what indicates ta you a fighter's in his prime

This is just me, but I'm not sure you know when it was until they have passed it and they start to decline. At least not know for sure.

 

when he seems unbeatable

 

great answer dude. Most guys aren't the unbeatable type even when they're in their prime......for guys like RJJ and Floyd it's different and you could tell when they were on top but for most fighters even when they're on top they appear beatable so it's hard to tell until they start slipping. I would say you'd need to be at least be 3 years into your career and looking quicker than ever as a rule of thumb.

 

When the best in their division is totally outclassed by them, when u watch then and say wow i dont think they can fight any better and when they fight they make it look easy when you know it shouldnt be. see Roy Jones up till Tarver 1

 

There are different kinds of primes and it is very deceptive.

Lennox is the best example

Debut 1989
Biggs-Dixon-Williams up to Ruddock Fight= Heading towards Prime. Very very fast start.

Yet after Ruddock, probably because of the massive let down of Riddick Bowe ducking him and a change in training methods.

A regression in his boxing skills instead of more progression.
Every fight you see a bit more regression, leading to the first Mccall Loss.


After Mccall Loss
regathering himself up for a 2nd push at 'prime years'


Morrison-Mercer-2nd Mccall Revenge Match = Physical Prime. Very Motivated.


Golota to Briggs = Physical Prime and Boxing Prime. Very Motivated


Holyfield 1-2-Botha-Tua-Grant=Boxing Prime still, decline in Physical Prime. Very Motivated


Rahman 1- Post Prime. Zero Motivation.

Rahman 2- Post Prime - EXTREMELY MOTIVATED

Tyson- Very Post Prime- but EXTREMELY MOTIVATED
hence the difference. To be perfectly honest, Lewis won the 2nd Rahman and Tyson Matches due to extreme conditioning and extreme motivation.
Also due to the fact Tyson was shot to ****.


Vitali fight- Very very post prime. Semi Retired. Fat. Zero Motivation.

 

When ESB says so.

 

Realistically at the rate Lewis was going

he was on pace to become the Greatest of All Times skill wise.

but for some reason he totally fell apart after Ruddock.

Everyone though Lennox's prime was going to be from 92-96ish.
Instead it started after 96.

 

Holyfield

is another fighter who had 2 primes instead of just one stretch of prime.


Also rarely do we see a boxer's physical prime and a boxer's boxing prime at the same time. Even Tyson wasn't in his physical prime at age 20-22.

 

Lennox.Marciano, Johnasson the only hw champ's to beat every man they ever faced and before the trolls go off i mean Lewis, Johnsson holds wins over the fighters who beat them

 

It's tough to say. You really just have to go by the eye-test to be honest, or at least I do. It's usually when I see somebody performing at a higher level than their earlier years where they could be labeled green - when their skills and effectiveness noticeably improve and their athletic ability (speed, reflexes, etc) hasn't seen any decline that they could be called prime. Usually, they'll amass their best stretch of victories and/or performances during that stretch. It's easier to determine for the top fighters because there is more footage to go on and they are analyzed after every fight, but even journeymen, average, and so-called bums have primes where they are never better.

Of course, there are some cases where using the eye test can be difficult and you have to really delve deep into it. Some fighters have reached their primes prior to winning their world titles, some fighters undergo style transformations where they are greatly effective in both periods, and some develop skills past their athletic primes.

Very good question, JG.

 

Lewis was very very close to being the Goat.

Bad luck and himself ****ed that up.

Bad Luck because

1- Bowe ducked him, robbing him of his career defining trilogy

2- He SHOULD HAVE fought Wladimir in 2003, who the **** knew Wlad was gonna be this ATG nowadays? If Lewis knew, he would have gone in for the still Green Wladimir to claim the kill.

3- Lennox got lazy as **** and lost to Rahman/Mccall. Which he avenged brilliantly, but shouldn't have lost in the first place

 

Good Post. I personally feel that Bernard Hopkin's boxing prime is at a very late age. I think everyone reach their prime at a different time of their career obviously

 

Hindsight 20:20. Wlad wanted the fight but Lewis didn't since he had better opponents to fight at that time who were more proven or who just had name.
But, yeah, if only he fought and beat Wlad he'd have 4 ATG on his resume. Holyfield, Tyson, Vitaliy, Wlad. Arguably the best resume, maybe besides Ali