This could also be titled why I tend to favor Modern day boxers in head to head match ups. A lot of people will say that "modern training methods" give today's boxers an advantage over yesterdays that they are bigger stronger and faster than the boxers of yesterday. While this is true at heaveyweight and possibily cruserweight which recently saw it go from 195 lbs to 200 lbs. This is not true at any other weight class. Lightweight is and has been 135 lbs. Benny Leonard would have no size advantage over Joe Gains. Roberto Duran would have no size advantage over Benny Leonard and Prennel Whitaker would have no size advantage over Roberto Duran and so on at 135. This model can be used at any other weight as well. The real advantage that modern day boxers have over their counterparts is experance. Not nescearly their own but also the experance of the boxers that came before them. By studying the film of the boxers that came before them they and their trainers can see what dose and dose not work and apaly this information in the ring. While it makes for a less exciting style it is very effective. I'm not saying that watching film is new to the sport or that stratagy is also a modern invintion. I am saying that the modern boxer enjoys the advantage of being able to learn from boxers of the past and future boxers will contune to be able to benifit from boxers from their past.
The techniques evolved as the rules, regulations, equipment and sport in general evolved. The way I see it, the overall modern techniques of boxing have not changed significantly since about the 40's. As to your point, that is true to a certain extent, but being trained by experienced trainers works just as well the way I see it, as they have seen the game and it's fighters, and know what works just as well. The advantage modern fighters have in terms of watching footage is that they are more aware of their opponents styles prior to a fight between the two. This is why you'll see more losses on the records of great fighters from the past, particularly early in their careers, as they were neither brought up as cautiously as the more modern fighters, nor did they have the footage to analyze their opposition beforehand. They had to learn the hard way.
I dont think there were pussies like mayweather back in the day...Ali faced them all, Leonard aswell, and Chavez also fought the best.
I do see what you mean. Though interestingly enough, its the fighters who are considered more "old school" that take advantage of this the most. Guys like James Toney and Floyd Mayweather both utilize any and all defensive techniques ever used by any fighters. In particular Floyd (though Toney is better defensively). Floyd's offense though sparse, also more or less takes the best of many different fighters and puts it all into one package.
I agree with this article, that the most important reason why boxers today are better than past boxers is because they can learn from those past boxers. But another important reason is in the advancement of scientific training. Today boxers and trainers have advance science to help them. Everything from Nautilus machines, to free weight training, to calistenics, yoga, physical therapy, nutrition and supplements, diets, sleep therapy, and better and more efficient exercise regiments. It' not just boxing techniques that have evolved, but also training techniques and equipment. Lastly, since boxing has become more popular internationally, styles from other countries are having an impact in boxing.
Massive point!! Joe Louis' diet for about 4 weeks prior to a big fight was steak, steak, steak!! Find me a boxer who does that now and I'll show you one who is getting KTFO!
Do you know for a fact that boxers today are better than boxers from the past? Can you name me one heavyweight today who is "better" than Ali? All of the stuff in bold in the second paragraph has been around for a long time, and seriously, when did ****ing yoga bocome such an important part of a boxer's training regimen? The bulk of what they do is still the same **** they did in the past: running, sparring, bag work, etc. I do agree that video footage of your opponent is an advantage going into a fight, but you can keep your nautilus machines and yoga and "sleep therapy" and your stupid supplements and I'll trade all that **** for some good old fashioned roadwork.
Please. James Toney ate nothing but cheeseburgers before the first Peter fight and took him to school. They had him eating all kinds of salad and crap for the rematch and he got his ass kicked. George Foreman ate even more cheeseburgers and came back fat as **** to win the HW championship at 45.
taught to box not taught to fight. before a saying was "Stop being sorry for yourself" also because there has been generations before that have put there own ideas and there own defencive moves and tactics. we are always being surprised by things like ali's rope a dope and leonards last 30 second then blast. have inspired other boxers to do so. what makes fighters now more advanced is they have more dimensions, most fighters today can box and punch in equalness. and tactics are more prominant then natural physical gifts. also winnign round instead of winning a fight. the classic forum guys are sayign stuff like. well loche had a defencde that was stolen/borrowed/copied by mayweather. but take it this way mayweather is usually on the backfoot and taggin his opponant not staying on the ropes due to poor stamina (loche was a chain smoker) also before fighters were noted to have good punches. nowadays most fighters have all 4 punches in there arsenal and can possible bang you out with 2. nutrtion of course has played a vital role. being able to know which nutrients and amount of energy needed with out eating too much. excersize has become more smarter (while using old shool ideas as well) wieghts are now used too more constructive excercises like light wieghts while throwing combos gives you faster handspeed instead of wieght liftign and body building.
