Heavyweights overcoming size disadvantages

I made a post of this a few years ago but I thought I'd make this thread again since this has been a common debate recently.

I've always been of the belief that size isn't everything but it also depends on the styles aswell.

Marciano for example I think would be found more wanting in the modern era with his style and very short reach.

But someone like Louis would do considerably better in the modern era.

But here is some notable weight differences against notable fighters at Heavyweight that were overcome let me know what you think.

Usyk

vs Chisora = 217 vs 255
vs Joshua = 221 vs 244
vs Fury 1 = 223 vs 261
vs Fury 2 = 226 vs 281

Louis

vs Simon 1 = 202 vs 254
vs Simon 2 = 207 vs 255
B.Baer 1 = 201 vs 237
B.Baer 2 = 207 vs 250
Carnera = 196 vs 261

Holyfield

Bowe 2 = 217 vs 242
Foreman = 208 vs 246
Holmes = 210 vs 233
Douglas = 208 vs 246

Chris Byrd

vs Vitali = 210 vs 244
vs McCline = 216 vs 270

David Haye

vs Chisora = 210 vs 247
vs Valuev = 216 vs 316

Archie Moore

vs Baker = 190 vs 209
vs Valdes 1 = 180 vs 209

Deontay Wilder

vs Helenius = 214 vs 253
vs Ortiz 1 = 214 vs 241
vs Breazeale = 223 vs 255


Sam Langford

I haven't got the actual weights but Langford was Middleweight sized 5'6 guy who beat alot of notable Heavyweights.


Other notable wins with weight disadvantages.....

Quarry vs Lyle = 200 vs 219
Chagaev vs Valuev = 228 vs 319
Holmes vs Jones = 211 vs 254
RJJ vs Ruiz = 193 vs 226
Hunter vs Bakole = 213 vs 256

 

Rocky:

Louis = 184 vs 214
Savold = 186 vs 200
Walcott I = 185 vs 196
Walcott II = 185 vs 198
Charles II = 187 vs 192
Cockell = 189 vs 205

 

Lou Nova 209 v Ben Moroz 289 = 80 lbs.
Lou Nova 193 1/2 v Abe Simon 251 = 57 1/2 lbs.

Jack Sharkey 187 v George Godfrey 220 = 33 lbs.
Jack Sharkey 188 v Harry Wills 214 1/2 = 26 1/2 lbs.
Jack Sharkey 202 v Primo Carnera 261 = 59 lbs.

Jerry Quarry 196 v Buster Mathis 234 1/2 = 38 1/2 lbs.

 

great list . Dempsey should be in there too

 

Tyson vs Ruddock II : 216 lbs vs 238 lbs.
Tyson vs Bruno II : 220 lbs vs 247 lbs.

 

Louis and Savold were washed up,Walcott was 38,Charles also a bit past his best,Cockell was a lhvy who got glandular fever and couldn't control his weight.
Rocky would fare badly today imo,tiny reach, slow feet,porous defence, and cut prone skin .

 

216lbs is big enough for anyone , if you are good enough.imo

 

Well, Rocky of today would obviously be bigger and wouldn't be Rocky, lol.

 

5ft 9ins, 151lbs Charley Burley vs 6ft 4ins, 220lbs Jay Turner.

5ft 7ins, 168lbs Mickey Walker vs 6ft 1ins, 210lbs Bearcat Wright (also beat Johnny Risko, King Levinsky and Paulino Uzcudun each weighing in the 190's).

5ft 11ins, 170lbs Bob Fitzsimmons vs 6ft 4ins, 260lbs Ed Dunkhorst.

 

the thread is misleading, because you're not really talking about 'Size', you're talking about weight... which of course is a factor when considerable.

But a thread about 'Size', (especially with respect to S-HW's), is incomplete & inaccurate, without stressing the HEIGHT differences in-tow with considerable weight discrepancies.

the Old Adage, "a good Big un" is stated regularly because 'it' is mostly True!

 

Same sentence you say it’s about style then Marciano would be struggling. Marciano was smaller than 90% of his competition he was built to fight larger men. As was Tyson and Frazier. They fought smaller which is the smart thing to do. Just as a tall man should fight taller.
You are correct about styles though. I do believe some would struggle with large men as many were built to take on men of similar size. Guys that don’t move much and prefer to stand and trade I’m sure would struggle more. Against contemporaries of just larger build. Depends on other attributes such as strength of chin, speed, power etc.

 

Shkor- 190 vs 220

Shkor was a solid fringe contender with wins over Tami Mauriello, Rusty Payne, and Johnny Flynn.

 

Archie Moore had a few decent wins with a large gap
Against 6”4 Abel Cestac 225 v Archie 177

 

Spinks 208 stopped Cooney 238.

 

Because "Rockistas ,"can't logically get over the huge disparity in Marciano's size and that of modern heavies they say,"well if he were around today ,he would be 220lbs of muscle",maybe he would,he would also be slower than he actually was in real life,his cardio would be affected, and his stamina diminished.
His height and reach would be the same and his propensity to cut the same.
Marciano won fights on conditioning,stamina, often against older past prime men, being able to force the fight longer ,and hit harder longer than his opponents,add that 35lbs and he becomes just another little guy .