A peak joe louis vs a peak lennox lewis

i wouldn't say that has detiorated what with fighters having a lot more experience in the amateurs than they ever had(some have had too much)

fighters, like any other sportsmen, such as footballers are fitter then they've ever been, the technique of fighters in general isn't what it was but the fitness levelmakes up for that.

i think mcgrain mentioned the lack of fighters feinting punches.he's right, when i started boxing we learnt that along side jabbing in the first few sessions.
7 days a week is a fair old training schedule.i salute you:good6 days was always enough for me

 

If fighters have indeed become faster, how come there isnt a single heavyweight who moves as fast as Ali?

As for Lewis vs Louis, the size argument makes no sense. A closer look at Lewis's record would show that he struggled more with smaller fighters then he did with bigger ones. He usually destroyed the bigger guys

A 37 year old Holyfield took Lewis the distance twice, although Lewis clearly won both fights. Louis had a longer reach then Holyfield, hit much harder and had much faster hands. To dismiss Louis in this match up is silly based on size.

 

Lenny Lewis DESTROYS Joey Louis in 2 Rounds IMO.

 

I don't know if that's true.
There's been a lot of talk in the last 10 years or so of how American fighters especially aren't getting the experience in the amateurs. Lennox Lewis himself has said so, among others.

Some of the fighters in the old days used to have 100 or 200 amateur fights, and 200 or 300 pro fights.

 

how long ago ?? aside from robinson and maybe pep and fidel labarba there can't have been many

 

That´s a bad argument. Look at the amateur experience of Fidel LaBarba or Ray Robinson for example. And they fought as amateurs when it was still similar to pro boxing. Amateur boxing today is nearly a different sport. And, quite often successful amateurs make the transition well.

I don´t think fighters are fitter today. There are certain areas where they are better on average, like athleticism or explosiveness, but on other areas like conditioning - you see plenty of boxers who gas in 12 rounders these days - they aren´t. You say it can make up for the detoriating of skill. I say, it doesn´t. We aren´t that far apart though. There are fighters who can do so, like Pac, Jones and so on. But those fighters existed in every era.

See, I think a certain level of conditioning, athleticism and so on is necessary to be a successful boxer. But I don´t think at the very top this is the thing that makes the difference. When the going get´s tough I think experience, skill and toughness is what makes the difference. And I see - with some exceptions to prove the rule - the older fighters (from late 20s to early 80s) - beeing ahead here.

Thanks. I need this time - including 100 minutes of autogenic training - as "me-time", to get my mind free and my body to feel good.

 

I think a lot of this has to do with the big difference between amatuer and pro boxing today and the last 30 years.

There is starting something these days which may help here, even so the goal is to make amateur boxing more attractive: the World Amateur Boxing League:
http://www.worldseriesboxing.com/homepage.aspx
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2010-11-11-2274668832_x.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/sports/24boxing.html?_r=1

Longer duration, no headgear ...

 

I think, if anything, some of the old-timers were far more "FULL-TIME" than more recent fighters.

Let's be clear, it's still only really the elite guys, and a lucky few, who don't have to work a 9-to-5 for a living. Obviously there are a lot of bums and dreamers.
Back in the day when there was more boxing, dedicated fighters could go full-time and eek out a living fighting twice a month.

Anyway, the top guys make real good money these days and half the guys who make contender/titlist level are very PART-TIME. They spend a lot of time on vacation, and balloon up 30 or 40 pounds or more over their fighting weight. Because they don't have to fight so often.

All the great champions have been full-time professional fighters.

 

i've already mentioned those 2 as exceptions:goodothers ??

 

Joe made proficient use of the right over a long, left jab. That, perhaps, is the single, most decisive aspect in this match. Lewis didn't rush the dangerous Tua, nor the closest he's seen to The Brown Bomber in Holyfield. I think it is reasonable to suggest that both will box with a mind on the other's punch, as either one is capable of the knockout.

Louis' more hooking blows may be rendered less effective by dint of his opponent's size, but in a jabbing contest, he holds his own. It's near even in a battle of straight shots, but the longer it goes, the more Louis gets the measure of his man. He will time Lewis and lay him out with all sorts of punches.

 

Look at the time of the posts.

Kid Chocolate, Ross, Apostoli, Pep, Graziano, Griffith, Papp, Patterson, Johannson, Benvenuti, Buchannan, Ali, Frazier, Foreman.

 

James J. Braddock had over 100 amateur fights.
Lou Ambers had over 100 'bootleg' fights before he officially turned pro.
Battling Battalino and Jackie Fields had about 60 amateur fights each.
Then again, so did Joe Louis and Willie Pep.
The Zivic brothers all boxed as amateurs.
Harry Dublinsky had about 200 amateur fights, and 124 pro fights.
He beat Tony Canzoneri, who had 104 amateur bouts and 171 professional fights.
Lew Jenkins had about 100 amateur 'carnival' bouts.

I don't know where the myth that old-timers didn't have amateur fights comes from.
There were loads of amateur tournaments, as well as 'smokers' and 'bootleg' shows, where fighters would get experience.

 

oh yeah a minute.
i sparred with a bloke who boxed benvenutti in the olympics:thumbsup

 

i take your point except for lew jenkins.there was nothing amateur about those fights
they must have been like the booth fights that the older generation british fighters had..................a hard apprenticeship

 

:good and the amateur scene then was much more similar to the amateur scene today is. I have hope for the world amateur boxing league. Could revive amateur boxing a bit and get us some more experienced, better pros.