Bob Fitzsimmons In other Eras? How Do You Think He Fares?

Interesting thing re Fitz is that even observers from his OWN era viewed his style and form as strange BUT they noted also that it was somehow highly effective.

That kinda draws in an observer some 100 years after the fact who might see it exactly as the pundits did back in Fitz’s own time. It’s like, okay, you had me at strange - I’ll keep listening/reading, we’re on the same page so far….

And we know there are many athletes that were non conventional, non text book but still world class and elite, playing to their unique physical assets and strengths.

So, Fitz’s form and style didn’t necessarily make him a defensive whiz nor did it necessarily make him a sponge for punishment but it seems that form/style did set him up for optimal delivery of his power shots.

I’ve just about wrapped up on reading Fitz’s in ring performances by Adam Pollack. GREAT book.

It is mentioned, in sparring, Fitz welcomed taking a shot here and there to better assimilate himself to punishment. Something Ali did post exile via his own methodology of the rope a dope. A black eye, bloody nose for Fitz from sparring was nothing unusual.

If Fitz fought in other eras after his own, it would be no surprise to see Ruby Robert cop a few, even with the claret flowing, but he will be looking to repay 10 x and has a good chance of honouring the exchange rate.

 

I already had friends, unfortunately some of them were banned

 

You don't need to put muscles on chins, but you can put muscles on your neck and traps, which help you a lot. Boxers have been doing that since the 1900s. Also, having a bigger/heavier body allows you to stand your ground better when you're being punched.
The MW version of James Toney sure as hell couldn't take a punch as good as the HW version of him. Mass helps, even though in his case a lot of that mass was fatty tissue.

That is true, the size would be similar, but you're missing my point.
I am challenging the fact that Fitzsimmons was such a big puncher by arguing that a lot of the guys he KO'd (HWs included) weren't that big/heavy and thus didn't have much of a chin, therefore I doubt Fitzsimmons's so called power would translate against a more modern opponent.

 

Neck muscles are the one area that fighters have always trained, and the one area where the tale of the tape has not changed significantly.

I see no reason to think that thee has been any significant improvement in this area.

Thee is literally no reason to think that this is true.

A 200lb man from Fitzsimmons era, is still going to be bigger than a middleweight today.

Your argument is totally without merit here.

 

Nothing surprising.

 

Gosh that's hard to believe.

 

It’s undeniable he’d be great, he is simply one of the finest.

 

Don Cokkell was a blacksmith ,he wasn't a puncher.What Fitz had was natural power he would have had that if he worked behind the counter of a shop.imo. Luis Firpo hit like a train,he worked in a Chemists.