Serious question, though consciously naïve: how could boxers from other eras fight SO MUCH?

I started following boxing (well, was a little kid back then) with Tyson, RJJ… but yeah, I’ve watched the must-see fights of SRR, Pep, and so on.
Without even going back to fighters born in the 19th century, SRR has over 200 fights, Willie more than 240, Buck Smith nearly 230.

Outside of their historic bouts, was it like in Muay Thai, where there’s a tacit agreement between fighters and many matches are basically sanctioned sparrings?

Boxing is (except for Lethwei) the most brutal combat sport. The one where you take the most punches (especially to the head) from the best punchers in any discipline, with a countdown after a KD…

I know Willie developed dementia, though he lived to a very old age. SRR was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s around his 70s. Buck Smith is 60, and all I know is he retired after a streak of ten losses.

By their late 30s, could these ex-boxers talk without slurring?

 

I think the constant fighting self selected for the guys with extreme CTE resistance. There were probably plenty of fighters who ended up drooling piles of goo-brain by their mid 20's, but you don't hear about them because their careers were cut short. So the ones who did have the long careers were those able to hold up to it.

 

Yeah there is probably a lot of guys who we never hear about who were messed up.

Also it's kind of like how much more people used to drink back in the day compared to now. Sometimes I honestly think its a miracle we made it this far as a species.

 

Higher testosterone levels, stronger bones and protection from brain bleeds back then meant more chances of durability, now only a select few today have the genetics for fighting due to exposure to really bad things being put into our bodies.

 

You think mainstream food was healthy back in the 20's and 30's? They had processed junk too, with much more lax food inspections. I guess they didn't have microplastics, GMO's, or cows shot full of hormones, but their food was **** too. And their mothers probably drank and smoked while pregnant with them.

 

Good call, I was at the doctors office last year and he was discussing the study that said 18 year olds in 1975 had twice the testosterone levels of 18 year olds in 2024. What else could it be but diet and drink?

 

And a ton of people died young of alcohol related deaths back then. When you hear about the guy who lives to 95 and his secret to longevity is 10 shots of whiskey a day, that's because that dude happens to have the Oliver McCall of livers. Most people who drink like that long term don't live into old age.

 

Perhaps because 18 year olds in 1975 weren't fat ****s like 18 year olds these days are?

 

Plastics and other crap that affects hormone levels. People have been super loose with what chemicals we allow to create and pump onto the planet, it doesn't just disappear after we use it.

 

Humans' environment has changed too quickly for us to keep up as a species.

 

Given the same material conditions, fighters of today could & would be forced to fight that often

Many of those fights were to keep themselves active against questionable opposition while getting paid in an era of just the live gate (& radio a bit later)

Take away PPV, streaming, TV, radio, increase the poverty levels to early 1900's levels, & watch today's fighters dramatically increase their activity

“Show me a business where I can make more money than I can in the ring and I’ll never fight again. I don’t fight because I like it. I fight because it means a living for my family and myself” - Johnny Kilbane - World Featherweight Champion and contestant of 143 recorded bouts

 

Look at their records...most guy even at the top level won some, lost some. They just picked their fights to really excel in.

Also, much like Foreman in his comeback, fighting probably took the place of very heavy training for a lot of guys.

 

Yeah I was thinking they didn't go through as many grueling training camps which meant less sparring and more fighting.

 

I'll say as a young man in great shape that, in my opinion, it's the lack of physical activity primarily. It is honestly shocking how guys is know have gone all the way into their 20s without doing any kind of strenuous exercise, sport or working. Not surprising their bodies are slovenly as a result.

 

Greb did this. He fought so often at one point that even for important bouts some of his 'camps' would be a week or two of light training.