How do you think old-school boxers (pre-1950s) would perform against today’s top competitors?

Certain fighters pre 1950 would do brilliantly.
Some would do atrocious

 

Who's better Defensively today?

 

They were far superior physical specimens back in the day, especially due to their diet.

Compared to the sissy diets of today with protein bars, protein milk, packaged fitness meals in little cartons sprinkled with preservatives, red bull, lucozade sport....

Back in the day protein came from straight from the source, at the time when the source was fresh, and pure. You wanted protein? You just reached out and ate the closest moving animal.

Eating in such way gives you maximum absorption of the nutrient as you get it when it was at its highest point in the biomass pyramids scale. Consequently, fighters hit harder, took punchers better, moved quicker, thought sharper, had more active sexual life styles, and men could emit testosterone via airwaves.

Today's human beings are just shadows of their former selves.

Go back even further, and 160 pound hunter gatherers we're beating up over-sized tigers with their bare hands.

We've definitely regressed physically and mentally. With google glass, and Siri, and Just-eat, we will eventually lose all our limbs and our brains will become liquefied in another 100 years.

 

Too sweeping a question imo.

I would say the guys who were champions back then would, by and large, be champions now.

 

So, you're comparing ALL THE TOP FIGHTERS from ALL THE ERAS before 1950, with just today's top fighters?

They'd sign with PBC, Matchroom or Top Rank ... fight twice a year (three times at the most) ... and get paid 100 or a 1,000 times more than what they made per fight back in their day.

Most would probably resemble celebrated Cuban fighters in recent years who got a big check and then weren't hungry anymore, because old timers only fought as often as they did because they weren't making much at all and had to fight.

And those fighters who didn't succumb to the money, if they weren't focused in one of their two fights a year, would could bashed by fans for looking like garbage.

Basically, if you added the old timers in with the current crop, it wouldn't be much different. The promoters would still only pay them for a couple fights a year like they do everyone else now. And, if they signed with the wrong promoter, none of them would get title shots.

So Willie Pep would be fighting on Matchroom undercards ... that are headlined by Clarissa Shields ... while complaining that he can't get a shot at a vacant WBO belt.

 

Bad. Unless they too can use PEDs

 

The technique exhibited in the 50's, 60's, 70's etc.....for the most part appears to be at a higher level than it is today across the board.
There's a reason why certain stylistic fighters are called "throwbacks"

This is true. Also, guys in certain weight classes in the 50's would be at least a division or two lower modern day. The guys today are simply
much larger and likely more physical. (not necessarily tougher though)

 

In an odd way I kinda agree. Old timer fighters with their mentality wouldn't think of being weight bullies. Flip the script & today's fighters would be in a bind if they are forced to fight at their walk around weight.

As far as promoters, Tex Rickard was a master, I mean THE master-promoter. IMO he wrote the game and got boxing validated as a sport as opposed to a barbaric event. He was in with politicians as well. because of that, I'd doubt promoters of today could outdo the one who gave them their life in boxing as (promoters)
Ray Robinson has a history that is hidden, which is he had a bit of say so-which means.,..hate to say it, he cherry picked. There's a reason why he fought more whites than blacks, he got that understanding from Jack Johnson. 5x against Lamotta but not one against Burley? Kid Gavilan, just twice, I think?

So True.

He is a special breed of athlete, but that IMO isn't the result of today's regiment, rather he's one of those specials talents that comes along every so often. Back hen Floy was Sugar Ray Robinson, before then Floyd would've been Benny Leonard. They weren't above average, IMO they were special. Then again....Mayweather might've thought the same from the likes of Burley to Locche- how does Nicolino stand & make U miss like that!? LOL!

GR8 Point. The gatekeepers were plentiful back then. 2day just a few. Even weirder is today's gatekeepers are considered legit contenders for a title.

LMAO! Possibly true.

 

I always get the impression that the older generations would be much more mentally and physically tough owing to the more adverse conditions they grew up in compared to now. That might be nonsense, but I think there's a case for it.

Anyway, most guys from the 50's etc would likely massively struggle today because the fight game is quite different. That works both ways too. You think fighters from today are going to want to fight 15 rounds with the gloves they used to in the 50's? No chance. It's such a hard question to approach. You can make cases on a fighter by fighter basis more easily IMO

 

This. The answer is obviously this.

 

Yes, by far

 

Ok... then let us see the numbers you have, that back up this claim.

 

Dempsey would destroy all the cruiserweights and heavyweights today with ease, even at 190. Most people just don't understand how physically and mentally strong older human beings were and it looks like most people will never understand.