Boxing Myths That Need to Die ASAP

George Foreman was some massive giant

People talk about [George] like he's a giant. Foreman is 6-2½ I'm 6-2½. Foreman is 217 [pounds] when he's in shape. I'm 214 when I'm in shape.
-- Ali in July 1974

Foreman weighed 4 more pounds in their fight and was about an inch taller.

 

He won the vacant belt against Ruiz, not Dimitrenko.

 

Correct, but the point remains that Wilder beat a reigning champion and Parker didn’t.

 

Because he didn’t really know how to fight until years into the 2010s.

 

He never learned how to fight. And he got the bronze medal in the Olympics. He knew at least some stuff.

 

Reigning paper title holder in Bermane Stiverne who was defending his title for the first time. It's not a reigning champion by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Aj was ever a great fighter
Good against old men and benefited in a terrible era, which also rings true for Fury and of course Wilder

Awful era that a prime wlad or vitali would dominate

These guys were promoted brilliantly and made fans believe they were better than they were due to their size

Good fighters, but far from special

 

That Foreman didn’t deserve a rematch with Ali, and that Young beat him decisively.

 

Stiverne was near the top of the division and what he did to Arreola twice was impressive. He was a solid am with good skills and toughness. He gets criminally underrated specifically because Wilder beat him up and derailed his career.

 

The notion that Tommy Morrison was ever a world class fighter who deserves to be talked about alongside the champions and could have beens.

Even artificially ballooned up far past his normal size and strength on steroids (self admitted abuser) he was unable to distinguish himself from the journeymen of his time, the likes of a 8-8 Ross Puritty, almost being knocked out in the process. He also broke both hands and his jaw before rallying to stop...... Joe Hipp.

Ballsy, tough, good puncher. Sure. World class? Absolutely not.

The notion that he wouldn't be absolutely battered by the likes of Jerry Quarry baffles me. I wouldn't even favor him against the likes of Mac Foster or Kallie Knoetze.

 

Bermane Stiverne would’ve taken him out like the trash.

 

He was a good fighter, but he wasn't a reigning champion. Klitschko was the champion. And Deontay's camp ducked him.

 

He won Vitali’s WBC belt in the same year that Wlad lost to Fury. And he fought a trilogy with Fury. This doesn’t compute.

 

He didn't win Vitali's belt. He won Stiverne's belt. Wilder didn't want any part of Vitali or Wlad. He fought Fury after over 3 years of being a title holder. Fury was his second opponent with a pulse, and still had to be coming off of a lay off for Wilder to consider fighting him.

 

The belt’s lineage traced to Vitali. It had nothing to do with Wlad. Therefore it was legit.

You would never dismiss Mercer or Lyle off someone’s resume and Stiverne was at that level. But here you are acting as if Stiverne, an actual champion, didn’t have a pulse.