Are Today’s Fighters Better Than The Greats Of The Past?

sometimes. Most of the time no. For heavyweights, certainly not.

 

I tend to prefer fighters of the past...that why I'm a habitual dweller in this particular forum.

 

Packey McFarland, late January, 1933:

 

Senya...you have me intrigued on Packey McFarland. However, i Still think your too hard on Jack Blackburn.

 

this is really strange. this quote was from 1933, but fighters were amazing then, you had brilliant fighters from 1933 to about the 80s IMO. we've had throwbacks to the old days, great fighters as late as the 80s. in the 30s Joe Louis was there, you had guys like Kid Chocolate, Mickey Walker, Henry Armstrong, Barney Ross, Tony Canzoneri, Jack Sharkey etc etc. How were these guys not great? I dont agree with this quote, these guys would destroy the fighter stoday, fighters or boxers in the 30s were of the highest calibre.

 

I posted that only to show that it was common to underrate modern fighters, is all.

 

Are Today’s Fighters Better Than The Greats Of The Past?

It amazes me how many people know this, yet some of these same people get caught up in hype and suddenly RJJ or Hopkins or Calzaghe are as good or better than some of the great fighters of yesteryear???

Not even close!!!

as someone said the calibre of the 30s & 40s fighters was so high that from Champion thru the Contenders and Journeymen for the most part, would have crushed most fighters of the last 30 years!

 

"I posted that only to show that it was common to underrate modern fighters, is all. "


Ah, i see, still with those guys mentioned above, you knew they were great fighters when watching them in their current day, nowadays i think its ovbious these guys today like Mayweather for example could not carry Armstrong's jock strap. you can tell that just from watching. its also absurd to say these fighters were no where near what other fighters of the early 1900s were like. if that quote was said now i could beleive it, in 1933- no way. starnge for a historian to say that, i think.

 

I think the Packey McFarland quote is timeless although it's based on time. No matter what period you're speaking on, the decade before that had it rougher. Harder to make it, rules made things tougher (ex. glove size and rounds). fighters from the 70's will say that fighers of the 90's had it easier and are softer and so forth, while in the year 2020 fighters like B Hop and Floyd might make the same claim about fighters from the 2020's.


I will say that old school fighters were taught better than fighters nowadays. So overall old school had more findamentals and better technique. I go old school.

 

Depends on how far back you go. The guys from the 30's, 40's and 50's don't have the same skill level as today's fighters.

 

Certainly not better, but definitely bigger and more athletic. Much of that can be attributed to better nutrition and fitness training.

 

So Blackburn gets the better of Sam Langford on Dec 23, 1903, in the opinion of everybody (despite it being called a draw). What he does next?

Dec 31, 1903 Mike Twin Sullivan
called a draw, but the majority thought that Sullivan had the better of the fight.

Jan 2, 1904 Jimmy Gardner
won, without a doubt

Jan 8, 1904 Sam Bolen
a draw, but the majority thought Bolen should have got the decision based on stronger finish

Jan 11, 1904 Sam Langford
very tame bout, neither trying

Jan 19, 1904 Charley Mulhall
opinions divided as to the winner, some picked Jack, others thought Charley had the better of it

Jan 25, 1904 Kid Wilson
majority thought it was a draw

Mar 1, 1904 Danny Duane
refused to continue, claiming a foul, couldn't be persuaded to continue the bout; a dozen men claimed they heard the referee count Blackburn out, but after the bout he declared he gave no decision

Mar 25, 1904 Joe Gans
Joe in poor form, but still bests Blackburn



Too inexperienced?

Jun 10, 1905 George Cole
a win for Cole or a draw

Aug 10, 1905 Jack Williams
a win or a KO for Blackburn

Aug 18, 1905 Sam Langford
Sam had the better of it

Sep 4, 1905 Larry Temple
prearranged draw, but some thought Temple had the best of it all the way

Sep 20, 1905 Sam Langford
a draw, but Blackburn had the better of it

Oct 4, 1905 Harry Senter
won a decision

Oct 5, 1905 Jack Williams
only gets a draw

Oct 7, 1905 Sam Langford
NC 1

Oct 13, 1905 Larry Temple
prearranged draw, but Temple had slight advantage


moving along another year

Jun 29, 1906 Joe Gans
Much better trained than in their previous meetings Gans had all the better of it

Jul 5, 1906 George Gunther
decision for Gunther or a draw


Do you see such things mentioned when Blackburn's supposed greatness is discussed?

 

Great fighters are great in any era, it doesn´t matter if they are from the past or from these days.

 

your Joking right?

this was "the Single GREATEST Period" in Boxing History!!!