Tua vs. The Greats

[StarshipTrooper]

stick your arm out at eye level. now stick your arm out a few inches above eye level.

You do realize that has the same effect in reverse on the taller guy right? You know, stick your arm out a few inches BELOW eye level?

Poet

[CarlosG815]

I see the point LHT is making as I believe SRR is greater than Tommy Hearns but I think Hearns could beat him. I also believe that Ali is greater than Mike Tyson but Tyson could beat him also.

However in the case of David Tua I don't see any way he beats any of the guys in that list. He has a punchers chance against a smaller guy like Patterson but the rest of the guys dominate him with superior skill. Tua just isn't on the level to beat those guys.

I know I'll probably get flack but I do see Tua being able to beat Lennox Lewis by KO, as his punchers chance in that fight is greater than his punchers chance against the others.

[Holtol]

My actual words, if you're gonna quote me, were, "If Tua ran 15 miles a day he might well be the same size as Rocky, but his body would be literally eating itself from the inside out and he'd be nowhere near in fit fighting state for his body type." Notice the last part. It's quite clear that Tua and Marciano have different body types and what benefits one wouldn't necessarily benefit the other. That's my point. Regarding the matchup, I don't think Tua would win just because he's bigger, I think he wins because he's quicker, stronger, more resilient, and a harder hitter, and unlike some of the other boxers on that list he'd have no problems finding the Rock anywhere but right in front of him. Tua was limited as hell but he was absolutely lethal in close range, and whilst he could be outboxed, outslugging him was a completely different prospect.

They have different body's, but I think a lot of the size difference which I don't think matters that much anyway comes from Marciano doing a lot of endurance training and Tua training with weights. You think Tua is stronger,hits harder, and is more resiliant all because he is bigger. Sounds to me like you think Tua is better because he is bigger. Marciano was big, not to many guys are over 200 pounds if they run 10 to 15 miles every day and don't lift weights.

[The Surgeon]

I see the point LHT is making as I believe SRR is greater than Tommy Hearns but I think Hearns could beat him. I also believe that Ali is greater than Mike Tyson but Tyson could beat him also.

However in the case of David Tua I don't see any way he beats any of the guys in that list. He has a punchers chance against a smaller guy like Patterson but the rest of the guys dominate him with superior skill. Tua just isn't on the level to beat those guys.

I know I'll probably get flack but I do see Tua being able to beat Lennox Lewis by KO, as his punchers chance in that fight is greater than his punchers chance against the others.

As with u i see LHT's points and respect them its just i dont see Tua being able to pull out the wins.

Not to give u flack Carlos but Tua was so badly outclassed and dominated that i find it hard to say he wins more than mabey ONCE out of a hundred fights with Lennox, the boxing skills bamboozled him (and LL is no Sugar ray) and the power kept Tua respectfull and even timid. But Lennox didnt have a great chin so a guy like Tua would have that token punchers chance i guess

[Joeyzagz]

If Tua had a world class trainer....someone like Atlas/Rooney to make him more aggresive, he'd be one of the All-Time-great fighters.

Even as is, Id pick him to beat Patterson, Noton and the Klitschkos.

[Clegg]

If Tua had a world class trainer....someone like Atlas/Rooney to make him more aggresive, he'd be one of the All-Time-great fighters.

Even as is, Id pick him to beat Patterson, Noton and the Klitschkos.

Come on now, Lou Duva was a better trainer than Atlas and Rooney combined.

[CarlosG815]

As with u i see LHT's points and respect them its just i dont see Tua being able to pull out the wins.

Not to give u flack Carlos but Tua was so badly outclassed and dominated that i find it hard to say he wins more than mabey ONCE out of a hundred fights with Lennox, the boxing skills bamboozled him (and LL is no Sugar ray) and the power kept Tua respectfull and even timid. But Lennox didnt have a great chin so a guy like Tua would have that token punchers chance i guess

Surgeon we are talking about a prime Tua, not the obese David Tua that fought Lewis. He was not fit to beat anybody, and perhaps it was the fact that Tua had been struggling with being overweight that the fight was put together. Why did Lennox and Tua not fight when Tua was better conditioned? As with many other fights, it seemed as if it was the opportune time to fight David Tua.

In his prime it is possible to land some good shots on Lennox and we all know how easily and early into a fight he can go down for the 10 count.

And like I said, I give him only a punchers chance, just more of a punchers chance than he'd have against the other fighters listed.

[Joeyzagz]

Why did Lennox and Tua not fight when Tua was better conditioned?

David Tua was a 27 year old man coming off 3rd round and 1st round KO victories at that same weight. No excuses.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

If Tua had a world class trainer....someone like Atlas/Rooney to make him more aggresive, he'd be one of the All-Time-great fighters.

Even as is, Id pick him to beat Patterson, Noton and the Klitschkos.

Call me cynical, but why do I get the inescapable feeling the above is part of an ulterior motive?

[winky's right]

Have refrained from giving my opinion on Johnson as I haven't seen enough of his fights to judge.

David Tua vs. Mike Tyson - Tyson by UD or TKO. I think prime Tyson is the only fighter on this list who could actually stop Tua, even if it's a referee stoppage with Tua still on his feet. Both have tremendous power, explosiveness and handspeed, and the rock solid jaws to weather each other's best shots (for a time). Tyson had the advantage of quicker feet, great combination punching and a better boxing brain. I think he lands more of his hard shots on Tua, possibly staggers Tua sometime in the mid rounds (hard to say as I can't recall prime Tua ever even being hurt) and opens up with vicious combinations, forcing the ref to save Tua from further punishment. The reverse is valid also, just less likely. Or they just go to the cards, with Tyson winning a UD.

David Tua vs. George Foreman - Foreman by UD. Think this fight looks a lot like the Lewis fight, with Tua feeling George's power early, and becoming somewhat unwilling to engage, yet landing enough of his own hard shots to keep Big George honest. I actually consider Tua a harder puncher than George, but this is a horrible style matchup for him, and George's jab, uppercut and overhand right will be finding Tua's dome again and again if Tua's fool enough to stand in front of him. Tua could land something big, but my guess is he gets pushed off every time he gets close enough. Foreman by fairly comfortable UD.

David Tua vs. Larry Holmes - Holmes by UD. Not much to say here. Holmes outboxes the crap out of Tua and wins on the judges cards.

David Tua vs. Muhammad Ali - Ali by UD. See above. Can see Ali taking a monster leaping left hook from Tua though the way he did against Frazier and the way Lewis did against Tua. Both shots were virtually identical.

David Tua vs. Sonny Liston - Liston by UD. Tua Rahman II all over again. I think Tua has a real hard time getting past Liston's jab, and gets outboxed to a UD. Tua might catch Liston with something big, but the chances are he shuts down after he takes a few hard blows, and loses a decision.

David Tua vs. Evander Holyfield - Evander by UD. Evander would be well aware of Tua's power and would most likely fight this one on the outside, bouncing in with quick hard combinations, and bouncing out again. He'd probably get caught with a shot or two from Tua, but unless Tua catches him real flush in the sweet spot, I can't see Evander getting too rattled.

David Tua vs. Rid**** Bowe - Bowe by UD. Tough one to predict since Bowe could never help himself against brawlers. Ultimately though I think his toughness, his size, his workrate and his combination punching force Tua to go into a shell from which he never (or rarely) emerges. Wouldn't be surprised to see him get rocked by Tua though, possibly multiple times.

David Tua vs. Joe Louis - Tua by KO. Louis has a pretty bad jaw and was hurt and knocked down by far lesser punchers than Tua. He would also be playing right into Tua hands by fighting him on the inside. Sooner or later Tua lands a hard shot in an exchange and knocks Louis loopy. I respect Louis a lot but I highly doubt he wins this one.

David Tua vs. Joe Frazier - Tua by TKO. Another tough one to predict, but I feel that Tua's physical skills are too much for Joe, who'll try to slug it out with him and come out second best. Joe's heart was amazing and he'd be fighting Tua every step of the way, but there's only so much the human body can take, and sooner or later the cumulative effect of Tua's left hooks will begin to wear on Joe, resulting in a KO or TKO. Would be absolute fireworks before that though. Best matchup on this list.

David Tua vs. Lennox Lewis - Lewis by UD. Kind of a no-brainer.

David Tua vs. Rocky Marciano - Tua by KO. Another style matchup that greatly favours Tua. Marciano was slower, weaker, smaller and less resilient than Tua, and would be playing right into his hands. Tua causes serious damage to the Rock's face and probably knocks him down multiple times before the full damage to his brain prevents him from getting up again. Another very fun matchup though, and Rocky'd probably put up a great fight till the end.

David Tua vs. Floyd Patterson - Tua by KO. Can't really see Patterson withstanding a single good shot from Tua. I think Tua blitzes him, Moorer style.

David Tua vs. Vitali Klitschko - Klitschko by UD. Terrible style matchup for Tua. He gets battered and beat around but lasts to the end.

David Tua vs. Wladimir Klitschko - Wlad by UD. Wlad keeps him at bay with his jab and ties him up on the inside. Tua will be forced to lunge and punch upward, taking a good deal out of his sting. Wlad starts strafing him with rights in the mid rounds, forcing Tua into a shell. Last few rounds become a clinch-fest as a hurt and tired Tua lazily tries to make his way inside and Wlad tries not to make any foolish mistakes. Basically very similar to the second Peter fight, minus the knockout, or the second Brewster fight.

i agree with all of your predictions