The 90s are a true golden HW era; HW 70s are nostalgia...

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ikrasevic, Jan 31, 2025.


  1. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yes, regularly prescribed against insomnia here in Sweden.
     
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  2. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Trivia: Walcott passed away in 1994, the same year his record was broken by Foreman.
     
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  3. Jakub79

    Jakub79 Active Member Full Member

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    I think the fights could have been equally interesting, the sports level was lower... The 5 best HWs from the 70s eat the 5 best fighters from the 90s for breakfast. Perhaps the background of the 1990s was a bit better, but the top 5 HW of the 1970s was really something big.
     
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  4. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic Our pope is the Holy Spirit Full Member

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    From ATG HW 70s "zero" lost: Ali, Frazier, and Foreman.
    From ATG HW 90s "zero" lost: Tyson, Holyfield, Bowe, Lewis and Wlad.
     
  5. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    I've been saying this for years. Ali put a spell on the fedora wearing types and cast his glow upon lesser opponents. But even he can't carry an entire decade.
     
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  6. BoxingFan2002

    BoxingFan2002 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    For the first time, I'm going to agree with you very much.
     
  7. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    That’s part of the problem with upping the 1990s heavyweight scene over the 1970s … two of those ‘70s guys (Holmes and Foreman) were provably better than some of the top ‘90s fighters and competitive with others.

    You don’t see any of those 1990s guys in their 40s competing with young guns two decades/generations later.

    So I have to give the 1970s the nod there.

    Then there is the fact, as mentioned, that the 1990s guys managed to miss each other entirely or either fought well past the sell-by date of the fight vs when it should have happened.

    This is especially true for the biggest possible fights (as far as how history would have looked at them, not necessarily $$$-wise) like Bowe missing Lewis and Tyson, plus Tyson missing way more top guys than he actually fought.
     
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  8. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic Our pope is the Holy Spirit Full Member

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    Although I agree with your arguments, I disagree with the statement:
    Muhammad Ali would be ATG only with a pre-exile career (and an undefeated ATG) in the 60s. So I think the 60s gave Muhammad Ali ATG (but not HW ATG No.1).
    The second question is Holmes. The 70s "gave" him, but without a career in the 80s he would never have had a chance to equal Rocky Marciano's record.
    Only if we count Ali, Holmes, Foreman, and Frazier in: "the 70s gave 4 HW ATG" - then the 70s are the golden era of HW.
    Frazier's reign also began in the 60s.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2025
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  9. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic Our pope is the Holy Spirit Full Member

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