There are quite a few advocates of the old timers are too small to compete with skilled superheavys. I wonder though, what is the most important component of a superheavy. Is it Reach, Height or Weight which a fighter needs in order to be able to compete with a superheavy. I am interested to know which of these three traits those advocates think is needed the most or is most important.
I guess firepower has always been the key equaliser that has alowed smaller fighters to overcome the odds. Those who have lacked it have tended to have limited sucess however technicaly proficient they were.
I can tell you this much, with certainty: In boxing, the difference between a 100 pound man and a 180 pound man is MUCH greater then the difference between a 180 pound man and a 260 pound man. It may seem counterintuitive to some...but...it's a fact!
Since superheavyweight was introduced as an Olympic division , we have had fighters which were standouts due to one common factor really... A Solid Jab.. Biggs, Lewis, Balado, Klitschko, Harrison, Povetkin all box behind a solid Jab.. The Power is there to much an extent because the weight and size... But for most of the taller Superheavys... A Jab is such an important weapon.. for Rangefinding and stamping authority... Biggs, Lewis, Bowe, Donald, Klitschko ... all had outstanding Jabs.. In most cases it brought world championships and very high level world ratings..
All modern super heavies with skills have a key attribute which the rest of their game is built upon. A good jab. Reach in terms of arm length is but one part of the equation. Height adds to striking distance for head shots as well. When it comes to old timers, I remain pragmatic about their chances. If they had some speed and power, that give many of them a chance. If they are durable and have some size to them even more so. In the end I try to rate the man, not the era. Some old timers were athletic, and could take to modern training like a fish to water. I do think its nearly a given that modern super heavy pretty much takes out a smaller boxer type without a lot of power.
So your saying weight is most important? This isnt without substance. guys like Tyson, or Tua for example are not and were not that tall, in fact, they were very small with regards to most other heavys, but they were solid and well built, obviously with plenty of power.
It is controlling distance... using the jab as mentioned above, well-schooled footwork, good reflexes... Taller fighters get away with the "leaning back" method of avoiding punches... Knowing how to use height and reach, when combined with excellent strength, goes a long way...
Disagree. Ezzard Charles, Gene Tunney would beat any of the modern super heavyweights today outside of Vitali and Wlad.
So you are saying the height and reach is the important thing? combined with a jab? Primo and Willard are certainly proof that these things can neutralise good smaller fighters. Then again, Wlads losses to Sanders and Brewster generally show that you can compromise these things and still get the win also (Though both are admittedly bigger and with better reach than many smaller fighters and are arguably Superheavys in their own right). Tyson Lewis is another one where this prevailed, though obviously Tyson was shot. How about a slightly different tact with the question. If you are giving up size, height and Weight to your opponent, and he is boxing behind a good, well established jab, what traits to you want to have, in order to actually beat this guy. ie. Do you want a rock solid defence, do you want lateral defence and movement, do you need an iron jaw to absorb punishment, Should you be a trick fighter who sets traps and lands big, Do you need a high workrate, a big punch, a dirty fighter, do you need hands speed, foot speed, what traits do you want to fight and beat a super heavy.
Any style is beatable, but I think the combo of Wlad and Manny have found a style, that when employed correctly (and often to derision) is hard to beat. Super strong jab, excellent footwork, emphasis on using height. Still Wlad falters at this. Too often he squats in his stance. His brother is better at using linear distance to avoid shots. Anyways, I too would love to see a Frazier, Dempsey, Tyson style fighter come along and shake things up. I think it best when you have a great mix of styles available in a division rather than a hegemony of one over the rest.
there's lots of old time fighters who would beat the modern super heavyweights outside of wlad and witali
Disagree. Vitali keeps his hands by his waist, and leans back to avoid punches. If he faces any tall good fighter, he will be in a world of trouble. Why do you think Lennox crushed his eye with a right hand? Vitali relies on fighting much shorter fighters for his tactics to work. Wladimir has much tigher defense, wlad keeps a high gaurd and utilizes his excellent blocking skills. Much better fighter, Wlad is.
:good I think there are diminishing returns and they start from around 180 pounds and then increase from around 220 pounds.