Rocky Marciano vs Lennox Lewis

But they aren't SHW tactics, they're Wlad tactics.

Fury doesn't jab and grab. Vitali didn't.

In fact when Valuev fought Ruiz, Ruiz initiated the clinches up close, Valuev wanted the fight at the end of his jab.

 

I really feel that technique and tempo has less importance at Superheavyweight than any other division. Bulking up took over. They found ways of improving the taller heavyweights. Once this became the fashion a new type of champion emerged that could never have been successful before. It suited the biggest and sometimes oldest champions in a way it did not before.

The more stylish champions came into being from having to overcome champions who fought that way. The championship competition molded the way the champions were. Each era of champion developed the kind if champion it took in order to be successful at that time.

And that's what we have now. The kind of champion it takes to be successful at this time.

If the generations coming through gave to contest within a division where technique and pace is neutralized with bulk then I fear that it will become a case of "if you can't beat them, join them".

 

A new type of fighter formed that wouldn't have been successful in the past? You don't think Lennox Lewis would have done well in the days of Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis? I reckon he would have cleaned the division out tbh.

 

Ken Norton was quoted as saying he never lifted weights during his boxing career. I don't know about Lyle. Steroids? I am sure they have played a part in recent times, but there are lots of aids available to modern fighters that are perfectly legal. I refuse to believe that Vlad or Haye haven't had help that Dempsey or Frazier never did.

I don't buy "pacing" as being responsible for Vlad's improvement in stamina;the guy fought like he had a collapsed lung, ffs!

 

Lewis is one of the most multi dimensional HW fighters in history. He would never struggle in any era. The worst thing that can be said is if he's cracked with a flush HW punch he'll get knocked out.

 

IMO, any fighter, including any iron-jawed HW, who gets cracked with a perfect flush shot from a hard-hitting heavyweight, that they didn't see coming, is going down for the count.

Physics and Biology.

 

If Norton didn't lift weights how does he explain the big rise in weight throughout his career whilst being in great condition?

 

Norton was a big fan of the bodybuilding he was friend of lou ferigno, of course that he trained weights. Ron lyle never ever did, he said that in prison he had only 2 or 3 meals for day and he did 1000 push ups for day

 

yes he did but how many 6'5" guys were able to develop Lewis's kind of Power before 1985, the year Mike Spinks grew into a heavyweight and all the changes began to happen at heavyweight?

6'5" guys used to find it difficult to use full force because they were slower back then. Was it because under traditional training methods speed was not developed among the bigger men I don't know? But there was a lot of hard punching light heavyweights who could compete with Heavyweights right up until about 1964. Reznick quoted Mike Tyson on punching power earlier in this thread.

why? Because fighters developed into what it took to be successful for the standard of the day. The duration of the rounds. What was taught then. Would that suit a man like Wlad? in another era Wlad would be developing against a higher work rate than was comfortable for him from day one. The stuff that made him so big and strong whilst still being effective would have been frowned upon then and did not exist anyway.

vitali was what he needed to be in order to be successful at the time he was around. I won't disrespect him. But I wonder what he would have developed into had he came along in another era? Without so many tall fighters to develop against he would have adapted to what it took to be successful for a giant then. He would be running and training like fighters did then and eating like they did too. And coming against more competitively experienced journeyman too.

yes Rid**** bowe at the weight he was against Evander the first time looks most likely to be the limit, as large as a heavyweight can be a fully functioning giant producing best boxing practice over that limit. Key point "the weight he was against Holyfeild that first time". Also, did he ever replicate this? Ali, Holmes and every other great Heavyweight under 230 had more than one example of being a great fighting 12 rounder.

I admit they are my ideas. less mainstream perhaps, but in my opinion changes in the way the bigger heavyweights train among a larger pool of giants offers more logic than the world sudenly producing better athletes of a bigger size.

 

One thing about Lewis was he was able to be both a boxer or a powerhouse.

There just were not any Lennox Lewis types before Lennox. Not even close.

 

Wlad has had 3 standout performances imo.

Byrd 2
Chagaev
Pulev

He was 240 above for them all. Definitely improved as he increased weight.

 

Why is it unlikely Lewis would be 6'5" in another era?


Guys like Fred Fulton, Jess Willard, Primo Carnera, Abe Simon, Buddy Baer, Mike Dejohn, Duke Sabdong, Ernie Terrell, Chuck Wepner, Tex Cobb have always been around.