Size maxis in shambles

Different division.

 

Do you realise how silly and obnoxious all this rot makes you look?

The professional Heavyweight division is, and always has been, open at the top end. You've always been able to weigh as much as you like, upwards at least.

 

In his prime, Usyk was a fighter the size of Louis and Holyfield, in my opinion. At 30 years old, he was 207 lbs. in the ring in his bout against Michael Hunter Jr. (who, himself, weighed less than 200 lbs. in the ring). You can have him in the upper ranges of that "weight class" with Max Baer or in the lower ranges of the next one up with Joe Frazier without too much argument from me. Wherever you may have him, I'm firm on the fact that 220 is not his best weight.

As for the rematch last night, it didn't really give us any new information, so I'm given to think this is somewhat of an exaggerated kneejerk reaction. I'm not prepared to hand-wave this away as validation for fighters smaller than Usyk, like Dempsey and Marciano, nor even fighters the size of him, like Louis and Holyfield. Nothing's changed in my opinion. It was more of a struggle than I was expecting, but he showed tremendous stamina, especially given his advanced age. I also think Joshua is a great feather to his cap- a top ten in any era, and perennial threat at top level.

 

It's just that Fury has an awful habit of changing his mind.

 

Bust most of the men he faced then or would face now aren’t movers of that ilk.

 

But why do you think (221 really) is not his best weight?
He may move better at 207, maybe a bit better P4P, but to take on relative behemoths, like Holyfield found when he fought Bowe & became Evan Fields, I think his current weight is better.
Having more weigh strength a bit more punch resistance is crucial-although for his game getting any more muscle will hurt his cardio capacity, too much of a trade off.

If he could be that good against someone that athletic & big while aging, I think he came in at the best size.

 

i do not think is rare on this forums. they will write off Holmes. & yes is stupid

 

he unify 3 belts with wins against with: Charles Martin [might be worst title holder ever. absolute paper champion IBF). Wlad Klitschko [vacant belt. Wlad has no win fight in 2 yearsl. W12 Jennings. age = 41 year). Joseph Parker [another poor level paper WBO)

is promoter boxing politics that can did set this up for AJ
not something special of AJ. not more special than alphabet champion

he has challenges like Brezeale & Molina & 39 age versions Pulev & Povetkin.
this is weakness record

 

In his younger days, Usyk displayed more elusiveness, mobility and energy in bouts fought at higher paces against opponents who were much faster than Joshua.

His outings against AJ are misleading because of the favorable stylistic match-up. It wasn't too long ago that Usyk looked burnt out against the likes of Bellew, Witherspoon, and, yes, Chisora. Joshua played to Usyk's terms in both fights, trying to win a contest of skill.

 

why obnoxious?

you don’t think the division has changed?

The heavyweight division has changed. It really should be called SHW by now.


Cruiser should be called Heavyweight…as it is in the Amateurs.

usyk is a heavyweight. But he can never be a Superheavyweight.

weight classes have changed their names before.

light middle. Light welter. Junior weight classes to “super” weight class Etc etc.

 

why change the name?

 

Usyk is three inches taller and about 10 pounds heavier than the "Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson was for most of his career.

He's basically as big as Ali was.

Can there be an award for a guy who wasted his potential earning power at cruiserweight? Usyk was fighting super heavyweights like Joyce in the WSB and he actually turned pro as a heavyweight.

Four of his first nine pro fights were at heavyweight. His last four were at heavyweight. That's eight of 20 pro fights at heavyweight. Nearly half.

Why was he wasting his time making $50,000 defending a cruiserweight belt? It'll never make sense to me.

If we could interview him, I'd ask him why he turned pro and then dropped down, and why he didn't just stay at heavyweight and focus on that title the whole time. He could've been fighting for a heavyweight title in 2016.

Did he think the heavyweights were too big for him?

 

True, most aren't, but he'd also meet slicksters or bigger men that he can't manhandle and would beat him.

 

15 or 20 years ago, it was an open question whether really tall "superheavyweights" dominating the division was a passing phase. We are now in 2022, and the evidence for big guys dominating is a lot better than it was in 2002. Lennox, Bowe, and Vitali weren't blips on the radar. They were part of a broader trend.

Smaller fighters can still compete, but they don't fight like Rocky or Ali anymore.

 

Johnson wasn't a giant during his time though, he faced a lot of bigger men than himself in fact. It's just a nickname, similar to how "Bonecrusher" wasn't really a bonecrusher (even in symbolic sense).

True, but Ali wouldn't be called a giant in any era either. Ali would have considerable size advantage in most eras against his competition (like he had in his own), but he wouldn't be "massive" or "huge" in any era.