How has color tv affected how we view boxing? I think there is a correlation between how people view fighters black n white era and Ali on. It’s hard to appreciate for example how hard Louis, Dempsey, Marciano and Liston prob hit because their best fights are on low quality black n white film. It’s hard to see the little things that made Archie and Charles great with blurry film. Compared to modern fighting where we literally get to be in the ring w them. Question is how much are peoples opinions swayed by not having a clear picture of old time fighters?
Well you get to see all the different colors so that's pretty cool. For me there is something about watching the old black and white picture that makes it special. Maybe even majestic.
A lot. Also, all the fun angles the cameras catch today make things look much better for the guys fighting...
I tend to think so to. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the 70s are so beloved. First generation with a clearer picture of the fighters.
Yeah, and it´s when the gloves started to get more "modern" too, people don´t understand the "glove situation"
Gloves have drastically changed the sport over the decades. Changes styles, tactics, allowed bigger men to have better protection. Sport looks different every several decades in many ways because they changes the gloves. They were much smaller and didn’t allow the defense they do now, they had more flexible thumbs earlier on which allowed people to grapple more in the ring (look at any Jack Johnson film). I don’t know nearly enough to be responding to this question but it was a big deal that maybe others can expand upon
They used to be filled with horse hair and fighters could work their fist around in the glove so there was very little covering their striking knuckles, they would also get heavier when they became drenched with sweat
Louis hit Buddy Baer so hard he spinned around in a circle as he fell and rolled around once he hit the canvas. If it was shown in HD on a modern flat screen TV it would look incredible. Imagine AJ hitting a 6'6 235 pound heavyweight and making him spin around in a circle as he fell. AJs punching power would have shrines in its honor. Or Dempsey’s destruction of the 6'6 245 pound Jess Willard. It's easy to dismiss him as an unskilled oaf but if we saw a 187 pound Dempsey destroy a top 245 pound HW in HD, it would look insane
The problem was more so the lack of quality and lower frame rate than the actual colour imo. Check out this AI enhanced version of Jofre - Medel and see how good it looks in comparison to the original. This content is protected
The quality of today’s fights allows u to hear the pop of a KO punch like it never has. U almost have a fighters pov now. Sometimes it’s to close the camera. Louis might well be considered the Goat if they had better film.
