Are Fighters In Better Shape Nowadays?

without the first two, but PED's were certainly in play, with almost non-existing testing at the time.

 

Modern nutrition lacks the nutrients they had 50 years ago. Recovery seems to be the only key difference in today's era.

 

Good posts. Agree with the points made.
I really do believe fighters and fighting were different back then. Both physically and mentally. Just like men in general.
It’s a combination of many things combining to distort how it once was. Men were generally stronger physically. That is also a combination of many things. Active lifestyle, physical work that is automated today, more natural nutrition, etc… It all started with kids. We spent all day every day running around building and destroying stuff. We had over a third more testosterone than kids today trading hands was more common and so created different mentality towards confrontation. like George said, they were more fearsome. The testosterone and physical tests comparisons between then and today show the difference. Different breeds of dog. It’s like comparing the English bulldog of today with the one from 100 years ago.
When I was around 18 I was doing hard construction work, as were a lot of other guys my age. So I could see the pace and amount of work we were expected to and able to do on the daily. I still work around construction, although no longer the physically hard stuff, and I see the difference in the young masons and carpenters and pretty much all the trades. You got women keeping pace now. Something they couldn’t handle back in the 80’s.
Also, because the rewards for the average weren’t as great back then as they are today, only real fighters took on the grind.

 

Or could it be, that if you kept losing all the time, you could make a decent living as a "safe" opponent? You know, someone promoters could use to pad the records of up-and-coming boxers - without posing any real danger. Isn't that possible?

Throughout boxing history, there must have been loads and loads of perennial losing journeymen - who were still in demand after suffering huge number of losses! I think, that's pretty much a given!

 

Nope, not imo
Fighters now are trying to really on the new, biggest thing, but old school roadwork can't be beat

Joe Calzaghe has arguably the best engine I've seen. The guy could box 30 rounds and that was due to running the Valley in Wales

Also 15 rounds is much more difficult than 12. Usyk who is famed for stamina looked tired at the end of his first fight with Fury.

 

Most old school methods work.

 

Yes, that’s a journeyman. We still get out of shape journeymen.
We generally don’t hear about journeymen, it becomes a “job” instead of you being a prospect.

I’m not sure of the point you are trying to make?

Out of shape/fat fighters have existed in past and present. The difference is now, as competition is of a lower standard, the out of shape/fat fighters can rank higher and can be talked about.

 

I mean it's hard to judge. Fury Usyk were boxing to a high level at a pretty decent pace whilst both are in the decline stages of their career. In their primes fully fit both these men we're outliers in terms of their stamina against all historic heavyweights and Usyk has the most stamina of any cruiserweight in history. If we were to go to 15 rounds the fighters would adjust for it.


The peak of endurance and absolute brutal fighting would be 100% humidity Manila 40 celcius, Ali Frazier 15 rounds. Sitting in that would kill me alone. Lot of clinching. Pace slowed heavily. Pretty much all fighters would wane to arm punching exhaustion mode. Some fighters fold under their own weight when exhausted. Usyk & Fury's survival mode autopilots in exhaustion are top level.

 

Oh I'm not saying they couldn't
But some of these old school guys were machines

The basics work. Don't need all this hight tech BS
I think Haye was big into lifting weights and likely crossfire stuff. I imagine the bodybuilder is using fancy equipment and other methods

To be fair to Fury he's as old school as they come. He ran the miles and put in the work at the boxing gym. I just wish he didn't put in the work downing as many pints

 

I'm not trying to make a point. I was only commenting on your claim, that once it was found out, the old no-talent journeymen couldn't "hang" with serious boxers, they wouldn't make much money and therefore had to find a normal job. Which of course isn't true - the more they lost, the more in demand they were. Just like today; no difference there!

 

Oh yeah I agree on that, just didn’t realise you had focused on that one bit. I was trying to explain a point.

also, a journeyman equates to a “job”, they are no longer living for their dream, they are just getting paid to do as they’re told.

 

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"Rusty old weights because new ones ain’t any heavier" - Tyson Fury

 

Sometimes I feel bad for bashing Fury. I forget about his mental health, but I know he could have been so much more

Despite the ups and downs I always rooted for him come fight night and enjoyed the ride. Just wish he had an ounce more discipline,but then he wouldn't be who he is

 

Fury put up a last ditch effort in R12. I don't think Uysk looked noticeably gassed but obviously fighting 12 rounds at that pace takes toll.