Who were Marcianos 3 biggest opponents?

If there was a gentlemen named Orangecrusher Smith, I'd favor him over those three guys.

 

I disagree on two fronts. First, though I've seen this a bunch here, there is nothing "natural" about boxing. It is a martial art with elaborate rules and restrictions and unique fighting conditions and equipment, some of which have changed dramatically over time.

Second, this is precisely how evolution works: relatively minor changes and traits become the source of huge competitive advantages. Even if we see more similarities than differences over time, even seemingly modest advances can have decisive consequences.

But these aren't pure individual traits and talents--they're contingent upon the behavior and abilities of one's adversaries. It's a lot easier to be "really good at getting in range, punching, and getting out" against the men Corbett fought than it would have been against bigger heavies with modern skillsets.

 

I think this clip undermines your position. The added clarity is great but if you didn't know that one of the men in this clip was Schmeling, there's no way you would come away wowed by his technique or thinking that he was someone who would belong in the ring with today's top heavyweights.

 

Depends where you draw the line between modern and classic but heavyweight boxing technique has improved by leaps and bounds in most categories since Corbett's era...I honestly wouldn't know where to start. Serious advances in combination punching, the methodical use of jabs to keep distance/close distance/or set up power punches, staying balanced and in fighting position/position to both defend and punch with good leverage, less falling in with single punches, etc.

Hard to break down on an individual basis but I think that a lot of the creative feinting, posturing, and unorthodox pouncing that we see in older fighters has been rendered obsolete -- or at least rendered far more risky-- by several modern techniques. Modern jabbing (and double-jabbing), head movement, etc.

 

Saying things have come on in leaps and bounds is like saying what went before was a load of rubbish.

It was not.

It was every bit as sophisticated it's just different. There is no right or wrong just effective or ineffective, popular or unpopular.

Who are we to decide what is best?

Old film shows committed career professionals on top of their game. The good quality film, with sound, the right speed film and more than one angle ALWAYS shows guys just as good as we have now, they just do things different.

some things are really clever and others things are as simple as they need to be..It's all good and it all works.

Accuracy is accuracy. Timing is timing and a punch in the face will always be . A punch in the face!

 

You're putting false words in my mouth while avoiding to address any of the specifics of my posts.

 

One of the specific things you said was that:

Which is precisely what I meant by saying just because it is different dosnt mean it isn't good.

What you have to Gauge it by is when we see two guys of the same level fighting today. All the fancy stuff and signature moves that a top fighter can get away with against an average guy become immediately restricted when the opponent is as good as he is and good enough to knock his block off.

Imagine if the only fight you saw of mayweather was his fight with Pacquiao?

The difference that people who don't fight cannot realise is that everybody looks fantastic winning a mismatch.

If a guy looks less good it is never because the guy he fought that time was better.

People talk about Ali's Cleveland Williams night as his great performance but Ali himself on film would recognise that he only looked as good as the other guy let him. Williams was then a sick man.

Career timing is a wonderful thing and matchmaking -compared to years ago-has become a fine art.

 

I mostly agree per film quality, it makes a substancial difference. Someone put up some good footage of a past prime Joe Louis a while back and you could actually see the scorching handspeed and technical punching brilliance. It's a different kettle of fish.