If Today's Fighters Are So Much Better......

I think nutrition, S&C etc have developed so someone who is say 160lb may be a better physical specimen than someone 50 years ago.

But generally speaking I agree with you. I don’t see the argument that fighters from the 80s for example are worse than today or less technical. No chance

 

You're going to control the number of punches you throw if it's a 20 round bout. That's why there was a lot of hugging
and non-fighting in early fights. That is, until Dempsey went ape shite on Willard.

 

Punch output is not specifically related to being better. Often it is about finding openings to exploit. If we are going to posit that today's boxers are better then we have to assume their defense is better as well. Therefore, there may be no more opportunities to throw useful punches than in past years with lesser fighters.

 

Good point. Imagine either of them in with Tua or Ibeabuchi from the previous record-setting fight

 

They probably don't think the point is particularly worth answering,

 

It'd be a massacre sure. Tua and Ike were throwing real bombs, leveraged and explosive, not sloppy arm punches.

 

When matches would be organized David Tua, and Ike Ibeabuchi Vs Arreola and Kownacki; in any prime vs prime combination, it would be perfectly clear what It's Ovah means.

 

Just curious... is there any way to objectively determine, if something like punching power has evolved (or not) over the years?

 

Every single sport in the world has evolved and the athletes are better nowadays, why would boxing be the only exception out of hundreds of sports?

It's just like people saying Pele is better than Messi, if Pele with his 60s skillset came to play vs players with today's skillset, he'd get annihilated and wouldn't score 2 goals in a season. He looked good and flashy vs 60s and 70s players.

 

They're not better, just bigger, better nutrition, better doctors and on better steroids.

 

But that's not a fair way of looking at it, just teleporting him from the 60's until now. Because a fair way to do it would him starting in modern day times and having the same trainers, tech, and time to adjust.

 

Yes of course, but we're judging them on how they were back then.
If Ali had access to today's PED, sports medicine etc he'd be unbelievable, but Ali the way he was when he fought would get battered today.

 

Correct. More power used, more energy drained. A greater proportion of muscle recruited (that is what happens when you are stronger) - then those muscles demand more oxygen to recover from those explosive bursts.
There’s a huge difference between the punches Canelo throws and the punches Calzaghe throws. That’s a good comparison of different eras because Calzaghe was very old school with his jogging every morning and his training in general. Not that you can’t win with an old school style of training, but you’re a different type of athlete and chances are that you’ll get blasted out unless you’re significantly tougher and more skilled than your opposition.
If the new school fighter is as tough and skilled as you (Canelo) then they have serious physical advantages, despite being more likely to get tired with the same number of punches thrown.

 

Is there anyone who even really thinks this a question? Why would a sport stop evolving? That would be the extraordinary anomaly to explain. I don’t understand how anyone with eyes can’t see the huge difference between fighters today and from 50 years ago. There’s no argument, simply watch a YouTube video and that’s the end of the question for anyone who is familiar with boxing.