Why is it that the light-heavies do better these days against the Heavyweights

Holyfield was a crusierweight champion and he bulked up to being a full blown Heavyweight. Moorer fought in a division devoid of everyone; people seem to think that today's division is empty, Moore's heavyweight division made this one seem crowded. Jones beat a smaller Heavyweight who was not technically as skilled.

 

Because size isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially not when skills have waned.

 

No. Anything within reason given the respective talents of the two individuals. An elite level MW, provided he had the physical tools to cope, could outbox a lower level Heavyweight for example. This has been shown to be true many times. It really depends on the style and physical characteristics of those fighting, as well as the sheer ability and mental fortitude of the smaller man. It's very rare that you'll see two elite level fighters spanning more than two natural weight classes apart where the smaller man wins, but it can happen. Skills>size.

 

Light HW's actually show up to fight and throw punches unlike the HW's

 

Spinks and Holyfield were are really the only legit light heavies that came up and did really well.

RJJ came up for one fight and beat a very mediocre heavy in Ruiz, and like sombody already pointed out, Moorer was in a really weak division.

 

Moorer beat Holyfield for the title. Hardly an inconclusive performance. He fought in the same era that included guys like Lewis, Tyson, Tua, Bowe, old Foreman, Mercer, etc. Hardly a weak era, especially in comparison to the one we're in now.

 

A smaller man can beat a bigger man if he is a better fighter. All depends on individual circumstances, but basically a great big man beats a great small man, whereas a great small man can beat a decent big man. All things equal, size comes into play. When there is a difference in ability, then size can be overcome.

 

Alot of these guys are just fat though. They use being heavier an excuse to try to deal with the bigger guys but they are putting their " would be agile " bodies at a clear and distinct disadvantage.

These fat guys would all be super fast at Heavy compared to the lumbering Giants with no footspeed, if they weighed in at the weights they are supposed to like those guys you mentioned.

 

light heavys have not done much at heavy considering there is 4 titles to chose from now compared to just 1 or sometimes 2 in fosters day.

spinks was annhilated by tyson
moorer was ok as a heavy but nothing more than that and holyfield was never a profesional light heavy that i remember.

roy jones had a single fight .

comapre that to the 1910 era to 1950`s and the top heavys of this era had a large ammount of 180 lbto 190 lb fighters dominating the top 10 and a few 175 fighters being competitive.

 

Let's just eliminate all the weight classes and see who's left standing at the end It would be the Heavyweight elite. There is a reason there are weight divisions it's to protect the smaller weight fighters why else?

Adamek beat Golota but that's not such a stretch since Golota is completely shot.

45 year old George Foreman knocked a prime Moorer out cold with a right "Jab" :yep
Holmes was ROBBED against MS so he wouldn't break Marciano's record. :fire

There's a reason there is a Heavyweight division :smoke

 

...because Jones fought John Ruiz.

 

Foster attempted to move up against the strongest era of Heavyweights in the history of the sport. Major difference between that and the guys moving up today or within the past 10-15 years. Not to mention Foster had over 20 knockouts against Heavyweights pre title-reign, many of them world ranked. He just lacked the physical strength to deal with guys like Ali and Frazier.

And Pac would get slaughtered.