Serious question, though consciously naïve: how could boxers from other eras fight SO MUCH?

I think the constant fighting self selected for the guys with extreme CTE resistance. There were probably plenty of fighters who ended up drooling piles of goo-brain by their mid 20's, but you don't hear about them because their careers were cut short. So the ones who did have the long careers were those able to hold up to it.

 

Yeah there is probably a lot of guys who we never hear about who were messed up.

Also it's kind of like how much more people used to drink back in the day compared to now. Sometimes I honestly think its a miracle we made it this far as a species.

 

Higher testosterone levels, stronger bones and protection from brain bleeds back then meant more chances of durability, now only a select few today have the genetics for fighting due to exposure to really bad things being put into our bodies.

 

You think mainstream food was healthy back in the 20's and 30's? They had processed junk too, with much more lax food inspections. I guess they didn't have microplastics, GMO's, or cows shot full of hormones, but their food was **** too. And their mothers probably drank and smoked while pregnant with them.

 

Good call, I was at the doctors office last year and he was discussing the study that said 18 year olds in 1975 had twice the testosterone levels of 18 year olds in 2024. What else could it be but diet and drink?

 

And a ton of people died young of alcohol related deaths back then. When you hear about the guy who lives to 95 and his secret to longevity is 10 shots of whiskey a day, that's because that dude happens to have the Oliver McCall of livers. Most people who drink like that long term don't live into old age.

 

Perhaps because 18 year olds in 1975 weren't fat ****s like 18 year olds these days are?