[It's Ovah]

TT's a real enigma to me. On paper he looks eminently beatable. He's forty something years old, has slow hands, slow feet, barely any power, terrible sloppy technique, average skillset, and while tough doesn't possess the sort of uber-toughness that would make him a threat to bigger punching and better boxers. Yet he almost always pulls something out of the bag. What is it about him that makes him so much more than what he appears? He's obviously supremely confident in his ability to win against anyone, and never seems to panic under fire. He keeps up a good workrate and mixes it up well to body and head, fights behind a consistent if pawing jab, and uses decent head movement and a high guard to deflect incoming punches. But is that all it takes nowadays to be a top ten heavyweight?

Does Thompson give credence to the statement that this is one of the worst heavyweight division in recent memory, or is he one of those John Ruiz types who just possess the sort of intangibles that can't really be understood or explained?

 

[DrMo]

He's a big southpaw with reasonable skills & a cool head under fire.

His success is because of the poor quality of the post Lewis era

 

[On the Money]

He's obviously a guy who is very awkward due to his size and south paw style, but he's also a cool head and a pretty accurate puncher despite looking a bit cumbersome. And regards his age, from what I saw of the fight Solis looked the older man. I think the best thing for him to go for would be the regular WBA belt.

 

[Danny]

He's a big southpaw with reasonable skills & a cool head under fire.

His success is because of the poor quality of the post Lewis era

This, but also how many 'successes' has he really had? Solis and Price x2. He beat Solis basically on work-rate alone yesterday and Price isn't even that good, basically just took him out with one shot on that glass chin in the 1st fight and lest we forget, Price had him down and nearly out in the 2nd before he loaded up one slow, telegraphed right hand after another until he gassed after 4 rounds.

 

[Duffy]

He's right handed but chooses to fight southpaw. A cunning old school trick.

 

[PivotPunch]

He doesn't have an average skillset. He isn't athletic and doesn't have big power(at least now that he's 10000 years old) but he is a big southpaw with a decent chin and pretty good skills. He had a late start in boxing but his skillset can't be average he outboxed Pulev in the beginning of their fight, he made Price look clueless as soon as Price slowed down and his power wasn't that much of a threat anymore and he (even though it was also because of activity) won against a lazy but really talented Cuban. He is skilled he is just old and not that athletic

 

[Dipset]

WTF, that fruit beat my man Solis!!!!???? What in the h*ll is going on!!!!?

 

[Luf]

He's just mint. In his prime he'd have beaten Pulev. I think I favour him over stiverne.

 

[It's Ovah]

He doesn't have an average skillset. He isn't athletic and doesn't have big power(at least now that he's 10000 years old) but he is a big southpaw with a decent chin and pretty good skills. He had a late start in boxing but his skillset can't be average he outboxed Pulev in the beginning of their fight, he made Price look clueless as soon as Price slowed down and his power wasn't that much of a threat anymore and he (even though it was also because of activity) won against a lazy but really talented Cuban. He is skilled he is just old and not that athletic

Perhaps average was a bit harsh. What I mean is that his skills aren't anything otherworldly that might account for his success despite his other disadvantages. He's extremely canny and seems to have the knack of picking his shots well. Seems very good at imposing his will on other fighters too. He's just not particularly slick, elusive, pinpoint accurate, or any off the more obvious things we associate with the term "skill."

 

[dyna]

He's a big awkward southpaw who is a jack of all trades.

While he doesn't shine in one area, he does everything well enough to win most of the time.

 

[It's Ovah]

He's a big awkward southpaw who is a jack of all trades.

While he doesn't shine in one area, he does everything well enough to win most of the time.

That seems to be the general consensus. No one particular weakness in his game, cool head, and uses his height and southpaw awkwardness to his best advantage.

 

[It's Ovah]

So is TT only as successful as he is because everyone else is no good, or would he have the same degree of success in other eras? The 90s for example. Do his intangibles, awkwardness or whathaveyou translate across eras, or does his lack of general lack of athleticism and power let him down?

 

[On the Money]

You have to give him eternal credit for the two Price stoppages. He was not supposed to be anything but a stepping stone for the Price bandwagon but he took off the wheels both times and proved he his a tough, heavyweight.

 

[WiDDoW_MaKeR]

Obviously, he is simply much better than he is given credit for. People who really believe that there just isn't any heavyweight boxing talent in the entire world really don't have a firm grasp on reality.

A lot of boxing is hand eye coordination, rhythm, and timing. Sometimes people get too caught up in blazing speed, and thunderous power.

 

[PivotPunch]

So is TT only as successful as he is because everyone else is no good, or would he have the same degree of success in other eras? The 90s for example. Do his intangibles, awkwardness or whathaveyou translate across eras, or does his lack of general lack of athleticism and power let him down?

I don't think this era is that bad it isn't great but HW boxing "is dead" in every era. But I think hewould have less success in the 90s or 80s he's pretty old school and HWs today aren't used to it back in the 90s his style wasn't that special first of all he wouldn't beat Bowe or Ruddock or guys like these and what does he do better than Tony Tucker (beside being a southpaw)? But today there are more straight up Euopean style HWs and fighters who are heavily influenced by amateur boxing and they aren't used to his style and don't have that much upper body movement. I think many of them would struggle with guys like Buster Douglas as well which HW nowadays with the size of Douglas has his movement I mean Douglas was as he has shown in the Tyson fight an underarchiever for the majority of his career but on which HW outside the top 5 would you bet for sure to beat a reasonable prepared Buster Douglas? Price would have to finish him in the first few rounds, if he is in good condition he could give Chisora hell, Boytsov lost to Leapai, Thompson. Fury is the most oldschool HW nowadays just in terms of style even though he's clumsy. Joshua is the probably the most promising HW prospect and both Furys and maybe Wilder beside them the HW division is pretty old. And I'm not someone who says the fighters a few years ago were unbeatable but today's HW division is old for the most part

 

[Cableaddict]

He doesn't have an average skillset. He isn't athletic and doesn't have big power(at least now that he's 10000 years old) but he is a big southpaw with a decent chin and pretty good skills. He had a late start in boxing but his skillset can't be average he outboxed Pulev in the beginning of their fight, he made Price look clueless as soon as Price slowed down and his power wasn't that much of a threat anymore and he (even though it was also because of activity) won against a lazy but really talented Cuban. He is skilled he is just old and not that athletic

I think this is it, exactly. The guy is surprisingly crafty.

Calm & aware in the ring. - just old & slow.

 

[Berliner]

Thompson a few years ago was much better.I remember when I saw him the first time against Krasniqi. Back then he even had "speed and snap" in his punches (not that much but still much more than today).

 

[dyna]

I do have a feeling Wilder will easily kill him though.

As long as Wilder is even slightly better than Price he should be able to down Thompson for a 10 count instead of the 9 count Price managed.

 

[It's Ovah]

I do have a feeling Wilder will easily kill him though.

As long as Wilder is even slightly better than Price he should be able to down Thompson for a 10 count instead of the 9 count Price managed.

I don't know. If Wilder really has this insane power then he could potentially kill anyone if he so much as touches them. But Price had freakish power as well, and TT slayed him twice. Jonty has a slight edge in the offensive department in that he's a mite faster and more aggressive coming forward, while Price tended to hang back and pick his shots more, but I don't think there's a huge gulf in power between the two.

It's a good fight to be made. If Jonty knocks him out, and in better fashion than Wlad did, then it really sends out a statement that he's the real deal. He'd have to do it quick though, while Thompson's stock is still high.

 

[Maxsplit]

I do have a feeling Wilder will easily kill him though.

As long as Wilder is even slightly better than Price he should be able to down Thompson for a 10 count instead of the 9 count Price managed.

Hmmmmmmm.

I don't rate Price at all.

BUT

I'm as certain as I can be that he hits a LOT harder than Wilder.

That's not to say Wilder doesn't also hit very hard - but using their only common opponent, Audley Harrison as a comparison, Wilder's best shot put A-Force down for a count that he rose at 6 for.

Price's best shot had him down for over 3 minutes requiring oxygen and some very worried medical attention.

It could just been down to technique, or that Price is 2 inches bigger than Wilder and 2 stone heavier whilst being equally lean (basically a bigger guy) but he definitely carries the more power of the two and throws the right hand better too