Was the 1980's the best decade for boxing?

I think the 40's were better the talent in that decade was immense.

 

You're a good man, after about '97 or '98, rap ment nothing to me, especially when Pac and Biggie passed.

 

Hard to say. I think the guys Duran/Hearns,Leonard and Hagler and Benitez made the welterweight to middleweight divisions one of the best and most exciting in boxing history. Look at those 5 names. The divisions around that time were great, but the heavyweights of the 1980's were actually worse than the previous decade. Guys like Tony Tubbs and Pinklon Thomas were the start of the lackadaisical heavyweights who would fight great one fight and then not get in shape the next time. Tyson cleaned up a mediocre division in the late 1980's, but the welt to mid were one of the best ever in the 1980's, and the lower divisions were great also with Arguello and Pryor and even the excitement of a guy like Mancini, who was not great, but he fought so hard and was exciting. I don't think any other decade had the excitement of the 1980's as far as boxing.

 

1950's was one of the worst decades in heavyweight and 1970's was the best.

 

:goodtrue, the 50's was a poor decade till liston came alomg

 

The welts and middleweights of the 1980's were the best in my mind, and the heavyweights of the 1980's the worst. Thank god for Mike Tyson to come in and clean up the division of lazy overweight guys. The best fighter of all the lazy overweight guys of the 1980's was Tim Witherspoon. He had real talent, but no consistency like the great Holmes. Had Witherspoon had the mindset of Holmes I am not sure who could have beaten him. He was complete except for consistency..