The most interesting hypothetical questions about the history of the HW division?

Schmeling was supposed to be the number 1 contender to Braddock's title after he beat Louis. However, Louis' manager struck a deal with Braddock's people that gave Braddock a cut of Louis' lifetime earnings in exchange for a title shot (which obviously Louis won).

 

For me the colour bar and its impact on the history of the division is the question that fascinates me the most.

 

What if the judges gave Norton the decision in the second Ali fight?


Ali's quest to reclaim the title may have been derailed and people would be talking to this day about his inability to reclaim the glory of his youth after the exile.


The Greatest may have been reduced to another good fighter if the judges felt like it.

 

I would say both points apply.

 

the most overrated division in boxing. Guys with no weight limit who are not disciplined, and the size of the fighters are sometimes not good matchups since their size is not the same. It is hard to really gauge if a fighter if great because of skills or size since a fighter can be outweighed by 30-40 pounds.

 

I think you're making that up

Ben Johnson - obviously

Carl Lewis - caught with a pain killer

Leroy Burrell - dont remember him being caught/admitting anything

Donovon Bailey - dont remember him being caught/admitting anything

Maurice Greene - not admitted anything, not tested for anything, got caught in possession of steroids/hgh, bloody obvious roider too

Montgomery - obviously caught

Gatlin - caught, obvious roider

Asafa Powell - dont remember him being caught/admitting anything

Usain Bolt - dont remember him being caught/admitting anything

 

I think there is a very real factor when we speak about great fighters as to their heart and will to win. At some point when you take equally equipped fighters with the same heart, skill set, and will to win, and start adding weight it becomes a clear advantage for the heavier fighter. To me its crazy to compare someone like Jack Dempsey to Lennox Lewis or even Rocky Marciano at 185 pounds to 245 pound Lennox Lewis.
I also think as we commonly see at the lower weights when a fighter is very strong and physically bigger then their opponent, but is not as technically good it still often times becomes a factor.
The fighter lacking in the skills department still has that strong will to win, but their size and strength becomes a factor to offset their opponents advantage in skills.
So the question is at what point does a fighter who may not be as technically good, but is far larger sizewise completely offset the better boxers skills?
I remember hearing George Foreman (whose a good example of a fighter who took advantage of his size), talk about Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis saying he just felt they were too good and too big for him. He didnt want any part of big strong boxers he would have trouble moving around. I think it would be an interesting response to hear from an old time heavy that fought under the 200 pound range.

 

Not including active ones, as many of the above guys were caught post career. So take Bolt and Powell off the list. Lewis admitted stimulant use post-career. Bailey was never caught, tis true.