I don't know if fast twitch fibers become rarer the larger you are or what, but reaction time and fluidity aren't a heavyweight staple from everything I've seen. Nor are 230 pound and up giants too keen on learning how to do a lot more than wade in and punch. I'm not talking about raw speed and athleticism like Ali, but fighters who understood and practiced pure boxing. The kind of skills that are a common occurrence in lower weight classes. Tony Tubb's springs to mind. Beautiful to watch when he was on, motivated and in shape, like he was against Bowe. In another vein, Lawrence Clay Bey. I saw him described once as a heavyweight James Toney, and god, it's true. Why is it that heavyweights on the fat side end up being skilled anyway? To make up for their physical disadvantages? Anyway, who else? Legitimately skillful heavyweights. Jimmy Young? Jimmy Ellis?
Carl Williams, and Tillis had very good skill, but Page, as far as what he had as a pure boxer, at heavy, no one really touched him, as far as the last 20-something years.
speed is the name of the game. that's why ali, robinson even calzaghe are at the top. power fighters are below. speed beats beats power and that's a fact.
Not sure, there had been just as many slow guys beating the speeders. Tell that to Rocky Marciano vs Walcott, Charles and LarSarza. Joe Fraizer vs Ali, and Ellis. Jim Jeff vs Corbett Fitz vs Corbett Jack Dempsey vs Sharkey(Dempsey had lost his speed) Louis vs Conn and Walcott. These are times when power beats speed. Talking heavyweights of couse.
Don't laugh, Bowe was a pretty skilled superheavyweight. Unlike the rest of that bunch he actually bothered to learn in fighting skills instead of just jabbing and grabbing.
Ezzard Charles. Watch the film of his victory over Joe Louis. I don't care if it was an old Louis, Charles was brilliant, with all the moves.
Page among others would run rings around Tillis. Witherspoon had the potential to be a very skilled heavyweight but laziness and lack of motivation brings his mark down enormously.