Deontay Wilder versus Rocky Marciano

The intension was never to be less effective but along the way we were blinded by science. TV audiences wanted big muscles, knock outs, giants and monsters.

The fascination for the manutactured holy grail of 20-0 KO streaks in order to promote a "made for TV contender" changed everything.

As promoters raced for TV exposure for prospects the best way to have a youngster stand out was through orchestrating spectacular knock outs.
Competition was hot for each promoter to create a king kong. Trainers looked toward other sports to learn how to make fighters bigger and more impressive looking to create the contrast in their early run.

The prospects became bigger and the journeymen fall guys became smaller. All promoters followed the same blueprint. Everyone wanted a king kong. When Bulked up Prospects become bulked up contenders you end up with a bulked up division. David Tua started out at a mere 201lb. There are so many examples of artificial weight at HW. It has never been hidden.

 

That was a one off deal. An exception. It is not typical of what we see at HW anymore. His punch rate was never as good again. 226 is not gigantic compared to modern heavyweights.

I keep hearing about how modern training can make a fighter bigger, stronger and still keep speed but where are all the 240-260 fleet footed giants with blazing hands? What happened to combination punching?

 

Povetkin with a flu threw 929 punches against Chambers. Vitali threw 802 punches in 10 rounds against Arreola. Plenty of modern heavies have big volume.

 

-I don't claim to be a mindreader but had Huck won that trinket from Povektin, I have little doubt he would have vacated the WBO Cruiser belt and stayed on as the WBA HW Champion. But Huck instead lost a controversial decision, demanded a rematch he didn't get, the unbeatable Wlad has all the other belts, and so he decided to stay on as the WBO Cruiser Champion. Who makes more money, a beltless Heavy or a Cruiser Champion? Not hard to figure out why he scurried back to CW as you put it.

-James Toney was a top 5 ranked HW for roughly 5 years. Your opinion on the nature of his victories doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is he had success, he also boxed Ruiz's ears off, roids or no roids.

-Bivins was 5'9" with a 76" wingspan, the guy was a freak. He also weighed over 190 in many fights. He was 192 when he beat Walcott on the majority cards for instance. He has beat numerous ranked 6 foot+, 200 lb+ fighters. His resume trumps Haye's and Adamek's combined. Would he have success in today's division if he could grab 9 extra pounds? Absolutely. Even the older version that lost to Louis would probably sneak into the rankings. Head to head, he would tear Adamek and Povetkin apart, and give Haye hell if not beat him as well.

And the point stands with Adamek, this is an Ezzard Charles sized guy at 6'1",75"(maybe smaller truth be told) who jumped from 174 to 190 to 220 in his 30s, and has been a top 5 HW regular for years now. Nevermind, he was only above average in skills and always an average puncher.

 

Most impressed with the depth of your knowledge about ol' timers 'n strongly make your points without trash talking.

 

Thanks.

Yeah, I'm done with all the trolling and trash talking. Just a big waste of time.

On the subject of hand, what are your thoughts on the Cruiser division? It seems like its used either a stepping stone for guys on the move up, or a barren landscape to be ruled over if you can make the weight. Its all about having as many options to be as successful as possible these days, and with sanctioning bodies and promoters being who they are, all these divisions and belts have become a necessary evil for guys to make a living. I understand that's way it is, but I don't feel the need to indulge in the pretense all these divisions are for actual scientific health reasons. It's just business.

 

For me there were only 8 weight classes. Cruisers (though a long-established Brit division) and Jr. weight classes were just manufactured by promoters to hype fights for belts fans couldn't care less about. For U.S. fans they were neither fish nor fowl. There was only Lt. hvy and heavy.

The knee jerk when cruiser was mentioned was that it was a stepping stone to heavy.

 

Wilder KO 1

 

The odd fight perhaps but as a whole?

 

Chris Byrd held the IBF heavyweight title, defeated perhaps the best superheavyweight of his generation, then moved down to light heavyweight at the age of 37.

There have always been light heavyweights penetrating the heavyweight top the, and there probably always will be.

 

Nine people voted for Wilder.

That is quite apauling!

 

Because there were so many or so few?

 

Favouring Wilder at this stage of his career, falls into the category of believing that size is prety much everything.