Head to head, who would you rank #1 if heavyweights wore MMA gloves? (Every other rule is identical to modern Queensbury boxing). I suspect a lot of people will say Tyson, Foreman, Liston, or even somebody like Shavers. The prospect of getting nailed by one of those guys with 4 oz. gloves is definitely intimidating. I'm still tempted to pick Ali. A lot of heavyweight punchers already had the pop to knock somebody out if they caught them right. If anything, small gloves would favor the lighter hitters, since it gives them power they didn't have with 8-10 oz. gloves. Tiny gloves also mean longer engagement ranges, a greater need for precision, and harder-to-block punches. Ali's incredible reflexes, timing, punch placement, footwork, minimal reliance on glove blocking, and great judgment of distance would mean more in that sort of environment. And the MMA gloves negate his only major weakness by increasing his punching power. (He'd still need to worry about breaking his knuckles, though). Other nominations?
So 4 ounce instead of 6 or 8? Gloves in the first half of the 1900's weren't much bigger than modern MMA.
Yes, that's what gave me the idea. Fighters from the 1890s-1910s had a different style than the guys who came afterward, and the gloves played a role.
I see what you're saying about Ali, but think about what a Foreman paw would do with no padding on it. Or someone like Liston.
Liston would probably be pretty effective at this as well. He had good head movement and a very long, powerful jab. In a range game like this, it would do a lot of damage. Plus, his inside fighting would be even better without 8 oz. gloves hampering him.
So wlad wouldn't need to use other punches outside the jab.... fun. Or not. There's a reason gloves size has increased.
It would be whoever could hit the hardest without breaking their hands. Could Tyson nail someone without smashing his hands to bits? I dont think Ali could, first hit to a forehead, he'd had have Floyd hands.
