For the simple reason that fighters can only be judged by their own era, and if they achieved greatness in that era they deserve full credit. It is ludicrous to believe those guys could attain the same level of greatness in an era decades later. People are claiming that boxing is the only sport that progress doesn't count, and that is naive at best, and foolish at worst. That said there probably are exceptions to the rule, but those exceptions could be counted on less than the amount of fingers on just one hand. I'd say SRR would be the ONLY one, but couldn't object to anyone adding a couple more, but for fukking sure I wouldn't have a Heavyweight not even the great Joe L, or Ali.
You are talking about an abstract concept; 'Greatness'. Everybody will have a different view of what it is. And of those fighters you have named, there is generally a lack of greatness according to my value. Some maybe borderline cases; but deep down, high up, north, south, east or west, I would not call them great. But if you want to define them as 'icons of the sport'; now then we will probably have some common ground...
but for fukking sure I wouldn't have a Heavyweight not even the great Joe L, or Ali.[/quote] [Oh yeah like anyone here honestly believes that you think size doesn't matter:yep
I think an anti-fighter bias has its roots as a response to a pro-fighter bias. Often it is misguided but I see where it stems from. It's mainstream to be biased FOR the "famous" ones, it's endemic throughout our culture.
you and foxy are two of the worst offenders. Foxy may be the most bitter sounding poster I've heard on any forum.
I have no doubt Foxy would start killing people if he could get away with it :bbb Its possible this forum is the only outlet that keeps him from becoming a serial killer :good I am kidding for gods sakes mostly :smooch
This Post is winner. I'm too amazed that so many people put these oldies to pedestal,and honestly think that someone like Armstrong etc could be champion in modern era.or beat the likes of Marquez,Bradley,Crafword etc.. They stubborny think that boxing is only sport what has not evolved.and some even claim it's regressed.in popularity yes.but other than that it sounds silly.i have watched several films of these oldies.and honestly the speed,technicues etc look really silly.nothing to take away from them still.it was +50 yrs ago.when we didn't have Access to most of things. I'm from Finland.and our biggest sport star in history is Paavo Nurmi won 9gold medals in Olympics.nowadays Nurmi wouldn't even qualify in Finnish National championsips nevermind Olympics. Yes,different sport.but please.show me one sport where humans have regressed since 1950's.i honestly Don't know any super athlete or competitor WHO had the technicues etc to come 2015 and win something meaningless.
yes if sport is increasing in every avenue why would it do the opposite in boxing? that does not make sense you old timers :good big guys didn't have the speed and co-ordination that the big guys have today. a argument can be made that if Tyson could go back in time he whoops Louis, Dempsey, the Rock, Liston and Ali as well as old Foreman. Tyson was fast, so fast that if you didn't have some skills and a plan you would be KOed. They didn't have guys like Barry Sanders before Barry Sanders. Nobody like Bo Jackson before Bo. Lebron. As well they didn't have Tyson before Tyson, not at 215, above 200 was considered a GIANT back in the day. Look at track and field and swimming with stop watches to record the exact state of performance between era's ??? are we to believe that the old timers simply didn't train as hard as the newbies?? Were their training methods simply not as good as the newbies track and swimming training methods? If so why is it that boxing training methods were so great 100 years ago and supposedly become inferior in todays day and age if one can follow this point??? Tyson said it best himself a few years ago,,,, "we don't want to admit it but athlete's get better over time" Tyson is a big goof, if he can learn to accept this reality surely a bunch of old timer experts on a boxing forum can try to deal with it rather than holding the youngster's in contempt every time they try to mention it :good
