Best modern day heavies that Carnera & Willard have best chance against

This is not a compelling argument really. Of course Louis would train against reasonable facsimiles of Carnera as just to acclimate to punching angles, clinching and maneuvering against and with a larger, stronger target. This does not endorse Carnera's quality in any way.

Carnera's major selling point (and the idea of the sport has always been putting @sses in seats) was his size and King Kong physique. He was a touch of the exotic, combined with the striking physical attributes that would entice the buying public. And no, it didn't hurt that he could box sufficiently to sell the presentation. Think Willard, think Valuev, think even Firpo (that wild beast unleashed from Pampas)... This sort of obvious WWE tripe sells to the public.

 

This is the only point that you made that's very debatable. My English son-in-law would refer to a 75F day in England as "a scorcher". Now that he lives in Austin, with regular summer temps above 100F, he's changed his definition of "a scorcher".

Admit it...you are genetically unable to cope with high temps and/or humidity. Maybe Willard, although he was of English ancestry, was more used to heat as he had grown up and farmed in Kansas, which is very hot and humid in the summer.

All I'm saying is that the temps in Havana at the time of the Willard-Johnson fight were reasonable for both fighters...Willard from Kansas, and Johnson from Galveston, TX.

 

In the post fighter interview he was asked what he thought about Frazier’s left hook.

He’s responded: “That thing was his left hook?”

 

Please please please, don't ever compare Carnera to Valuev, or Firpo!

Those were manufactured fighters, albeit ultimately world class ones.

Carnera was legitimately, one of the best heavyweights of his era.

He was not built up on tomato cans, followed by a single gamble against a ranked opponent, he worked his way through the contenders.

He paid his dues.

 

The flaw in the question is that Willard and Carnera are not the same. Willard really was just a big, strong farm hand. Carnera, once he realized that he was not the big puncher he was billed as, worked hard and developed some real boxing skill.

I would favor Carnera against a lot of guys, though not the most elite punchers.

 

Willard said it was "hotter than hell in there"and don't forget they were in the ring for 80minutes with the announcements etc.
I love the sun and have spent a lot of time in Tunisia,Algeria ,Morocco,Greece ,Turkey,Thailand.I live in the hottest part of the Uk and 100" is not unknown here.75F is not a scorcher here in Kent,look up our temperatures.

 

I'm just nipping in the bud what could result in another flame out!

 

But I didn't say a single flame worthy thing.

 

No question going 26 rounds under any conditions is amazing; modern boxers couldn't do it....but living in "the hottest part of the UK"....amigo I live in Dallas look up THOSE temps!

 

Taking the current top ten as it stands, I would favor both over #3 rated Alexander Povetkin.

Not the best version, but the version that could be brought against them today.

 

Based on how he destroyed Wach, Duhaupas, and Price?

 

Based on the way he struggled against Price, and the cracks started to show in his game.

He is ready to be taken, and if you don't see it now, you soon will!