Have boxing skills progressed, or have they regressed?

Boxing skills have regressed terribly, its quite obvious.

 

Peter was a heavyweight, a top contender, a modern day heavyweight and I'm not talking just about him. Toney was nothing compared to what he had been, just a fat middleweight.

 

The way I see it, one of the reasons we've got older fellas still competitive is because they've developed more skills through fighting a variety of different fighters at all levels, particularly the top level. They can see off a lot of the younger fighters because even though they're at top level a lot of them haven't developed those type of skills. That's mainly due to matchmaking ie not putting them in with fellas who can test them, we can't lose that 0. In years past you had young fellas that had plenty of experience to go with their youth and athleticism.

 

Regressed.

Today's fighters have streamlined to thier own detriment the old skills of past fighters.

Most of us would say that Mayweather is the greatest boxer in terms of skills fight today. He relies on his shoulder-roll and countering. He along with James Toney has started the trend that now every slick fighter uses.

Until you go back and look at the past fighters you think that the Mayweather's and Toney's invented this style. But, once you do go back you will see that almost every fighter rolled his shoulders and countered. I watched a clip of Joe Gans doing this and kayoing his opponent with one shot. Pernell Whitaker was a much better all around boxer, complete with the jab, fients, slips, ducks, rolls, and counters. Duran did all of that much more effective without the show because he wanted to beat his opponents up and kayo and embarrass his opponents that way.

Sugar Ray Leonard did this shoulder style completely against Pete Ranzany and he destroy Floyd Mayweather's father who tried to use that style on him.

Also, it is like no one in boxing ever heard of Willie Pep or Ray Robinson because you never see anyone even trying to imitate thier movement. Ali tried to imitate Robinson whom he called "my master" and looked at the success he had. Still, in honesty Ali was no where in the near the skill level of Robinson. Joe Louis was the greatest puncher in boxing bar none with speed, timing, and balance. 23 title defenses by kayo and a 11 year reign. It would have been more defenses if not for the war.

Those guys were surrounded by challengers who were just as talented. Today's guys get by on on or two tools that were throw-aways by the guys of the past.

Those past fighters built pyramids that today's fighters still don't understand.

 

Yes, just imagine if Guys like Mayweather, Ward and Rigondeaux had been born 100 years earlier... then they might actually have become skilled boxers.

 

most trainers (ifya can call them that) 'n young boxers (who wanna look great at the beach) are more interested in strength, cuts 'n eight-packs than how to box.

In the Golden Age, for the most part, ATGs did the same conditioning, floor exercises and roadwork every day, but spent the lion's share of their time with trainers tuning-up boxing skills.

Like Cus D'Amata said, "It doesn't matter if you have the atomic bomb, if you can't land it"

 

They are skilled boxers who don't just rely on power and athleticism and look where they are. Right at the top of the pile, it sorts of proves the point of how much skills rather than athleticism matter.
I don't think anyone here is actually saying that there are no skilled fighters about today.

 

I don't think any of those fighters would even have the balls to fight as much as the old-timers did.

 

Neither. Some advances have been made but it doesnt mean that the same gains couldnt have been made before these "advances".

Newer isnt always better. Example... Bruno Sammartino bench pressed more than Hulk Hogan ever could. The bench press record is still under 700 lbs... without a bench shirt, the record of 666.9 Lbs. was set in 1984 by a 286 Lb. Ted Arcidi. Bruno once held the record with a lift of 565 lbs... not bad for a 5'10 265 Lber.

Robinson, Charles, Armstrong, Gans, Greb, Pep, Langford, and plenty of other oldtimers had as much skill as anybody ever.

 

Toney's skills arguably won him the first fight against Peter and his skills saw him thru another 12 rounds in the rematch. If you think he achieved that because he was fat, you need a good slap accros your hollow dome.

 

My question is... what do we consider old?

Are guys like Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Benitez, Duran, Arguello, and Pryor considered old or modern?

How about Holmes, Tyson, or Holyfield?

To say that boxing has evolved since these men is pretty idiotic in my opinion.

 

It may be that skills rate behind physical talent and mental strength in components of championship fighters.

 

I wonder about you sometimes. I just re read my post to make sure it wasn't confusing. It wasn't. It was clear. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. If you could, I would like you to read it again to make sure you understand the point I am making a little clearer.

 

But where are the trainers doing that? Techniques have regressed to a point because the teaching of these skills have regressed.