Mike Dokes vs Pinklon Thomas

[pendleton23]

Could Thomas contain Dokes with his jab?I don't think so.Dokes by decision.

[blv30]

I concur.I think Dokes would take the early rounds, Thomas would win the middle rounds, and Dokes rallies near the end.Something like 7-5 in rounds.

[Mr E]

I concur.I think Dokes would take the early rounds, Thomas would win the middle rounds, and Dokes rallies near the end.Something like 7-5 in rounds.

During that brief period of time when Pinklon Thomas was in his prime (W12 Tim Witherspoon, KO8 Mike Weaver), I think he was much better than Dokes ever was. He was a faster Weaver, but w/out the glass jaw, and look how much trouble Dokes had w/ Weaver in the rematch. I take Thomas by UD or late-round stoppage.

[blv30]

During that brief period of time when Pinklon Thomas was in his prime (W12 Tim Witherspoon, KO8 Mike Weaver), I think he was much better than Dokes ever was. He was a faster Weaver, but w/out the glass jaw, and look how much trouble Dokes had w/ Weaver in the rematch. I take Thomas by UD or late-round stoppage.

I can understand picking Thomas, he was more solid in his style, but more me, Dokes did a little more at the weight and showed as much toughness as anybody during that time period(even if he was a cokehead).

[hagler04]

I'm not impressed with Thomas as some. Good chin, snappy jab but he was open to counters all night with his shaky defense, as Berbick found out with his awkward brawling shots which caught Thomas often. He also was pretty one dimensional. If he couldn't get set with his jab, he was out of ideas.

Dokes was more fluid on offense, had that great handspeed with combinations to the head and body, and of course that huge heart. I see Dokes starting strong, getting behind but rallying to a decision off the back of his body work that he'd tire Thomas out with.

[hawk5ins]

of who could be more inconsistant.

Seeing Thomas get out jabbed for good portions of his bout with Weaver (Yes, out jabbed by Weaver) and the horrid showing agianst Berbick really makes me question Thomas. He looked great agianst Tillis. His only top flight performance IMO (add in the Ratliff win I guess).

Thomas beat Witherspoon becuase Timmy is well...Timmy. He was better than THAT. He had more worries about Don King and if he could get the ref's attention with his flippining Blinking. Witherspoon fought down that night and Thomas fought.....ok, but not special. I don't think he looked any better than he did agianst Coetzee, who he failed to impress agianst as well.

Dokes is the ultimate P word. Potential. The Jimmy Young performance? Very nice. Cobb? What speed (agiasnt a slow punching bag i know) Chaplin? Lynn Ball? He looked so flipping talented it was scary. But somehow he manages to get a gift agianst Osssie Ocasio. ANd then blows him out in the next bout in a round (fishy?) He looked awesome agianst Weaver, who Joey Curtis blowing it aside, was GOING to stop Mike in that first round folks.

ANd in the rematch, my god Dokes looked breath taking.......for a round. Then it was average city in what I thought was a gift draw. And then Coetzee? Ugh.

I have absolutely NO IDEA who wins this bout. I THINK Dokes, based on his superior talent level. But have no idea if he can apply it for a complete bout. I have no idea how focused Thomsa will be. If the Pinky form the Tillis bout shows up, he's got a great shot. Have no idea if that who shows.

How about a draw?

Hawk

[hagler04]

I agree with just about everything you said Hawk

[Roberto Aqui]

He looked awesome agianst Weaver, who Joey Curtis blowing it aside, was GOING to stop Mike in that first round folks.

You must have been drinkin' the Don King Koolaide. If King thought the coked up Dokes was going to blow out Weaver then he wouldn't have fixed that fight. Weaver was too dangerous to be messed with.

[hagler04]

You must have been drinkin' the Don King Koolaide. If King thought the coked up Dokes was going to blow out Weaver then he wouldn't have fixed that fight. Weaver was too dangerous to be messed with.

How is that a fixed fight? Did King just magically know that Weaver would get caught with a HUGE left hook followed up by a flush one-two, and then Weaver would be against the ropes and not return fire? It was a premature stoppage but I've seen much worse. Weaver didn't respond well to the referee and the fact that he wasn't firing back, which is essential, is what cost him the fight. Dokes came out with one of the fastest barrages of punches I've ever seen in a heavyweight fight.

[hawk5ins]

AGAIN, if not at least for the first time, is essential here.

I have no idea what may or may not have been in Dokes's system. But to suggest that he didn't do anything and Curtis just stepped in for no reason, and that Weaver had not been dropped or hurt or Both (as it actually was), is IMO, the view points of someone unfamiliar with what actually happened.

Agian, I Didn't like WHEN Curtis stopped it, but had it gone on the way it was for another 20 seconds, it WAS going to be stopped. In Dokes' favor. And Weaver STILL would have complained probably.

Hawk

[blv30]

Dokes at his best would've beaten Weaver anyway.Weaver was good, but at that time a marked man. If not Dokes, then Page, Witherspoon, and a couple of others.

[hawk5ins]

given the inactivity he experienced. He was the victim of promotional tugs of wars that cost him of being sharp by remaining active. Bouts with Gerry Cooney and Tex Cobb were two such fights that management and Promoters battled over and ultimately were scrapped.

It cost Weaver Money and some of his prime.

Hawk

[TKO11]

You cleaed that up for me a while back Hawk. I used to loathe Weaver (he became champ when I was ten years old) because he never defended. I thought he was just hanging on to that title with both hands since he just wasn't good enough to be a champ. Those promotional problems explained that away for me.

Re: Dokes/Weaver 1, I agree with Hagler and Hawk here. Dokes just HAMMERED Weaver with a great shot, and when Weaver got up he was shaky, unstable and looking fit to be stopped immediately. When the ref stopped it (30 seconds later, when Mike looked like he might be starting to get his legs back) is the questionable thing.

And regarding Dokes being too good for Weaver, their rematch showed just they opposite - they were fairly evenly matched. IMO Weaver deserved the nod in that fight, but only by a point (another fight people call an all-time robbery, which wasnt).

[Mr E]

I think Dokes-Weaver I was one of the very very few real 'quick-stops' I have ever seen. I really don't think Weaver was that hurt, though he did indeed get clocked.

I had Weaver a 2-pt. winner in the rematch.

[blv30]

If Michael had beaten Mike in impressive form in the rematch, could he have made a case for fighting Holmes?

[hawk5ins]

But Don King had both fighters under his promotional belt. So the lieklyhood of King sacrificing a meal ticket was rather slim.

I think Dokes would have had to continue to be impressive and the public demand would have had to build a bit more. 1984 at the very earliest. IF Dokes could keep his nose clean that long.

Hawk