Thanks for posting this. I don't buy into the fifties being a "weak" era thinking because the heavyweights of the era for the most part simply look better on film than the heavyweights of earlier decades. Am not talking about later decades, as the heavyweights have gotten bigger, and the skill level on average has improved through the years.
I wouldn’t say the skill level has improved since the 50s. Size and work out regiments and steroids have made it a different ball game though
I don't know about the skill level, I think weight training took away the competing 180 + lb - 190 lb fighters and there were some good ones -remember Archie Moore beat both of these men and Nino Valdes x2 Big men were always around but you did not see Quality Big guys until the olympics started the Super divisions. We had them in Dempseys era Willard made it beating Johnson and we had it in the Louis era- Primo Carnera made it and Buddy Baer got close - the best size for heavyweights was always about 6'2 or less if we go by Dempsey and Louis. Ali was 6'2 according to him and Dundee - Foreman was closer to 6'3 ........ The super-heavyweights in the Olympics and amateurs produced Big quality men like Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe (who I seen fit & svelte win the NY golden gloves as a light heavyweight) then Lennox Lewis and Vladimir and Vitali and now we have Joshua and Wilder and the biggest of all Tyson Fury at 6'8 260 - We had Valuev at 7' but I don't see him lasting vs the ATG's of the past. Watching Fury box and dodge at 6-7 6-9 and watching Wilder at 6'7 215 drop Fury shows me there is much talent with the big men - I still don't think any of them beats a prime Joe Louis but time will tell.
Excellent fight. Henry was giving away a lot of weight here. yet the weight difference was not a weight advantage at all in this fight. I put it down to the small gloves. With a small 6oz glove a small heavyweight can give away more weight. There is so much more target without the defensive shield of larger gloves. Baker is having to exchange on even terms because his opponent can hit him frequently enough before he can put his extra weight on him. With a larger glove on both hands Bob could have walked down Henry and mauled him. But with smaller gloves he’s taking punches right away. It comes down to who hits the fastest. The bigger man is having to fight the smaller mans fight. And because they are both good technicians it’s a very good exhibition of real boxing. Bring back smaller gloves.
