Another view of the Heavyweight Championship

[mking55]

October 25, 1990.
Buster Douglas will face the 'Real Deal' in Evander Holyfield.
Douglas has emotional problems while Holyfield is in top condition.
Holyfield wins all rounds on all cards while Holyfield pounds on him time and time again.
Evander Holyfield over Buster Douglas by TKO at 2:40 of the 5th round.
(Real life: Holyfield over Douglas by KO in the 3rd round)

A short championship, exactly like real life.

[vistaman44]

Originally posted by mking55
January 22, 1973
Ron Stander, the champion butcher, will face the undefeated and pre-prime George Foreman in his first title defense.
Stander is badly overweight while Foreman is in top condition.
Foreman has won all rounds on all judge's scorecards when the fight is stopped.
George Foreman by TKO over Ron Stander at 2:06 of Round 7.
Ron Stander, that was quick.
The stars are realigned in the heavens and just like in real life, George Foreman is champion of the world.

My avatar has his moment in the sun, dreams fulfilled, yada yada yada ... Woo hoo!

The least you could have done was have The Bluffs Butcher come into his one title defense in shape ... LOL!

Enjoyed it while it lasted ...

[mking55]

April 19, 1991
Evander Holyfield will make his first defense against that long-ago title holder George Foreman. Foreman will fight under the alias of 'Old' George Foreman and be post-prime.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Foreman starts strong but doesn't have the staying power of the younger Holyfield.
Evander Holyfield over 'Old' George Foreman by TKO at 2:57 of the 7th round.
(Real life: Holyfield over Foreman by unanimous decision)

November 23, 1991
Evander Holyfield takes on a questionable challenger when he signs to fight Bert Cooper.
Both fighters are in top condition.
The fans are 'treated' to a farce of a fight.
Evander Holyfield KO's Bert Cooper at 2:55 of the 2nd round.
(Real life: Holyfield over Cooper by TKO in the 7th round)

June 19, 1992
Evander Holyfield faces former great champion Larry Holmes. Holmes is post, much post, prime.
Holyfield is in top condition while Holmes is fat and under trained.
Holmes will not regain the lost glory as he is knocked down 3 times in the 10th round.
Evander Holyfield over Larry Holmes by TKO at 2:43 of the 10th round.
(Real life: Holyfield over Holmes by unanimous decision)

November 13, 1992
Evander Holyfield will face his biggest challenge to date when he fights Riddick 'Big Daddy' Bowe.
Holyfield is in top condition while Bowe has emotional problems.
Holyfield looks much the worse for wear when the judges reach their decision.
Judge 1 scores it 8-7 for Holyfield.
Judge 2 scores it 8-7 for Bowe.
Judge 3 scores it 9-6 for Holyfield.
Evander Holyfield over Riddick Bowe by split decision.
(Real life: Bowe over Holyfield by unanimous decision)

February 6, 1993
Evander Holyfield will take on the man who beat Tex Cobb twice, Michael 'Dynamite' Dokes.
Both fighters are in top condition.
After 7 rounds Holyfield leads substantially on all 3 scorecards.
Michael Dokes lands a wild overhand right that lands flush and that's all she wrote.
Michael Dokes over Evander Holyfield by KO at 56 seconds of Round 8.
(Real life: Riddick Bowe over Michael Dokes by TKO in Round 1)

I guess the deal wasn't so real.

[mking55]

August 22, 1993
Michael Dokes, the surprising champion, takes a fight that he is sure will allow him to at least defend once successfully as he takes on an over-the-hill, I mean post-prime, I mean was there ever a prime, Jesse Ferguson.
Dokes is in top condition, while Ferguson is under trained and "bigger than some countries".
Ferguson shocks the fans by being able to get up after being knocked down the first time in the 6th round.
But he goes down again for the 2nd and final time.
Michael Dokes KO's Jesse Ferguson at the end of the 6th round.
(Real life: Riddick Bowe over Jesse Ferguson by KO in the 2nd round)

November 6, 1993
Michael Dokes, now post-prime, gives a rematch to Evander Holyfield.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Many wonder if lighting can strike twice and Dokes can put Holyfield away again.
At the end of 8 rounds, Holyfield shows 7-1 on all scorecards.
Dokes looks exhausted in the 9th round and is flattened by Holyfield.
Evander Holyfield KO's Michael Dokes at 2:47 of the 9th round.
(Real life: Evander Holyfield defeats Riddick Bowe by majority decision)

Evander Holyfield is once more the real deal. At the exact same moment in history he regains his title, only this time against a different champion.

[mking55]

April 22, 1994
Evander Holyfield begins his 2nd reign as Heavyweight Champion by fighting an undefeated Michael Moorer.
Holyfield is under trained while Moorer is in top condition.
Holyfield knocks Moorer down twice in the fight as it goes to the scorecards.
Judge 1 scores it even at 7-7.
Judge 2 scores it 9-6 in favor of Michael Moorer.
Judge 3 scores it 8-6 in favor of MIchael Moorer.
Michael Moorer defeats Evander Holyfield by a majority decision.
(Real life: Moorer wins over Holyfield with a majority decision)

Holy cow! Real life strikes again. Perfect! First defense of 2nd title and Holyfield is done in by Moorer in a majority decision. Goodbye Evander. Stay away.

[mking55]

November 5, 1994
Michael Moorer will take on the old and post-prime George Foreman in his first defense.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Many are looking to this fight as a joke but Moorer appears serious about his defense.
By the time the fight ends Moorer is so far ahead on the cards you need a telescope to see Foreman.
Michael Moorer KO's George Foreman at 2:14 of the 9th round.
(Real life: Foreman KO's Moorer in the 10th round)

April 22, 1995
Michael Moorer now offers to fight Axel Schulz.
Schulz can not be found in the database so that fight doesn't happen.
(Real life: George Foreman over Axel Schulz by majority decision)

April 22, 1995
Michael Moorer will take on a pretend champion named Bruce 'The Atlantic City Express' Seldon.
Moore is completely unprepared while Seldon is under trained and should be at the fat farm.
It is a dog of a fight, not to be confused with a dogfight.
Bruce Seldon KO's Michael Moorer at the end of Round 2.
(Real life: This 'fantasy match' never happened in real life but Seldon had to be inserted due to popular demand.)

[mking55]

July 4, 1995
Bruce Seldon answers the call of the "Atomic Bull" Oliver McCall. This is one of those fictional 'what if' scenarios. Two fighters who never fought each other who held part of a title for some reason come head to head to claim this most important title, Undisputed Heavyweight Replay Champion.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Seldon lands 54 punches in the 1st round while McCall does not land one single punch. The matter is quickly settled.
Bruce Seldon over Oliver McCall by TKO at 2:31 of the 1st round.

September 2, 1995
Bruce Seldon looks overseas to England for his next challenger, Frank Bruno.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Bruno knocks Seldon down 6 times as the fight goes the distance.
The judges are united and unanimous with scorecards reading 11-4, 10-5, and 9-6.
Frank Bruno over Bruce Seldon by unanimous decision.
(Real life: Frank Bruno over Oliver McCall by unanimous decision)

[mking55]

March 16, 1996
Frank Bruno lays it all on the line and gives Mike Tyson a chance to regain his the title he once held. In a previous meeting between the 2, Tyson scored a TKO over Bruno in the 3rd round.
Bruno is over trained while Tyson is in top condtion.
Bruno sends Tyson to the canvas 3 times and is ahead on all scorecards when the referee stops the fight.
Mike Tyson over Frank Bruno by TKO at 2:46 of the 8th round.
(Real life: Tyson over Bruno by TKO in the 3rd round)

Thanks for stopping by Frank.

[mking55]

September 7, 1996
Mike Tyson in his 2nd go-around as champion, invites former champion Bruce Seldon to join him in battle.
Tyson is over trained while Seldon is in top condition.
After 5 rounds the fight is scored even, but Seldon is a mess.
Mike Tyson over Bruce Seldon by TKO at 3 seconds of the 6th round.
(Real life: Tyson over Seldon by TKO in the 1st round)

November 9, 1996
Mike Tyson will defend his title against 2-time former champion Evander Holyfield.
Tyson is in top condition while Holyfield is over trained.
The fight is scored even when the referee halts the action in the 6th round.
Evander Holyfield over Mike Tyson by TKO at 2:49 of the 6th round.
(Real life: Holyfield over Tyson by TKO in the 11th round)

[mking55]

June 28, 1997
Evander Holyfield agrees to give Mike Tyson another chance.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Holyfield pounds the hell out of Tyson until the referee has seen enough.
Evander Holyfield over Mike Tyson by TKO at 1:49 of the 10th round.
(Real life: Holyfield wins over Tyson due to disqualification of Tyson)

November 8, 1997
Evander Holyfield takes on a former champion (briefly) when he faces Michael Moorer.
Both fighters are in top condition.
The fighters go toe to toe for 15 rounds of action.
The fight looked a lot closer than it was scored.
The judges scorecards read 11-4, 14-1, and 12-3.
Evander Holyfield over Michael Moorer by unanimous decison.
(Real life: Holyfield over Moorer by TKO in the 8th round)

September 19, 1998
Evander Holyfield goes post-prime and takes on Vaughn 'Vicious' Bean.
Both fighters are in top condition.
A ho-hum night for the champion as he opens a cut that won't stop bleeding over Bean's eye.
The referee summons the doctor and it's over.
Evander Holyfield over Vaughn Bean at 1:00 of the 4th round.
(Real life: Holyfield over Bean by an unanimous decision)

March 13, 1999
A post-prime Evander Holyfield won't quit and now gives Lennox Lewis the chance 'The Lion' has been waiting for.
Holyfield is under trained while Lewis is in top condition.
A close, tightly contested battle between the 2 men that goes the distance.
Holyfield scores 3 knockdowns while Lewis scores 1.
If the fight would have ended after 12 rounds, it would have been a draw. But the fight was 15 rounds.
The judges scored it 8-7, 8-6, and 9-5.
Evander Holyfield defeats Lennox Lewis with an unanimous decision.
(Real life: Holyfield and Lewis fought a draw)

November 13, 1999
Evander Holyfield gives Lennox Lewis a 2nd chance at his title.
Holyfield is in top condition while Lewis has been fighting too frequently.
Holyfield is ahead 4-1 on all scorecards but is decked twice in the 6th round.
Lennox Lewis KO's Evander Holyfield at the end of Round 6.
(Real life: Lewis over Holyfield by unanimous decision)

[mking55]

April 29, 2000
Lennox Lewis risks his title against the undefeated and widely feared Michael Grant.
Lewis is in top condition while Grant is badly overweight.
A dud of a fight as Lewis quickly dispatches of Grant.
Lennox Lewis over Michael Grant by TKO at 2:33 of the 2nd round.
(Real life: Lewis KO's Grant in the 2nd round)

July 15, 2000
Lennox 'The Lion' Lewis will meet Frans 'The White Buffalo' Botha in an animal fight.
Both fighters are in top condition.
The only surprise is the length of the fight as Lion beats Buffalo.
Lennox Lewis KO's Frans Botha at 2:56 of Round 11.
(Real life: Lewis over Botha by TKO in Round 2)

November 11, 2000
Lennox Lewis moves into post-prime and will face the man from Samoa, David Tua.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Tua takes a licking and keeps on ticking almost to the very end.
Lewis knocks Tua down 4 times and the Tuaman keeps getting up.
Lennox Lewis over David Tua by TKO at 2:35 of Round 15.
(Real life: Lewis over Tua by unanimous decsion)

April 22, 2001
Lennox Lewis maintains his post-prime position to face the Rock, Hasim Rahman.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Lewis beats Rahman silly in the 3rd round.
Lennox Lewis defeats Hasim Rahman by TKO at 2:31 of Round 3.
(Real life: Rahman KO's Lewis in Round 5)

November 17, 2001
Lennox Lewis is scheduled to fight Hasim Rahman once more. However, the promoters of this replay have judged that to be a waste of time and have picked a replacement for Rahman. 'The Quiet Man', John Ruiz will get his day in the sun in a fight that never has happened in reality.
Both fighters are in top condition.
A closely contested match shows Lewis slighty ahead after 6 rounds.
John Ruiz KO's Lennox Lewis at 2:31 of Round 7. (Is this why the real Lewis wouldn't face the real Ruiz?)
(Real life: Lewis KO's Hasim Rahman in Round 4)

Quiet Man Bites Lion!

[mking55]

June 8, 2002
John Ruiz will show no fear as he agrees to take on former champion Mike Tyson who is now post-prime.
Both fighters are in top condition.
Ruiz knocks Tyson down twice and Tyson knocks Ruiz down once.
The judges score it 10-3, 9-4, and 7-6 for the man who controlled and dictated the pace of the fight.
John Ruiz over Mike Tyson by unanimous decision.
(Real life: Lennox Lewis KO's Mike Tyson in Round 8)

June 21, 2003
John Ruiz welcomes the challenge of 'Ironfist', Vitaly Klitschko.
Ruiz is over trained while Klitschko is under trained.
Ruiz pounds on Klitschko time and again.
Ruiz leads 9-0 on 2 scorecards and 8-2 on a third when he finally finishes 'Ironfist' off.
John Ruiz KO's Vitaly Klitschko at 1:40 of Round 11.
(Real life: Lennox Lewis over Klitschko by TKO in the 6th round)

December 31, 2003 (Real date: March 1, 2003)
John Ruiz from the top of the mountain he dominates, summons light-heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. for a title bout.
Ruiz is in top condition while Jones is over trained.
A pretty close back and forth battle that was ended by 2 knockdowns.
Roy Jones Jr. KO's John Ruiz at 2:49 of the 10th round.
(Real life: Jones over Ruiz by unanimous decision)

[mking55]

Last man standing!

[mking55]

A listing of the fictional title histories with the successful title defenses in brackets:

John L. Sullivan 1888 (0)
Jake Kilrain 1889-1895 (2)
Tommy Sharkey 1896-1898 (2)
James Jeffries 1899-1904 (6)
Marvin Hart 1905-1906 (0)
Tommy Burns 1906-1908 (8)
Bill Squires 1908 (1)
Jack Johnson 1908-1913 (6)
Battling Jim Johnson 1913-1914 (0)
Frank Moran 1914-1919 (2)
Jack Dempsey 1919-1921 (2)
Georges Carpentier 1921-1923 (1)
Luis Firpo 1923-1926 (0)
Gene Tunney 1926-1928 (2)
Max Schmeling 1930 (0)
Young Stribling 1931-1932 (0)
Jack Sharkey 1932-1937 (5)
Joe Louis 1937-1950 (25)
Ezzard Charles 1950-1954 (10)
Rocky Marciano 1954-1955 (2)
Archie Moore 1956-1959 (3)
Ingemar Johansson 1959-1960 (0)
Floyd Patterson 1960-1962 (2)
Sonny Liston 1962-1966 (8)
Cleveland Williams 1966-1968 (3)
Floyd Patterson (II) 1968-1970 (0)
Joe Frazier 1970-1971 (1)
Muhammad Ali 1971-1972 (1)
Ron Stander 1972-1973 (0)
George Foreman 1973-1974 (1)
Ken Norton 1974 (0)
Muhammad Ali (II) 1974-1975 (3)
Joe Frazier (II) 1975-1979 (9)
Larry Holmes 1979-1986 (20)
Michael Spinks 1986-1987 (2)
Mike Tyson 1987-1990 (6)
Buster Douglas 1990 (0)
Evander Holyfield 1990-1993 (4)
Michael Dokes 1993 (1)
Evander Holyfield (II) 1993-1994 (0)
Michael Moorer 1994-1995 (1)
Bruce Seldon 1995 (1)
Frank Bruno 1995-1996 (0)
Mike Tyson (II) 1996 (1)
Evander Holyfield (III) 1996-1999 (4)
Lennox Lewis 1999-2001 (4)
John Ruiz 2001-2003 (2)
Roy Jones Jr. 2003 (Last man standing)

As expected, Joe Louis was the longest champion with the most successful defenses (25).

Larry Holmes finishes 2nd with 20 successful defenses.

You have to look for Ezzard Charles and his 10 defenses to find the 3rd man. Charles beat Marciano 2 out of the 3 times they fought. So I suppose that makes Rocky the surprise of this replay by losing a fight.

Many fighters were unable to defend even once. Many only won 1 defense.

There was 1 disqualification. Congragulations to Ron Stander for being the receipient of Muhammad Ali's generousity.

The fighters who were champion here, but not in real life (Linear style) are:
Jake Kilrain
Tommy Sharkey
Bill Squires
Battling Jim Johnson
Frank Moran
Georges Carpentier
Luis Firpo
Young Stribling
Archie Moore
Cleveland Williams
Ron Stander
Michael Dokes
Bruce Seldon
Frank Bruno
John Ruiz
Roy Jones Jr.

The fighters who were real-life linear champions but failed in this replay were:
James Corbett
Bob Fitzsimmons
Jess Willard
Primo Carnera
Max Baer
James Braddock
Jersey Joe Walcott
Cassius Clay
Riddick Bowe
Hasim Rahman
and thru no fault of his own because I missed using him, Shannon Briggs.

And finally, the top 10 ranked by the game at the end of all this are:
1. Ezzard Charles
2. Sonny Liston
3. Joe Louis
4. James Jeffries
5. Joe Frazier
6. Evander Holyfield
7. Jack Sharkey
8. Larry Holmes
9. Cleveland Williams
10. Jack Johnson

[Mark42661]

Very interesting replay. I enjoyed keeping up with it alot. Thank you.

Mark

[Dagrims]

I enjoyed reading it as well. Interesting to see just how often the simulated results mirrored actual fights, particularly in more recent years.

Chris

[chaleyit]

Great stuff. I commend you for your tenacity in taking the time to research and recreat all of the fights. I was dissappointed in Ali's showing, I don't think they did a good job recreating him in this iteration of the game. The Buster Douglas upset thing was uncanny. Many of the fights from the 60's - 80's I remember. When Holmes fought 'The Truth". I felt Carl actually won that fight and was robbed. He was wailing on Larry, beating him to the punch, but the judges saw it differently. The Mike Tyson win over Michael Spinks was the earliest stoppage in history. I think it was something like 45 seconds into round one. Spinks looked as if he were intimidated by Michael from the start.

Anyway great stuff. I really enjoyed your post. What a great job the development team has done with this game and recreating the fighters - accept for Ali :-) Thanks for taking the time to recreate all the fights

Chaley