What (pre-Mayweather) boxer made the most realistic transition into wrestling? What future boxer should?

Question

Tony Galento, Primo Carnera, Archie Moore, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Ali, Chuck Wepner, Leon Spinks, Buster Douglas, Mike Tyson, Butterbean and Evander Holyfield all made at least appearances. Which were most believeable? I know many swear that Ali's run in with Gorilla Monsoon was real. Ali would later fight a Japanese legend and then 9 years later was a referee for Wrestlemania. Chuck Wepner took on Andre the Giant. Butterbean actually boxed and made light work of Bart Gunn.

Personally I'd love to see Valuev in a wrestling ring. Who do you think would actually make a decent wrestler?

Answer 1

Just once I want to hear one of the Klitschko's utter that famous line from the Rocky movie "if he dies, he dies", and where better than in the wrestling ring to say it.   I date back to "Big Time Wrestling" with BoBo Brazil and the original Sheik.  d**k the Bruiser was the man when I was a kid, and Wild Bill Curry was the ex-boxer turned wrestler.  Cobo Hall was the place to be on Saturday night, and we had a blast.

Valuev could be today's equivalent of Andre the Giant if they played it right.  For now though, other than Floyd, I think you have to go to the MMA crowd and flag Ken Shamrock as the biggest modern cross over to Wrestling.

Answer 2

Don't forget that Joe Frazier was in Mr T's corner!  He was wearing a kilt to mock Roddy Piper.  After the match, a cocky Roddy Piper said..

"You know, I saw Joe Frazier over in T's corner wearing a kilt, eh...and you know, he's never looked better from the waist down."  I s'pose it's time for me to fess up to being a big fan of Roddy Piper-isms since 1978.  "I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick (butt)......(dramatic pause)...and I'm all out of bubble gum."  And when you see me loft the occasional taunt or insult, it's usually something borrowed  from or inspired by the Rowdy Scot

And Valuev is perfect for wrasslin'.  Probably that Prince guy from England, if he's out of jail, could probably mess around in the wrasslin ring.  David Tua could be that painted samoan guy's tag team partner.  Paul Malignaggi, maybe he could be the valet for the Italian tag team (forgive me if i can't remember the names, I watch maybe 10 minutes of wrasslin a week, during halftime of monday night football).

Answer 3

Valuev and the Klitscho brothers. Especially Valuev because to be sucessful as a pro wrestler, you have to be big and you have to be ugly, and he is both.

Answer 4

Wrestling is fake, come on now