Yeah... It pretty much does. Boxing has weight categories. Are there any other measurements that are used for size ?
No one at celebheights has Usyk marked down as 6'3. Many have him at 6'2 to 6'2 and a half as height fluctuates through the day. Michael Moorer was 6'2 and weighed in the 220's as a heavyweight. Does that also make Moorer "George Foreman sized" to you? We know thats not true just by seeing them next to each other, yet Moorer is the same height (and weight) as Usyk.
In which case, Eric 'Butterbean' Esch is bigger than Nikola Valuev. Categories that represent ranges in weight and do not accommodate body type at all... ...think Thomas Hearns (Leonard I) vs Manny Pacquiao (Mayweather Jr). Also, consider the day-before weigh-ins and how they have impacted the sport of Boxing. To my mind, there's no clearer example of 'weight not equating to size' than through the abuse of the day-before weigh-ins - because weight is a variable, subject to muscle, water and fat content. The temporary and fluctuating nature of weight allows people to 'make' the weight limit and then increase their weight, over the next 24 to 36 hours. Did they 'get bigger' in 24 to 36 hours? Some might say 'Yes'. I say 'No'. They just got heavier by putting weight on their already fixed-sized frame. A person's skeletal frame is more or less immutable and, at the same time, the foundation for muscle attachment and leverage, and the enabler for efficient movement and the production of force. When we look at Heavyweight as a division, there is no banding, but the same principle applies, in that one Heavyweight might look to gain weight (and that division allows them to do so), while another Heavyweight might see fit to train down to a weight more suited to performing at their optimum. But, neither case relates to the actual size of the Heavyweights. These two might come in at the same weight but each be of different size. It's why we see a lot of fat Heavyweights. They're not particularly big or athletic - just fat and quite probably clinically obese in a lot of cases. I'm sure you remember the days when the 'Tale of the Tape' covered a plethora of measurements, from Neck to Ankle, including Chest, Waist, Bicep, Thigh, etc, etc.
Usyk's natural fighting weight is 212. He looks a tad pudgy in the 220s. He clearly added unnatural bulk to his frame to better compete at HW. He's not a real HW and 221 is not his natural fighting weight. He has a Cruiserweight frame which is why he was making Cruiserweight with ease into his 30s.
That’s quite a growth spurt Swag but no so uncommon as you obviously know and your own example supports. I agree. I think Ali was still growing. Not sure that he did between the two Liston fights though it’s not impossible. It was funny when Dundee exaggerated and tried to tout Ali as still growing and near 6’4” prior to the Terrell fight to mitigate the height difference. I’ve never really been 100% sold that Terrell was a full 6’6” himself, but again, not impossible.
Yeah, it is. Because those people analyze it to an extreme. Others don't care enough and probably go with what they aee somewhere or shoe height.
Usyk is considerably smaller than both AJ and Fury. And he beat the living suitcase out of both guys. That is all that matters.
