It pisses me off when people say 'these old age boxers were crap' etc..etc.. Now I'm not saying that they would all wipe the floor with modern era fighters, or vice versa - But just watch this documentary, and you might learn something. I know I did. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K33CUXqPknM&feature=related[/ame]
I think old school, they were a lot more natural in their size/builds and athleticism. With modern technology and supplements, guys today may be a bit more "manufactured" and dependent on technology. Heavyweights of yesteryear may not have had the builds, but they were heck of tough and fought hard. Physical differences would present some mythical matchup problems when you compare guys like Lennox Lewis and the Klits vs Louis and Frazier. But back then they were tough. However I am not of the mindset that every past great fighter would wipe the floor with today's fighters just because they were pioneering legends.
Agreed - But I DO believe, that many of these fighters, especially people like Joe Louis, and Jack Johnson.. had they have benefited from modern nutrition/technology... or if modern fighters were stuck with the nutrition/technology of the older fighters.. Then many of these legends WOULD indeed wipe the floor with the fighters of the modern era.
I dont think any version of tyson or frazier would beat a vitali. but they both beat wladimir. wlad vs lewis, bowe, or holmes would be interestig. I think holmes and ali beats vitali but not bowe I think a prime tua beats tyson, liston, frazier, patterson, holyfeild, but loses to bowe, holmes, and joe louis.
It's an apples v oranges comparison, that's the problem. It's like that to an extent in the lower weight classes, but far more pronounced at heavyweight. Nobody know how Joe Louis would have fought, had he weighed 220 - 230 pounds. The extra weight would have benefitted in some areas, but maybe taken away something from him too. There is no way to know. There is absolutely no way of knowing how Wlad Klitschko would have looked and fought back in 1930. It's an irreconcileable situation.
Agreed. Either way, I would recommend everyone watch the documentary - Pretty much traces the Heavyweight title lineage upto Tyson - with Tyson's analysis of the past fighters. I was amazed at his in-depth knowledge. And Tyson in 1988, never knew he was that respectable a human being at some point in his younger years!
i think the problem nowadays is.fighters use to be just that.fighters.they got into boxing for one reason and one reason only.to fight and make a living.today its more a mainstream sport and fighters are indeed manifactured.. dont get me wrong fighters still do try and break into the crop but at the end of the day someone who has skill is going to get picked up and the actuall fighter who is willing to die in the ring (who dosnt have the better skills) will get left behind.thats what has happend..
Are these old school HW's prime and motivated? I need to know before I can post a meaningful reply to your thread.
