Last heavyweights of note w/ sub-70inch reaches?

Isnt Marciano the only notable HW champ with that short of a reach?

His short reach was like a freak scenario for the heavyweight divison. And he figured out how to use it to his advantage by getting extra leverage with his inside punches.

 

There have been a few in the 71'' category.

Sometimes abnormalities are rare just because they are abnormalities.

For example when will we see another welterweight champion under 5' 2''?

 

Tua had 69'' reach and KO'd many good HW's. Now it's changed to 70'' on boxrec.

 

You get abnormalities in the sport.

Marciano's 5' 10'' height was short, but not an abnormality for a heavyweight.

His 185-190lb weight was low, but not an abnormality for a heavyweight.

His reach probably was an abnormality for a heavyweight.

The answer is probably that we have not seen one, simply because it is a rarity, even among small heavyweights.

However, he made it work!

 

It's impossible to know unless you've measured them all.
Tale-of-the-tape isn't an officially procedure, as far as I know.

 

Who was the last heavyweight to be ranked in Ring Magazine's top ten with less than a 75" reach?

I researched. Chagaev in 2009.

It seems like the hard line requirements to be a heavyweight in 2016 are 215+ pounds, 6 foot or taller with a 75" reach.

If one of the three triangle numbers are off by a small amount, you can still get by, but you better have a solid amateur background, power, and durability.

 

David Tua and Rocky Marciano.

 

edit

 

I know you're asking about past world class fighters.

But there's a modern prospect named Constatin Bejenaru who fights at HW and CW with a 67" reach.
http://boxrec.com/boxer/577153

Not sure if that's interesting to you.
Interestingly, he's not a KO artist.

 

In general the infighting aspect of boxing is much poorer than it used to be.

Not sure if it's due to style, training or accumulated damage but no one wants to slug it out on the inside.

Kind of makes a short reach a massive handicap if your plan is to fight at range.

Fighters with short reach tend to be those who leap into the left hook as a means of cutting the distance instantly, this becomes very difficult if your opponent is determined to stay at range and is the physically bigger fighter, it becomes impossible when clinching is allowed.

Tua, Rocky, Frazier and Tyson all spring to mind.

As long as clinching is prevalent HW boxing will be won by the man who is the strongest in the clinch providing he can beat you to the punch at range.

 

Lionel Butler was ranked in the top 10 back in the 90's and his wingspan was only about 70 inches.

 

Watching Bejenaru is interesting an somewhat illuminating.

He's a boxer with a 67" reach, and has been fighting guys bigger than him with better reach.

He uses his short reach to lets punches fly fast. People rarely talk about how a shorter reach gives your punches less travel time.

https://streamable.com/korg