Apart From A Few Exceptions No Heavies Pre 1960 Beat Todays Men

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mcvey, Jul 29, 2026 at 1:05 AM.


  1. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member

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    My contention is that apart from a very few exceptions,none of the heavies prior to the mid 1960s could beat todays top big men,due to their overwhelming advantages in size and power.
    Do you agree,or disagree?
     
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  2. Melankomas

    Melankomas Corbett beats your favourite fighter

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    Depends on who the exceptions are
     
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  3. 723

    723 Old-head Full Member

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    Who are those exceptions?
     
  4. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member

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    Johnson
    Dempsey
    Louis
     
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  5. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

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    I completely disagree for every reason I've ever said that I'm too tired to go into again.
     
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  6. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Those three could definitely defeat some of the big guys around today.
     
  7. Melankomas

    Melankomas Corbett beats your favourite fighter

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    I’m curious, why is Johnson included as an exception with regard to being able to compete with today’s top big men? Dempsey and Joe make sense due to their combo of speed and power but I can’t see Jack having success muscling around 240 pounders considering how he couldn’t muscle Willard around. What makes him perform better against modern big men than, say, Tunney?
     
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  8. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    I tend to agree. The big guys of the past looked kind of bad, but their sheer size helped them to success in cases. Nowadays not only are the fighters on average much bigger but they tend to have a much better all round skillset. I believe that this is not only due to the greater population in general but also due to the methods used becoming tried and tested and basically standardised. Dempsey wrote the book on punching power; every fighter since has had access to those ideas. It's kinda like standing on the shoulders of giants.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2026 at 12:20 PM
  9. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    Yeah I think Johnson would get melted nowadays. GL trying to wrestle with guys the size of Fury, Zhang, Joyce, AJ etc etc
     
  10. Melankomas

    Melankomas Corbett beats your favourite fighter

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    Thought you meant George Lopez by the abbreviation lol
     
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  11. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

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    Only Joe Louis is an exception, Dempsey is not.
     
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  12. thistle

    thistle Boxing Junkie

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    Two DIFFERENT Weight Divisions, then vs now...

    Subpar S-HW in the general sense, so many, many Top & Great HW's 'could' beat the majority of them, though all of the past HW's would more likely lose to the absolute Klit's, LL's and Bowe types, few that there are of them.

    I want the division gone, reserved for itself, the only Division isolated to a Height Stipulation - 6' 5" and 225/230 lbs and over of course - the Super - Heavyweight Division...

    TOP HW's if they so wish & with Board approval, can meet a S-HW, but the S-HWs must solely exist and compete among themselves. This will bring a more competitive division among them, force them to fight each other and/or weed the whole mess out, if it doesn't come up to scratch.

    they are NOT HW's.
     
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  13. Loudon

    Loudon Loyal Member Full Member

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    Ali
    Liston

    Maybe others like Archie.
     
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  14. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member

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    I see your point but I'm basing my choice on the way he manhandled 227lbs Jeffries,and the fact that, after 20 rounds,at the age of 37 ,and not in top shape,he was well in front against Willard.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2026 at 5:47 AM
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  15. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member

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