Have heavyweights really gotten that much bigger?

Dude...

 

Lebowski?

 

They used to say the bigger they are the harder they fall and it was true for the most part, guys like Primo and Jess were actually good fighters. The good big guys these days have extensive amateur careers and for the most part the standouts are Lewis (he had a great offense but when he fell he fell hard) Vlad has fell hard a few times, Vitali is the stand-out of the Big guys for durability so far. Riddick Bowe seemed to take a decent shot but was hit quite to often and Buddy Baer was a decent contender that Louis destroyed but so was Abie Simon ....these guys were pretty well conditioned, Lewis,and the Klitschko's especially are always fit....most in the last 20 years were overweight, muscled bound and nothing great

 

Tyson 5"10 but ripped at 215, Evander 6'2 210, ....Foreman was big 6"3 217 before comeback...a good one but Joe Louis eat him alive prime for prime....Klitschko's and Lewis best of the big men...then Bowe,Willard and Primo

 

I think Ali was really about 6'3, he stood about even with Norton (who I have also seen in person and he is indeed a big dude), and guys such as Foreman and Holmes (both have been listed as 6'4) stood slightly taller than both Ali and Norton. Holmes and Foreman were about the same height, with Foreman having a bit of a wider frame than Larry.

Regardless, Ali, Norton, Foreman, and Holmes are all really big dudes who I would never have wanted to mess with.

Frazier I think was about 5'10, but in fairness regarding to his listed height when he was fighting, he did start to shrink a bit in his later years. The wear and tear did not do his aging process any favors. I think Marvis was listed as 6'1 or 6'2, which looked about right to me (I've never met him or seen him or Joe in person, for the record).

Mills Lane was a small dude, I think he was only about 5'6.

Having seen Lennox Lewis in person, he is just as big as his tale of the tape says. His hands were/are massive.

Same goes to Gerry Cooney. He is more hunched over now than when he was fighting, but still a huge guy. One of the biggest I've ever met in my life.

 

Some of today’s huge fighters might think that a guy like Joe Louis would not be big enough, but a smart fighter would worry about his boxing skill, accuracy and huge punching power. To a man who weighs 230-250 pounds he might think that such a weight advantage would help in surviving Louis punches. Didnt help the 250 pound Buddy Baer or 260 pound Primo Carnera survive Louis bone cracking bombs, but the modern heavyweight can at least believe he is the bigger man come fight night until Joe taps that ass. Louis KO6 Klitschko

 

Steroids have allowed big men to become better competitors in the last 20 years.