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

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.

 

Perfect heavyweight size is 6'3-6'5 220-250 lbs imo. I don't think there is any advantage to being any bigger than that, even if you are skilled.

 

But it's only because the batch of top SHW are old or retired. And Usyk.
It's not because SHW were proven to have no big advantage.
If Fury, AJ, Wilder, Wlad, Vitali etc. all came back in their prime, Parker and Kabayel don't beat any of them.
Usyk is a massive outlier GOAT fighter, so he doesn't represent 6'0 - 6'2 HWs.
Also Dubious is huge, there's a massive size difference between him and Usyk, and he would dwarf a Haye.

 

I just don't get why a number of these over 6'6" guys (Fury included), overstuff their faces. Being over 6'6" with a crazy long reach is a big advantage but there's no reason they need to also come in weighing near or over 300 lbs with tractor size spare tires around their guts?

AJ is a huge guy but makes sure he's never much above 250 lbs. Bakole and Zhang would still be juggernauts even at 250-260 lbs and relatively trim.

 

Ya I don't get it, is it that hard to stay within 20lbs of fighting shape? Most of us do it and it's not even our job. I'm not sure Zhang could get anywhere near 260 tbh, he's a thick guy and his head looks like it weighs 60lbs on its own.

 

I mentioned it in the rbr. The era of the extra tall, wide bodied heavies is over. They can’t compete with the smaller more coordinated athletes.

 

I think that's the high end of the optimal size and weight for a human being. It seems like once people start getting bigger than that, they start dealing with body issues because of the strain on the body from that size. I imagine it's incredibly hard on the heart and other organs when one is so abnormally tall and big.

 

Big fighters are a much bigger target and it was so clear in case of Wallin, Joshua, Fury, Zhang, or Hrgovic.

In comparison, the likes of Kabayel, Usyk, Parker, and even Dubois, can be much more elusive.

 

Lewis remains the golden standard for a super heavyweight.

 

Zhang consistently weighed under 260 until the Forrest fight. Yes, weight loss apparently caused him trouble in that fight but he had no such issues prior to that, well into his mid-30s.

Likewise 30-something Joe Joyce started his pro career weighing consistently in the 250s and then started gaining weight.

And get this - Bakole weighed in at 229 and 230 earlier in his career and was only 251 as recently as the Kuzmin fight.

In each case these are obviously big and tall guys, but the evidence is clear that as grown ass men they were coming in to fights weighing 230-255 range. Each of them has blown up in weight and then leaned into the ‘I have a big frame and am naturally 280+’ myth.

 

Interesting. I did find when I hit late 30s taking weight off didn't happen so easily but those guys should have the discipline not to let it slide. Bakole looked skinny fat against Parker, shockingly bad really.

 

Yep this is why I think that Opetaia will be the next king at heavyweight once Usyk retires.

 

I agree. Agit beating that other giant too (Arsalan) was good.

it’s become common to dismiss past fighters as the new guys are “too big for them” but they aren’t as well rounded, quick or dedicated either.

 

No, most who are not fighters don’t stay within 7-8% of their fighting weight.

as they are not fighters, they don’t have a fighting weight.
Most fighters who are dedicated, leave about the last around 5% to the final week or so, then strip water for another few% (which hw don’t do). It’s torture