Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, most boxers have burned out before their 30th birthdays. Certainly before their 35th or so. The recent spate of older boxers has a lot to do with superior conditioning, but I suspect "supplements" also have something to do with that. So... How did the longer-careered boxers in the past keep their careers going for as long as possible? How did the Moores and Hopkins(es?) of the world stay on top for decades? What modern advances -- aside from roids and TRT -- have allowed current boxers to keep in shape for longer? And how do you foresee boxers of the future extending their careers?
i think its as much to do with less fights against lower opposition generally and particularly less punishment taken whilst young as any physical inputs. smoking (and drinking) obviously doesn't help either though. edit, plus better healthcare, less careers got ended by injuries as time went on.
Here's a modern change often overlooked. The advent of soft contact lenses which can be worn while boxing has made it possible to counteract vision deterioration. Corbett would have dethroned Jeffries in their first bout with that technology. It enabled Holmes to compete through his 40s, and Hopkins to do the same. [Larry said that one of his contacts fell out against Holyfield, screwing him up for the remainder of their match.] Worsening eyes are no longer the factor they once were. Detached retinas, cataracts and astigmatism are now treatable and correctable conditions for those not genetically endowed with natural ocular longevity. [It should also be mentioned here that HGH does sharpen vision, and was the specific PED which enabled Barry Bonds to win the 2002 LB batting title, with his enhanced ability to track pitches.]
in 1913 the average life expectancy in first world countries was 53....in 2013 its 78 i think about that when i think about boxers having longer careers......would it be fair to do the sums and come up with an average boxer being a lot older physically at 36 in 1960 than he would be at 36 today ??
Great thread man, I've always wondered about this. I often read about how amazing it was for an "old, worn out Ali" to defeat Foreman while he was past his prime. Then it turns out Ali was only 32 for the Foreman fight! Don't get me wrong, Ali was past prime for that fight, but it's amazing how "old" 32 was back then, not for Ali, but any fighter.
is that adult life spans? less kids die as time goes on, but if you survived childhood(and weren't hacked to death) in the middle ages you stood a good chance of being 50+, let alone in 1913
Guys like Dokes, Broad, DuPlooy, the Quarry brothers, Jimmy Young and John Tate have died at an age which doesn't add much to that century old life expectancy average. With PED proliferation, I wonder how any of today's stars will live to that 78 average.
Its not only the chronological age, its the amount of tough fights, lifestyle habits, and nutrition. Today surgery is much better. Back then it could end a career. Most boxers who do well past the age of say 37 are in good shape, and have not had many tough fights. They also tend to have few KO losses, and in most cases are punchers. At heavyweight the very big ones can last a long time if they have skills and power. Examples: Fitzsimmons, Moore, Hopkins, Lewis, the Klitschko's.
