Anyone notice that tonight was the nail in the coffin for giant-heavyweight era?

Some people been saying it for years, Ali (6'2.5) and Holmes (6'3) were the perfect sized heavyweights. Big men, but had speed and conditioning.

The other people who were also saying guys like Marciano, Louis, Frazier (200 lbs+- 5 lbs) guys could still compete seem to be right too. Usyk had way more trouble at Cruiser than at heavyweight

 

It's not the giant-heavyweight era, it's the pathetic heavyweight era

 

I hope that after Usyk retires, guys like Itauma at 6'3 and Opetaia at 6'2 take over. Would be lovely to see an era of guys under 6'4 dominating.

 

Afraid not.

 

Once Jai Opetaia moves up to HW he'll be another giant slayer.

Glad to see smaller skilled guys getting success lately. Although I'm a fan of Zhang and Bakole's styles, I have to admit.

 

Parker is the same height as Holmes

 

Boxing is about skills and technique etc, not being bigger. Being bigger does help, but not as much when you’re talking 200lbs plus guys.

 

Agreed
Skills first and as Fury once said when questioned about Cunninham flooring him, that any man weighing over 15 stone (210) can punch. It's different at heavyweight and not comparable to a guy at 140 fighting someone 20lb heavier

 

People these days have got obsessed with size, because of this I’m kind of happy usyk, agit and Joseph did what they did to some big men.

 

A lot on this forum think usyk beating Aj and Fury is tye impossible lol, like bolt running a 9.58. But sadly for them, other smaller heavyweights could have also beaten these lumps and a fat guy under 6'1 already did smash one

I rate usyk, I really do. But he's not close to some invincible fighter like many portray. He's just a very good/great fighter fighting below his standard. Mike Tyson or holyfield would also beat all these guys imo

 

I agree except the era of the 315lbs unprepared fighter never started to begin with.

 

I agree to some extent but Holmes also had a good 81 inch reach, reach is sometimes more important than height specifically when a fighter has a quality jab like Holmes.

 

Usyk beating Fury and Agit beating Zhang were far more impressive than beating a 315lbs slob straight off his couch munching his cookies in front on the TV.

 

Parker came in 10+ lbs heavier than AJ ever has and smack bang within the range where the giants like Zhang, Joyce and Fury have been (or should still be) fighting at.

If anything it was a bad night for fans of smaller heavyweights because you had another guy getting false hope that being massive was the key to success.

 

Foreman is noticeably taller than Ali, Norton, and Holmes in pics of them together. He’s a legit 6’4”.

and Lennox Lewis, as an old man, doesn’t seem to look much smaller than Fury or these other giants. Wouldn’t be surprised if he was within a hair of 6’6” when young.