Evander Holyfield at 199, could have cleaned out most of our top ten.

Sure, I'm just saying you can't look at the weights and say "no chance," it's worth deeper discussion whether a 199 Holyfield specifically can win.

 

I'd put my mortgage on Holyfield to beat Wilder and I'm a fan of Deontay.

 

Holyfield had Lee Haney training him when he bulked up. Still for a guy 6ft 2, it shouldn't have been that hard to bulk up to 215.

 

Usyk is 217 lbs now, yeah.
I think he maybe might KTFO Wilder but not Fury or A.J.
With Holyfield he I think had more problems than vs Wilder.
Wilder needs, really needs distance to be effective and load his windmills. Usyk likes long distance in - out game and isn't 1 handed.
Holyfield unlike Wilder had 2 effective hands and I think prime Holy most likely might defeat Usyk.
Holy was effective in positions and distance not comfortable for Usyk.

Usyk prime version was WBSS1 tournament version. The he was younger.

 

Starting late is usually not a good idea in any sport if you want to get to the elite level. I suspect this is why we have Fury at the top, he combines coming from a boxing background (starting at an early age) with the size needed to compete in the modern era. But let's see what happens when Joshua faces off with him.

But an example of a former college football player getting by mainly on his size, see Dominic Breazeale; he started very late at age 23. Or you have Jerrell Miller who was literally mass + engine = success (wasn't he also approached by some NFL teams?)

 

Yeah, I agree "size + weight = success" is too basic a view, but I've been looking back at who were considered top heavyweights from 1910 to now. And the upward trend in size is pretty clear.

 

If he could somehow makes it trough modern day drugtesting without getting caught with the stuff he used, then yes.
But it's more likely he'd end up as Miller, getting busted over and over.

 

I don't gamble but Holyfield vs Wilder is as close to a sure bet as there is. Evander mops him up.

 

WBSS1 and WBSS2 are pro tournaments with 12 rounds fights. also with title fights and Ali trophy.
Semi pro stuff where Usyk, Briedis etc also had competed in their early career were called like WSB and WBS.
Usyk ofc had improved after these semi pro fights and he had 9 pro fights with 9-0-0 ( 9 KOs ) record before he had get a title fight vs Glowacki in Poland. This was before he had competed in WBSS1. He also had successful WBO World title defenses before he entered in WBSS1 tournament.
Guys like Usyk and Briedis, Gassiev, Dorticos were let's say avoided boxers and WBSS tournament was cool for them cos this reason.
They at least had get fights.
WBSS1 was with Perez, Briedis who then had WBC World title, Gassiev, Dorticos and looks that also Huck and advertised as hard hitting Kudryashov who then had all his 21 wins via KO. and Usyk.