How Many Former Sub 200lbsHeavyweight Champions & Contenders Would Be Ranked Now?

As cruisers? Most of the under 200pds, champs and contenders of the past, would be ranked today if not world champs IMO. Dempsey, Louis, Charles, Walcott, Marciano, Patterson, Johansson, Moore and the countless others that I left out. I dont think the cruisers of today get the respect or the opportunities that they deserve, how many greats @ under 200pds have we missed out on cos of our obsession with SHW?

 

Not meaning to start an arguement but our obsession with SHW's, that a guy has to be huge is taking away something from the HW division, and has made an almost boring division. Fighters in the old days knew how to get inside and had the gonads to do so. Now HW's win fights on size alone. If the SHW's of today had been the same size as cruisers with the skills they now have, taking away their size advantage they wouldnt be as successful. If a punchless wonder as chris byrd or a solid punching Holyfield could hang what's to say all the small HW's I mentioned couldnt be as successful against these same SHW's.

 

A fighter doesn't have to do much to get ranked these days.

 

Many people have Antony Joshua and Deontay Wilder currently ranked in their TOP FIVE, nevermind top 10 or top 15 or whatever "ranked" may be.
Look at who they've beat, and you have to figure there's been a fair few small HWs who would have beat their lots too.

 

in todays market? Take your pick

 

Bingo.

 

Most people I've discussed this with in detail know my thoughts.

A lot could manage it but would have to bulk up first.

210 minimum really.

 

Basically, any fighter who can break commonwealth grade today, can get ranked with enough money behind them!

Let’s not beat around the bush on that point!

 

Your post seems like a concession that the guys now are simply too big for the great heavyweights of yesteryear.

There seems to be an increasing amount of scenario's where people want to upsize older fighters, downsize newer ones, modernise training, demodernise training etc etc etc to suit.

Heavyweight has no top end weight.

The guys were the best of their day, as are the ones now. Nothing will take that away from them. Some think they would cut a swathe thru the current climate, some think they'd do ok, others think they'd be bums.

It's quite hard to picture, even harder with added scenario's. The guy many believe to be the hardest puncher ever got his work done mostly between 204 and 210 pounds.

Personally i think a guy like Tyson would knock them over. He's bigger than Dempsey/Marciano and co but a lot smaller than the big boys.

 

He has similar dimensions to Dempsey/Marciano, but is built like the big boys

 

Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey never had problems with the super heavies they beat. Nearly knocked every shw out that they fought and it would be any different today. Quality is quality and these guys are cream of the crop. You don't see any fighters like that anymore.

 

True.

 

Would you say the "super heavies" now and in recent history are more plentiful and dangerous?