Best HW era - 70's or 90's?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009.


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  1. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    In the 70's there were champions like Ali, Frazier, Foreman and Holmes, and contenders like Quarry, Ellis, Norton, Young, Lyle and Shavers.

    In the 90's there were champions like Lewis, Holyfield, Bowe, Tyson and old Foreman - and contenders like Ruddock, Mercer, Tua, Morrison, Golota.

    So which was the greater era, do you think?
     
    Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009
    Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009
    #1
  2. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    70's
     
    robert ungurean, Jan 4, 2009
    robert ungurean, Jan 4, 2009
    #2
  3. Ted Stickles

    Ted Stickles Boxing Addict Full Member

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    70's
     
    Ted Stickles, Jan 4, 2009
    Ted Stickles, Jan 4, 2009
    #3
  4. Arka

    Arka New Member Full Member

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    70s since Tyson and Bowe essentially screwed up their careers.
     
    Arka, Jan 4, 2009
    Arka, Jan 4, 2009
    #4
  5. warrior85

    warrior85 R.I.P THUNDER Full Member

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    70s
     
    warrior85, Jan 4, 2009
    warrior85, Jan 4, 2009
    #5
  6. True Writer

    True Writer Active Member Full Member

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    The 90's by a mile. The likes of Lewis, Tyson, Bowe & Holyfield would have been champions in any era.

    The 70's is the most overated era of heavy weight boxing. Joe Frazier would not have lasted more that 6 rounds against Tyson , Lewis or Bowe. Holyfield would heave stopped him late.

    Foreman would have looked small next to Lewis and Bowe and was too stupid in his prime to have a chance agaist clever fighters.

    Ali - the most overated sportsman of all time.
     
    True Writer, Jan 4, 2009
    True Writer, Jan 4, 2009
    #6
  7. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    The 70's had a better top4 (Ali, Holmes, Frazier, Foreman), though Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson and Bowe are not far behind. Note though, that Ali was past his best for most of the 70's and Frazier was in pretty bad condition from '71 on, whereas Holyfield, Lewis and Bowe all had their peak in the 90's.

    For depth, i'd go with the 90's.
     
    ChrisPontius, Jan 4, 2009
    ChrisPontius, Jan 4, 2009
    #7
  8. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Good! I was hoping that someone would go for the 90's generation. Not much of an discussion otherwise. And it's nice to see that you're as moderate as ever in your opinions.

    I'd agree that fighters like Norton would have a hard time making it in the 90's, because of the many huge punchers in that era. Would be interesting to see how big and powerful, but limited, fighters like Morrison and Ruddock would do in the 70's.


    This is a tentative H2H (15 rds):

    Lewis (late 90's): Favourite against everyone except Ali (early 70's) and Holmes (late 70's), who I have as slight favourites.

    Holyfield (early 90's): Favourite against Quarry, Shavers and Lyle. Slight favourite against Foreman, Ellis, and Young. Slight underdog against Ali, Holmes and Norton. Underdog against Frazier (1970-1971).

    Bowe (1992-1995): Ali, Holmes and Frazier are slight favourites. Hard to say what happens against Foreman (1973-1974). Bowe beats the rest.

    Tyson (1996): Ali, Holmes and Foreman are favourites (not by very much, though). More or less 50-50 against Frazier (perhaps a slight edge to Frazier). He beats the rest.


    Ps. Some of these predictions would look slightly different over 12 rds.
     
    Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009
    Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009
    #8
  9. Robbi

    Robbi Marvelous Full Member

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    I read a very constructed article on a site a couple of years back, and the writer put forward a case for the 90's being the second best era in heavyweight history. Some very fair points were made and it was unbiased view. I can't mind which site I read it on.
     
    Robbi, Jan 4, 2009
    Robbi, Jan 4, 2009
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  10. True Writer

    True Writer Active Member Full Member

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    It would be boring if we all agreed.

    I can't see how anybody could pick Frazier over any big guys. He was murdered by Foreman and dropped 14 time in his career in an era on comparitively small heavyweights. I like Joe but big decent 90's fighters would do a Foreman on him.
     
    True Writer, Jan 4, 2009
    True Writer, Jan 4, 2009
    #10
  11. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I picked him against Tyson and Holyfield. Neither of them were that big.

    The Holyfield from the early 90's were not a huge puncher, and I don't think he could keep the beast that was Frazier in FOTC off of him anymore than Ali could.

    The Tyson of 1996 would still have a good chance of KO'ing Frazier early. But his timing and accuracy was not quite the same anymore, so I think Frazier would survive the early onslaught and take him out into deep water.
     
    Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009
    Bokaj, Jan 4, 2009
    #11
  12. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    i think to a sports fan the boxing in the 90s was better as it had better events and spectacles like lewis-holyfield, holyfield-bowe, tyson-holyfield and that attracted the average sports fan or occasional boxing fan.

    whereas in the 70s the only real marketablilty to the occasional sports fan was ali and the rest were a supporting act. Ali had afew big spectacles with his fights with Frazier, Foreman and Holmes. But fights liek Frazier-Foreman was lost in the ali circus to the average sports fan.

    IMO the 70s and 90s are pretty even on terms of boxers and fights that happened but i think if you spoke to an average sports fan and ask them to name afew boxers they would mention.
    Ali
    Holyfield, Lewis

    in that order

    i think the 90s made the better spectacles and made more money for boxing but the 70s made more history especially with Ali and was a golden time for the sport because of this intrest in Ali which made some people to pay attention to boxing.
     
    GPater11093, Jan 4, 2009
    GPater11093, Jan 4, 2009
    #12
  13. Arka

    Arka New Member Full Member

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    So Gpater, heavyweight boxing was bigger in the 90s-not the 70s? Hmmm....

    :think
     
    Arka, Jan 4, 2009
    Arka, Jan 4, 2009
    #13
  14. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Definitely the 70's.
     
    Titan1, Jan 4, 2009
    Titan1, Jan 4, 2009
    #14
  15. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    The 70s was the best heavyweight era because the big fights were made.

    This dosnt mean that other eras couldnt have been equaly impresive. If Tyson, Holyfield, Bowe and Lewis had all met close to their primes then who knows.
     
    janitor, Jan 4, 2009
    janitor, Jan 4, 2009
    #15
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