When Did Heavyweight Boxing Become Modern? - Page 2

ChrisPontius · 06-23-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bummy Davis

Dempsey

Agreed. I think Dempsey and Tunney were the first that displayed all boxing skills and technique that have been developed since.

JohnBKelly · 06-23-2007, 06:06 PM

Heavyweight boxing became modern when today became yesterday. The sport has always been modern, constantly evolving sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Gloves have got bigger, fights have got shorter then longer, then shorter again. Fighters have got bigger but not necessarily fitter. The 80's made being a fat sportsman acceptable, thanks Leroy and Tony. The 90's made being really tall seem essential, till an overweight Dempsey/Tunney size guy beat 7 feet tall Valuev. It changes all the time, I hope the next change will be when we go back to laughing at how slow overweight giants are instead of claiming they are unbeatable.

janitor · 06-23-2007, 06:36 PM

Put it this way.

Could you take any fighter today and with the benefit of modern boxing technique guide them to a win over Jim Jeffries under the rules of his era?

My guess is, No.

amhlilhaus · 06-24-2007, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janitor

Never

The sport has always been optimum for the rule set of the time.

correct. if all of a sudden the sport became istantly better by one person using a 'modern' style then that guy wouldn't lose for fifteen years. that's never happened.

Duodenum · 06-25-2007, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amhlilhaus

correct. if all of a sudden the sport became istantly better by one person using a 'modern' style then that guy wouldn't lose for fifteen years. that's never happened.

Well put. With that in mind, Joe Louis didn't lose for 14 years, Jack Johnson had a pair of ten year winning streaks (broken only by an endurance contest against a challenger with vastly inferior skills), and the argument has been made that Ali wasn't legitimately defeated until Holmes did it in 1980, a span of 20 years. What other examples might you be able to suggest?

MrSmall · 06-25-2007, 11:28 AM

I'd say when Holyfield got the HW belts.
Because Holyfield was probably one of the first big names to go for good weight training, rather than just the usual bag/pad/bag/sparring meat.

UpWithEvil · 06-25-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Because Holyfield was probably one of the first big names to go for good weight training

"Good weight training" - and we know what THAT'S code for.

janitor · 06-25-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisPontius

Agreed. I think Dempsey and Tunney were the first that displayed all boxing skills and technique that have been developed since.

What about Joe Gans?

JohnThomas1 · 06-26-2007, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisPontius

Agreed. I think Dempsey and Tunney were the first that displayed all boxing skills and technique that have been developed since.

Tunney definitely brought boxing forward.

janitor · 06-26-2007, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnThomas1

Tunney definitely brought boxing forward.

Some would say that Tunney was just a carbon copy of his idol Mike Gibbons.

Incidentaly he got the formula for beating Dempsey from Mike Gibbons when he defeated Jack Dillon.

ChrisPontius · 06-26-2007, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janitor

What about Joe Gans?

Sorry, i was talking about heavyweights.

(as the thread title reads)

View Poll Results: When did the heavyweight division become modern?
1905	3	10.34%
1915	1	3.45%
1925	4	13.79%
1935	3	10.34%
1945	2	6.90%
1955	7	24.14%
1965	3	10.34%
1975	3	10.34%
1985	1	3.45%
1995	2	6.90%
Voters: 29. You may not vote on this poll

06-23-2007, 06:06 PM	#17
JohnBKelly Journeyman Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 89 vCash: 1000	Re: When Did Heavyweight Boxing Become Modern? Heavyweight boxing became modern when today became yesterday. The sport has always been modern, constantly evolving sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Gloves have got bigger, fights have got shorter then longer, then shorter again. Fighters have got bigger but not necessarily fitter. The 80's made being a fat sportsman acceptable, thanks Leroy and Tony. The 90's made being really tall seem essential, till an overweight Dempsey/Tunney size guy beat 7 feet tall Valuev. It changes all the time, I hope the next change will be when we go back to laughing at how slow overweight giants are instead of claiming they are unbeatable.
Top

06-23-2007, 06:36 PM	#18
janitor P4P King East Side VIP Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19,058 vCash: 1000	Re: When Did Heavyweight Boxing Become Modern? Put it this way. Could you take any fighter today and with the benefit of modern boxing technique guide them to a win over Jim Jeffries under the rules of his era? My guess is, No.
Top

06-25-2007, 11:28 AM	#21
MrSmall Undisputed Champion East Side VIP Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 13,149 vCash: 1000	Re: When Did Heavyweight Boxing Become Modern? I'd say when Holyfield got the HW belts. Because Holyfield was probably one of the first big names to go for good weight training, rather than just the usual bag/pad/bag/sparring meat.
Top