few years.

DIGRESSION: Got a minute? Take a look at the 1904 Summer Olympics boxing medal summary. Makes the '76 team look sad. [wink]

[HOUDINI563]

Johnson was a beast. Swarmers such as Dempsey, Marciano and Frazier stand little chance against him. He had the perfect style to completely shut down an inside fighters game.

[Nash out]

Please tell me you are trolling

Take off the nostalgic glasses, you will see things clearer then. Kronk Fury TBE (Lineal, Ring, WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, #1 Boxrec, P4P, IBO, Wrestling King, Bareknuckle King, British, English, Commonwealth, BUI Irish, WBO Inter Continental, WBO International, EBU European)

[The Old LefHook]

They will have to fight with the same gear Corbett and Sullivan did, and use a referee of that era. You cannot expect to lace John L. into a 10 ounce pair of pillows. Four ouncers must be the gloves.

[kafkod]

BTW Who are the best 32?

Who is in? Hart? Briggs? Both Ukrainians or just Wald?

Any claimants in there? Norton; Terrell; Wilder; Ellis? Any non-champions? Jeannette; Wills; Quarry?

Does lineal automatically get you in? Carnera; Sharkey; Neon Leon?

I think we are looking at 48 plus deserving fighters (for different reasons) but that would mean first round byes and more distortion.

I'magine the contract negotiations. Good thing most of these guys are dead and have nothing to do, negotiations will take a few years.

DIGRESSION: Got a minute? Take a look at the 1904 Summer Olympics boxing medal summary. Makes the '76 team look sad. [wink]

Wow .. team USA haven't done as well as that in a major international sports tournament since the last World Series of Baseball!

[removed]

Fury beats Lewis in the final.

[Anthony342]

Fury beats Lewis in the final.

The dumbass is strong with this one.

[DeeMoney]

BTW Who are the best 32?

Who is in? Hart? Briggs? Both Ukrainians or just Wald?

Any claimants in there? Norton; Terrell; Wilder; Ellis? Any non-champions? Jeannette; Wills; Quarry?

Does lineal automatically get you in? Carnera; Sharkey; Neon Leon?

I think we are looking at 48 plus deserving fighters (for different reasons) but that would mean first round byes and more distortion.

I'magine the contract negotiations. Good thing most of these guys are dead and have nothing to do, negotiations will take a few years.

DIGRESSION: Got a minute? Take a look at the 1904 Summer Olympics boxing medal summary. Makes the '76 team look sad. [wink]

I imagine there are 20 or so that we'd all agree on. After that It would get a little contentious.

I tend to try to balance things out by era when doing such mythical matchups, so as to not get overly biased to one era. But I wonder in this instance how many pre 1920 guys would you take? You mentioned Hart, I dunno if he'd make my top 32. Guys like Johnson, Jeffries, and Sullivan I'd feel comfortable saying theyd make it; but once we start filling the field, I don't know if Hart or Burns make it.
Or what about early era fighters who won heavyweight fights, but probably werent really heavies (and more likely SMW). Guys like Fitzsimmons and Langford. I love them both, but I dont think theyd make my top 32 heavyweights.

[MikeyMike100]

I agree and furthermore in this tournament you need to eliminate anyone who has been knocked out clean during his prime. Lewis, Wald, Frazier, Etc. You got to figure in a tournament like this everyone at some point is going to take at least one big shot and those that have shown to have a 'dimple' in their chins just won't be able to make it through a 32 bracket - which means five fights all against ATGs.

I also believe that you must rule out everyone before Dempsey. That back foot style of fighting isn't going to be competive against modern styles. Even if they survive judges are going to be prejudicial against the style.

When you say 'no adjustment for time' does that include equipment? Never mind the glove and wrapping issues, before 1931 protective kidney belts were not only not mandatory but they were actually illegal. Dempsey - Tunney never had such protection. Worst yet, mouth pieces were not allowed until circa1928.

Don't know why we even try to do this but my prediction: someone who fought between 1960 and 2000.

I was thinking that all modern day rules apply. Like 12 rounds, 10 ounce gloves, etc. No adjustment for time meant that you don't become magically bigger or stronger if you were a smaller fighter being transported now. However you can use all the modern training, nutrition and medical treatments.