Twist vs W. Clark

[mikebflorida]

I'm not arguing either way.

There would never be a 10 fight series between those 2 so it's really all a moot point.

Both were good but quite different in their approach to fighting, Twist wanted to square off, adjust the sleeves, go punch for punch and see who wins. Twist had a huge right that was scary, he'd throw it so hard that a few times he hyperextended his elbow! But, if you could tie up that right or dodge the bombs, you could beat Twist as shown by McKenzie, Kocur, and a few other who were just so strong. A roided up Twist was a different animal though, gawd he was scary!

Clark usually would drop leather, start firing, and ask questions later, typically as a result of a hit on himself or a team mate, he often jumped people who weren't ready but that was just his style, if you got him mad, it was to your detriment, he hit hard and fast, didn't have great stamina so if he didn't finish you off quick, it was to his opponent's advantage.

These 2 guys were so different that I can't see Clark ever fighting Twist unless one of them jumped the other and Twist wasn't a jumper, he felt that jumping guys was cheap and he had a pretty strict code, believe it or not while Clark had no problem throwing first, even with a sucker punch, to gain the advantage but since he was a pretty valuable player and had injuries to deal with, he fought a lot less in the later years so I just can't ever see him jumping Twist, both out of common sense and a little bit of fear and yes, even the Super Hero, Wendel Clark, could be afraid of someone.

[BENNETTWOLF]

Originally Posted by battleship25

Wouldn't be too sure about that Mike. Clark was much faster than TT.... and if guys like Ewen, Leroux, Huard, etc could drop TT then Clark would have no trouble dropping TT. I actually don't see this a s a great series at all. Short fights mostlt with TT winning the sloppy fights (when he doesn't get dropped quick) lots of punches to Clark's shoulders , and throwing him around. But Clark started with such a fury ...not like Berube (with quick powerless punches) ...but bombs . Two fisted attack . TT would have to start really fast ..I don't know if that would be possible. OF course a non "enhanced) 205 lb TT loses badly (7-2-1)

Prime to prime hard to tell ..so many variables and the shorteness of the fights makes it hard for me to predict..I'll go with 3-2-5 TT just being stronger might give him the edge. But I like Clark's speed a lot in this one.

I think this post really points out what i envision as well. It's hard to imagine many guys able to deal with twists uncommon strength in his prime. Maybe only a handful. He basically mauled people or had guys looking for a "way out" before getting hurt.

I do think clark was unique in his approach. Very few, if any, guys combined his power in either hand, speed and ferocity. He could beat anyone quickly but did occasionally have issues once a real scrap was underway. Such a truly emotionally driven player. An NHL version of a streetfighter while twist was the bouncer only guys with a screw loose wanted to try

[I like Boobs]

Originally Posted by Carkner

Also want to add that Twist was TKO/KO'd twice..and Wendel never. That means Twist got TKO/KO'd as much he gave. 2/2. How's that for numbers? Not to mention he was annihilated and bloodied a few times as well (Ewen, Leroux, Huard). The closest Wendel ever came to getting smoked was against the greatest hockey fighter of all time (Probert). And he still beat him a few times as well. Bottom line is Wendel > Twist ...and it isn't even close.

See it's difficult because you're comparing Apples and Oranges. Clark was a very good fighter and like a bulldog, but he was a hockey player first and his fight card isn't littered with the heavyweights that Twist fought on a regular basis... Not knocking Clark's card at all, but when you're fighting the monsters, it's more likely you'll get tagged. Clark was vicious when he fought as was Twist, but as mentioned in different ways... I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Twist's power either. Most guys during his era either just played defense or avoided him altogether. He caved in Rob Ray's face, but that doesn't show up on the other site. He absolutely mauled guys like Baumgartner, Stevenson, Cote, Bonvie, etc... Of course the knock on him was his quickly accumulated muscle.

As far as Clark not being TKO'd or beaten badly... There's the Kordic fight where Rambo had Clark hurt at the end of the fight.

Wendel Clark vs John Kordic - YouTube

In the infamous McSorely fight, Clark is landing well (with a little assist from Todd Gill) but than McSorely comes on and the zebras have to save Clark who is gassed.

Tinordi bloodied Clark once I believe.

I'm not knocking either guy, both of them were great, both were guys that were tremendous in their respective roles as well... I don't see either guy dominating the other... I don't even see this fight happening.

[2,5,10GameMatch]

People underestimate the strength of Clark, he regularly overpowered much bigger men. Now there's no way he or just about anyone else was as strong as Twist but Clark's superior balance, lower center of gravity would counter balance the Twist strength advantage effectively, in my eyes anyway.

Far out of his prime and with a half wrecked body Clark looked to be able to handle Billy Huard, a guy who clocked Twist and was every bit as strong.......and the way Clark manhandled Jason Bowen was laughable, Dave Brown came to the kids rescue and his face read "what the **** Wendel relax on the guy!".......

Square off's?? most of Twist's fights were arranged before the puck was dropped which usually led to the Boxingesque posturing, Clark usually fought in the heat of battle and I saw him best Probert after a "square off" at center ice in 1986-87.....this lack of him squaring off point is irrelevent and I think pound for pound?? there was never a harder puncher than Clark, Curt Fraser is close though........However, Clark knocked guys out with both hands, a feat that hasn't been accomplished by more than 3 or 4 other men in the history of the NHL, and definitely not accomplished by the "boxer" Tony Twist....his left hand was more none existant than Dave Brown's right!!.

If you tied up Clark's right?? he could rattle you silly with a left......Todd Gill had a similar technique too, I'm sure they practiced this stuff.

[mikebflorida]

Good stuff 2,5,10 but let it be noted that Twist was the righty and Brownie was the lefty.

Tell you what else, I wouldn't want to get hit by either guy! I have a hard head but those guys could throw!

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Originally Posted by mikebflorida

Good stuff 2,5,10 but let it be noted that Twist was the righty and Brownie was the lefty.

Tell you what else, I wouldn't want to get hit by either guy! I have a hard head but those guys could throw!

Thanks...I guess you misunderstood what I meant but Brown never threw his right and I cant recall a Twist left hand in my memory, one handed fighters.

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Originally Posted by Carkner

So people aren't going to agree with my comment that Clark threw just as hard as Twist, huh? Well here's the facts from DYG. Clark 8 TKO/KOS in 156 fights (.051 rate). Twist 2 TKO/KOS in 136 fights (.015 rate). These facts show that Clark was almost 4 times greater than Twist in the power department. Okay...who wants to argue? I'm waiting....

Really? That's some fascinating logic you've got there. I want to play too though. Ready? Here goes.

According to "DYG" Darin Kimble had 7 career TKO's. Does that fact show that he was almost 4 times greater than Twist in the power department too?

According to "DYG" Jeff Odgers had 5 career TKO's. Does that fact prove that he was almost 3 times greater than Twist in the power department?

According to "DYG" Tie Domi had 12 career TKO's. Does that prove that he was an unbelievable 6 times greater than Twist in the power department?

Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, style sometimes also plays a part in dropping people? A guy who throws shorter more accurate punches with power is going to floor more opponents than a guy who punches way harder, but throws wild out of control bombs.

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Originally Posted by BROKEN*ORBITAL

Really? That's some fascinating logic you've got there. I want to play too though. Ready? Here goes.

According to "DYG" Darin Kimble had 7 career TKO's. Does that fact show that he was almost 4 times greater than Twist in the power department too?

According to "DYG" Jeff Odgers had 5 career TKO's. Does that fact prove that he was almost 3 times greater than Twist in the power department?

According to "DYG" Tie Domi had 12 career TKO's. Does that prove that he was an unbelievable 6 times greater than Twist in the power department?

Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, style sometimes also plays a part in dropping people? A guy who throws shorter more accurate punches with power is going to floor more opponents than a guy who punches way harder, but throws wild out of control bombs.

DYG is selling Clark very short on the career Knock out's, they always have. I dont think he was nessasarily a harder puncher than Twist (who outweighed him by 50 pounds too) but he had alot in his tool box, more than Twist who was basically a "one trick pony". Both were two of the most intense fighters that ever played in the NHL, I feel they would have had some memorable, classics without a doubt, bombfests.

[Carkner]

Originally Posted by BROKEN*ORBITAL

Really? That's some fascinating logic you've got there. I want to play too though. Ready? Here goes.

According to "DYG" Darin Kimble had 7 career TKO's. Does that fact show that he was almost 4 times greater than Twist in the power department too?

According to "DYG" Jeff Odgers had 5 career TKO's. Does that fact prove that he was almost 3 times greater than Twist in the power department?

According to "DYG" Tie Domi had 12 career TKO's. Does that prove that he was an unbelievable 6 times greater than Twist in the power department?

Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, style sometimes also plays a part in dropping people? A guy who throws shorter more accurate punches with power is going to floor more opponents than a guy who punches way harder, but throws wild out of control bombs.

Part of power I think is accuracy, so yeah we're in agreement. If Twist and Clark took turns punching one of those power meter punching bag things...like at a carnival..I'm sure Twist's rating would be higher. But that's not a fight. A power punch in a fight is throwing it while facing resistance, while still maintaining balance and accuracy. So yes, these guys are all better knockout punchers than Twist. That is what these numbers show. They are facts...and when they are that lopsided they definitely prove something.

I guess I should have been more clear when I said "threw harder". I was using a figure of speech, so to speak, for "hit harder". And I stand by that. Hit harder in fights..as backed up by DYG. Punching carnival punching bags doesn't count. Twist could probably hit that giant hammer thingy and make the whachamacallit shoot up up higher than Clark too

[I like Boobs]

For the record - DYG is not the be all end all source of all that is fighting on the Internet. It's a great tool, but many reviews are skewered or simply not accurate. As a reminder, please don't link to there. Again yes it does have quality information, but it is not without it's warts. This Is hockeyfights.com and we stand alone.

[srehm1]

So Twist was a pillow puncher? Ok.

After Twist KO'd Peluso-everyone looked at him differently. I think he was the most feared fighter of his time (in his prime) because he had the ability to hurt/damage/KO anyone at any given time. You could see just how cautious fighters fought him. they fought him differently-most were just trying to survive. In St. Louis he was a beast-I think he lost a handful of fights out of say 70 plus fights. incredible run right there. i think he gets a bit of a bad rap on here for his "inaccuracy". I think his opponents caution played a huge part in that. Very few were willing to play russian roulette in an open toe to toe exchange with twist. you either could drop him-or get hurt trying to. A guy like rob ray had great power-he tried the russian roulette routine with twist and got his orbital smashed. You can debate tko/ko stats all you want but you will never convince me a pillow puncher like jay miller hit harder than twist simply because dyg says he had more tko's than him. Were laraque's legs shaking before he fought twist because he thought he was a pillow puncher? Peluso had to take anti-seizure medication for years after he was KO'd by Twist.

[2,5,10GameMatch]

For the record I have Twist rated higher alltime than Clark, by a few slots..I dont think anyone would call Twist a pillow puncher.....just slightly erratic and a tad innaccurate with that Hamhock.


Sylvain Lefebvre hardest puncher ever!! haha.

[Habs # 1]

Tony Twist vs Frank Bialowas Mar 26, 1994 -...

[BaddaBing Badda Boom]

Originally Posted by Habs # 1

Tony Twist vs Frank Bialowas Mar 26, 1994 - YouTube

...i for one am waiting fo rthe other shoe to drop - whats the point?

[srehm1]

For once i agree with BBBB here. what is the point of posting that particular fight?