If boxing was banned and...

Maravilla33

Posted this on another forum ages ago but I'm new here and might be a good way to see people's tastes and generate some debate.

Hypothetical question. Boxings been banned. There are no future fights and all records of past fights including film, books, newspapers etc have been destroyed. You manage to save one fighter's entire career on dvd, which will be your only record of the sweet science and the only boxer you will ever see fight again. Tough question but who do you pick?

Theres a few things to take into account. Do you pick your favourite boxer? Someone who's been in a lot of epic fights to keep you entertained. Someone who fought great quality opposition so that you see a number of greats by default. Do you pick an old timer or a modern great? With a good old timer you get a lot more fights and a record of times when the best fought the best more frequently. While with the modern fighters you get much better quality footage as well as some great fights.

With the likes of Ali, you get to see perhaps the greatest against a golden generation of heavys. A clinic against Williams, the Frasier triology, the rumble and much more. With Duran you get extensive footage of perhaps the greatest LW ever an exciting style and also get footage of Hagler, Hearns and Leonard as well as great later wins against the likes of Moore and Barkley. Or do you go with someone like Gatti? 4 ring fights of the year, the ward trilogy and footage of modern greats such as Mayweather and Oscar.

Just some options but who do you pick and why?

Maravilla33

I'd go for Duran. He's my favourite boxer and him vs Leonard 1 and vs Barkley are two of my favourite fights ever. I'd get over 100 fights against some great fighters and the quality of the footage is still pretty good.

walshb

I will go with Ali. I believe the Rumble to be one of the greatest sports events in history, and a fantastic fight too. The clash of styles, the toughness, guile and ending beats all others for me. Not saying it's the best fight ever, but when you add in the men, the arena, the significance, it tops all others for me.

So, I will save Ali's career. He had many memorable displays. Many great fights, and many superb performances. At peak he was a marvel as a HW.

Close second: Tyson, Toney, SRL, SRR, Gatti, Barry McGuigan.

Maravilla33

Toneys an interesting choice. Great to watch in his day but a real waste of talent. His press conferences and interviews would be nearly worth the pick on their own..

walshb

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Toneys an interesting choice. Great to watch in his day but a real waste of talent. His press conferences and interviews would be nearly worth the pick on their own..

Yes, had many dull bouts, but when on form, to me he was simply a joy to watch. Never saw such a relaxed and fluid natural fighter. Did the man ever look panicked, flustered or in real danger? Unreal. 80 plus fights too against EVERYONE. Of all the fighters I have seen he also seemed to have the most supreme confidence. Bulit in radar too.

Duran is a very good choice. One I should add as a close second. I would also add Orlando Canizales. He was the complete package. So neat and tidy.

cowzerp

Mike Tyson, His fights where just pure savagery and i grew up watching him-After Ali the most famous name in sport i'd say worldwide.

walshb

cowzerp wrote: »

Mike Tyson, His fights where just pure savagery and i grew up watching him-After Ali the most famous name in sport i'd say worldwide.

I would agree. At his peak, he was the global sports figure on earth. Bigger than Maradona even.

cowzerp

walshb wrote: »

I would agree. At his peak, he was the global sports figure on earth. Bigger than Maradona even.

Even now, Everyone knows Mike Tyson, ask some random girl does she know Maradonna, Pele than ask does she know Ali, Tyson-Everyone knows them better.

walshb

cowzerp wrote: »

Even now, Everyone knows Mike Tyson, ask some random girl does she know Maradonna, Pele than ask does she know Ali, Tyson-Everyone knows them better.

And who the f*&^ calls their dogs Pele or Maradona?:)

Maravilla33

walshb wrote: »

And who the f*&^ calls their dogs Pele or Maradona?:)

I'm going to call my next dog Diego...

cowzerp

walshb wrote: »

And who the f*&^ calls their dogs Pele or Maradona?:)

Funny enough my 2 dog's are called Ali and Tyson-Point well made.

onlyrocknroll

cowzerp wrote: »

Mike Tyson, His fights where just pure savagery and i grew up watching him-After Ali the most famous name in sport i'd say worldwide.

Sorry for getting OT but I'd say Tiger Woods is more famous than Tyson. Obviously Wood's still active so it's a little bit of an unfair comparison. Still I'd say that in 20 years time more people will have heard of Woods.

cowzerp

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

Sorry for getting OT but I'd say Tiger Woods is more famous than Tyson. Obviously Wood's still active so it's a little bit of an unfair comparison. Still I'd say that in 20 years time more people will have heard of Woods.

Doubt it, outside golf fans or people who watch sky sports I don't see him been that famous, most women you ask will know Tyson, even girls who where not alive when he was boxing peak!

walshb

cowzerp wrote: »

Doubt it, outside golf fans or people who watch sky sports I don't see him been that famous, most women you ask will know Tyson, even girls who where not alive when he was boxing peak!

Most women know him as someone to avoid I would imagine:)

Anyway, Tyson is known by second name alone. Woods is known when one mentions Tiger Woods. Tyson's name resonates more so than Woods' name.

Maravilla33

walshb wrote: »

Most women know him as someone to avoid I would imagine:)

Anyway, Tyson is known by second name alone. Woods is known when one mentions Tiger Woods. Tyson's name resonates more so than Woods' name.

I'd say both names are as recognisable as each other. Tigers first name probably resonates as much as Tyson's second name to be honest.

walshb

Maravilla33 wrote: »

I'd say both names are as recognisable as each other. Tigers first name probably resonates as much as Tyson's second name to be honest.

Was thinking this, but say it. No, I say Tiger, I also think of the animal. I say Tyson, and there is nothing else.

Example: "Tiger played well today didn't he?" Most people would get this straight away. Some would not

"Tyson was dominant last night." No mistaking who we're talking about there.

To me Tyson's impact was more widespread and forceful.

Maravilla33

walshb wrote: »

Was thinking this, but say it. No, I say Tiger, I also think of the animal. I say Tyson, and there is nothing else.

Example: "Tiger played well today didn't he?" Most people would get this straight away. Some would not

"Tyson was dominant last night." No mistaking who we're talking about there.

To me Tyson's impact was more widespread and forceful.

I disagree. Everyone knows who Tiger Woods is. Between his golf exploits, computer games, Nike ads ("I'm Tiger Woods") and now the whole sex scandal its nearly impossible to not know who he is.

Tyson was the same when he was around but I think Tigers one of the few whos made the same mark and transcended sport the way Tyson did.

eagle eye

After a good bit of thought about his question I've come to the conclusion that you have a choice here between a boxer you love who could entertain or simply the most entertaining fighter.

If its a boxer I love who had loads of great fights then its Julio Cesar Chavez for me. One of the best pound for pound of all time and so many great fights. If you've never seen Chavez v Meldrick Taylor you have to watch it. One of the greatest fights ever.

If its for pure entertainment then it has to be Arturo Gatti. Gatti was just different gravy when it came to entertainment, you just never knew what was going to happen next and you couldn't predict what Gatti would do at any given time, he could get floored or put the opposition down. And I don't know how many times he got up when he looked done and went on to win a fight.

slapbangwallop

SRR

efb

Gatti

keane=cock

put the whole tiger woods and tyson to the test there on my missus

took a lot of encouragement to get her to name one single golfer but she eventually got tiger woods. named tyson after a few seconds.

tyson wins

gene_tunney

Woods is definitely more recognisable.

walshb

gene_tunney wrote: »

Woods is definitely more recognisable.

That's debateable, and Tyson's look has changed too. At peak, both are massively global.

Maravilla33

keane=cock wrote: »

put the whole tiger woods and tyson to the test there on my missus

took a lot of encouragement to get her to name one single golfer but she eventually got tiger woods. named tyson after a few seconds.

tyson wins

Irrefutable evidence right there! Case closed....

cowzerp

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Irrefutable evidence right there! Case closed....

Its so obvious, sure most birds would hardly know tiger of he walked through Dublin, they'd know Tyson

walshb

cowzerp wrote: »

Its so obvious, sure most birds would hardly know tiger of he walked through Dublin, they'd know Tyson

I think Maravilla33 was being sarcastic.

barney4001

cowzerp wrote: »

Its so obvious, sure most birds would hardly know tiger of he walked through Dublin, they'd know Tyson

His face tattoo would sure make him stand out

cowzerp

walshb wrote: »

I think Maravilla33 was being sarcastic.

Well his sarcasm is the right answer so not really great sarcasm!!

Maravilla33

cowzerp wrote: »

Well his sarcasm is the right answer so not really great sarcasm!!

Well the sarcasm was aimed at how he came about his decision rather than the decision itself.

cowzerp

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Well the sarcasm was aimed at how he came about his decision rather than the decision itself.

Well 100% of the girls he asked knew Tyson better!!

Maravilla33

He used a massive sample size didn't he? I think they're on a par. Global superstars who dominated their respective sports and are also well known for their extra curricular antics.

keane=cock

Maravilla33 wrote: »

He used a massive sample size didn't he? I think they're on a par. Global superstars who dominated their respective sports and are also well known for their extra curricular antics.

how many people have you asked?

Maravilla33

keane=cock wrote: »

how many people have you asked?

I asked 2. The missus and her cousin. Both thought Tiger was more famous especially in this day and age. 2 people means nothing though.

onlyrocknroll

(This is the most hilariously bad social science methodology I've ever seen)

I asked my girlfriend to name a golfer. She said Tiger almost instantly, couldn't name another other than "Padraig ... something".

I then asked her to name a boxer, she instantly said Mohammad Ali, and said there was another on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't remember his name.

After some clues from me (trouble with the law, biting incident in the ring, facial tattoos) she eventual (2-3 minutes) said "Tyson" but couldn't remember his first name.

onlyrocknroll

I just asked two of my students, a Nepalese man and a Malaysian woman, they both knew each of them instantly, but they both think that Tiger is more famous.

When I have more students tomorrow I'll ask them.

Maravilla33

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

(This is the most hilariously bad social science methodology I've ever seen)

Amen!

colly10

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Well the sarcasm was aimed at how he came about his decision rather than the decision itself.

My roomate know who Tyson is but she doesn't know any golfers. That make it 2 nill to tyson

walshb

colly10 wrote: »

My roomate know who Tyson is but she doesn't know any golfers. That make it 2 nill to tyson

She sounds really thick!