Is there a point where height is no longer an advantage in the HW division?

I think we have just had a lack of 6 foot 4 and under good HWs in recent years, as these things go in cycles. This may change when Uysk and Gassiev step up to HW.

There is no reason why a very good guy who is 6 foot 4 to 6 foot 1 cannot beat everyone taller. Few here would bet against a Prime Tyson against anyone at HW.

In terms of upper limits I think Julius Long at 7 foot 1 gives us the answer about at the upper limit in height.

 

Dong too big

 

Being overly tall requires more balance and athletism to be maximum effective.

Its far easy to go off balance over 6'4. Thick sturdy guys often benefit from height advantage over that mark.

I'll use Wilder as example....he's 6'7 but has poor balance.

This is caused by a few things, the main one is leg thinness compared to his upper body , wide physique BC it creates difficulties to even out balance with combination of off center power punches.

The height is an advantage now BC no credible guy has taken advantage of fully knocking him off balance in a young division.

The ideal height imop is 6'5 its half way of not too tall or short with average guys around 6'4 but in the end its how you use your height.

However Get a guy like Vitali and what his style was at 6'7 and there's a reason why fighters did not look forward to facing him.

Vitali is the most effective tallest boxer in history! But that won't be common place.

 

People beyond 40 meters dont usually have the coordination.

 

I think at 6’7” and higher you start running the risk of being crippled by your height.

I’m not thinking of stamina issues as much as mobility issues.

Valuev, Dong, Ustinov, and Dimitrenko all moved like arthritics with cinder blocks bound to their feet.

It’s not guaranteed though. Tyson Fury is 6’9” and was one of the more fleet heavies we’ve seen.

We definitely have to acknowledge the best tall athletes go into basketball though. Which, gee, would really make me have to conclude that height is even more advantageous in boxing than we normally think, considering we’re only seeing NBA rejects.

 

Valuev was just as tall, while even more lumbering, but with his chin, his power, and his underrated offense, he worked his way into many top 20 h2h opinions.
But...if a smaller hw can survive someone like Wlads offense, they could take advantage of his lack of lower body coordination and poor balance, giving him fits.
Fury, got impeccable balance for his size, but just doesn't have the upper body power to be as dominant.
Joshua..jury still out.
Wilder....a 20 second nap first time he meets any coordinated hw with a chin and some power.

 

No, height and especially size in general is always an advantage, so long as it is coupled with enough other attributes.

The reason we have seen height consistently grow over the years is the expanding talent pool. Average height hasn't changed too much for men over the years. The change has been overall population has grown, and more markets are exposed to boxing. Thus a much higher talent pool. If you have 500000 6'6 plus men in the world, only so many of them will have the reflexes, coordination, etc to excell as hw boxers. Double that, and you have double the opportunity for people with sufficient other traits to optimally utilize height and size advantage.

 

Many of the old heads of boxing believed somebody A. Golota's size would be the ideal heavyweight size.

Used to be fighting a really tall opponent one would just have to get the tall guy to go in reverse. That doesn't work like it used to because the tall ones can retreat better and or they clinch. However, if the current crop isn't that skilled, well, hello shorty.

I don't think the current array of towering heavyweights are good enough to dominate for a long period of time. They may lose their titles more frequently than Lennox Lewis and WLadimir Klitschko.

 

Dominant champs at HW have always either A. Been taller than the average contender of the era or B. Had great power.

Usyk and Gassiev don't fit that bill, odds are against them. That said, I think we could see another Tysonesque, (comparatively) short fighter with a ton of power come along and dominate again.

 

My guess is that a prime Chris Byrd would be extremely problematic for Joshua, Wilder or Fury and Byrd was a relatively tiny 6'1".

 

I don't think it comes down to height. I think it comes down to athleticism. And toughness.