What's the biological optimal size for heavyweight? Is it 6'3, 220lb with a 78 inch reach?

You mean like Ali and Usyk. Well, yeah, that would be the evidence.

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/63-ish-is-a-great-height-for-a-heavyweight.734968/

 

Eh. I think Usyk being a dimensional clone of Ali is mostly just a fluke. Because if you had stuck the brain of a much more stable fighter of the era in Mike Tyson's body, he'd probably have eclipsed everybody, with dimensions that nobody would consider remotely ideal. Seriously, imagine a brain swap of Evander Holyfield into Mike Tyson's body. No substance abuse. No lazyness in the gym. No missing training. No lack of focus. 20+ years of iron discipline. No mental issues. Imagine what that guy would have accomplished.

 

Usyk is an outlier today. His size while prototypical for a HW historically, is undersized today. Usyk makes up for it with exceptional skill.

Most boxers his size today cut weight to fight at cruiser.

 

6'3-6'5 220-240. I don't think being any bigger than that is an advantage.

 

If it is why are 6’5+ and especially 6’6+ HWs so over represented comparatively?

 

Size is a big part of heavyweight boxing and always has been. With that said, I think it gets over discussed to a point.

At lower weight classes you see different body types and how different styles suit them.

I think heavyweight is similar, just with the addition of weight on top of height/body type. Even then, we do have guys at lower weights that hardly cut, and some that are weight 'bullys', so weight is a factor (to a lesser extent) below heavyweight.

Heavyweights of different sizes and shapes will have styles that suit them and that they can utilize to beat others with different sizes/body types.

As far as evidence of an all around 'ideal', that's hard because we have relatively little data now. Once cruiserweight became a thing, the traditional open weight nature of heavyweight ended. Whether heavyweight would typically still be ruled by guys around 200 pounds is obviously a popular topic if their was no cruiserweight.

Anyway, I don't wanna go to off topic.

It does seem from past information and even the early days of MMA (I just bring it up because of more recent-ish fights between smaller fighters and larger fighters) that fighters from around 185 pounds and up potentially have the power and dimensions to knockout anyone.

With all that said, 6'3" 220 is probably a pretty good weight for any era. In this era it definitely should be complimented by speed and endurance even more than in the past.

 

Wlad size, 6'5-ish.
Just get easy power and can still be quick enough.
Look how hard Usyk has to work to hurt HW's. Wlad just casually throws and drops them. He has unusual power even for his size but still most are big punchers at 6'5 up. Even people with terrible punching form like Fury and Vitali have decent power (just not for their size).

Wlad v Haye / Wlad v Povetkin / Wlad v Sultan Dagestani are the perfect examples of the advantage of this size if the fighter is athletic. The smaller HW's here all had the speed, power, boxing skills etc., but couldn't do anything because Wlad was quick enough and just had huge advantages. In fact that Sultan guy literally said something like he knew he couldn't win half way through because if a big fighter like Wlad can keep it at range and control the fight with size and range you can't do anything.

I know we like to think Usyk would beat Wlad and I think it's possible. But let's be real, if Wlad landed some of the shots Fury did in the first fight, Usyk would be on the floor. If Usyk tried to press forward like that he'd eventually get countered/hooked etc.

Of course Ali get's KO'd in three rounds max against Wlad, it would be comical.

 

Lennox Lewis size. 6'5". Right in the middle.

 

Bigger heavyweights are slow and clunky.
Large body size and weight takes away agility from the boxer.

 

Why did Wlad have to resort to so much grabbing to win vs Povetkin? Why did he get stopped by little Lamon Brewster?

 

It’s just that there are far more guys that are 6’3 than let’s say 6’7. So the talent pool is much deeper at 6’3. Therefore it’s also much more likely there will be exceptional talents at 6’3.

 

For me, someone like Buster Douglas had the perfect height and reach 6'4 with a 83 inch reach and quick feet. If you can be that tall and co ordinated, great.

Among ATG's, Ali, Holmes and Usyk are the perfect size.

With guys 6'5 and above, they can do well offensively and its hard to close the distance on them. But their sheer size also means if someone does get close to them, there is a much bigger target.

 

Are they? Many of them obviously lie about their heights. daniel dubois Is barely taller than uysk. Joseph Parker is 6’2-6’3. agit kabayel Is 6’3. All those guys including uysk destroyed the biggest men in the division.