What's with all the over 240 lbs HWs if 210-220s lbs has been proven to be the ideal HW size?

There is probably a psychological component to it, but we know Briedis brutally KO'd Charr at heavyweight, so the reason for him not fighting top heavyweights is unknown.

I'm looking at the sample size. I've seen too many examples of much larger heavyweights struggling or losing to smaller men despite the lack of quality cruiserweights attempting the jump, so it isn't nessecarliy survivor ship bias. All it takes is another Usyk and Holyfield

 

The point is that Usyk and Holyfield are the exception not the norm

 

The size is important and we have proof of this but what's also true is some of these big heavyweights is that they are too big and not really in tip top shape like say Wladimir and Vitali say.

 

They are all time greats. You don't need to be great cruiser to beat a top heavyweight

 

HWs in this era favor muscular builds. "Ideal" also depends on what a fighter is prioritizing. While the best low 200s are capable of outpointing anyone at HW and the heavier small HW aren't those guys can also get blasted out more easy by guys they'd have otherwise beaten. And todays sport is built on impressive looking records against guys that fighter is supposed to beat. Avoiding losses is more important and practical than reaching the absolute highest ceiling a fighter can.

 

If you look at the history it doesn't hold true. The problem isn't one fight its having to fight these guys over and over because only the very best LHW/CWs will ever go to HW. With no Cruiserweight and more fighters jumping back and forth from LHW to HW giants had a much harder time breaking through.

 

But also if you look at history people have been getting bigger, we only recently in the last couple decades seem to have peaked on human height in the west, and I'm not even going to touch about how much bigger people are weight wise.

Plus the other thing to take into account is rule changes and how the rules are enforced and reffed. No more 15 rounds, inside fighting way less common, where as more clinching etc. All those changes benefit bigger and heavier guys.

 

its because there are no talented natural hw in the 220 and below range. when you eliminate the ideal, then size becomes more important, like in a tough man contest. but yeah, a 220 lb 6'3" man at his best, will more often beat the 260 lb 6'7" man at his best. with the correct game plan, of course. above the ideal size the human body loses speed, endurance, and because your center of gravity is higher, you lose balance and coordination.
its the same thing in pit dog fights. 100 lb pitbulls exist, but they would get torn to shreds by a top pit half his size.

 

Height wise we aren't far from where we are in the 1910s and 1930s just the small end of the division that was the best P4P will never compete at HW. And despite this top HWs taller than 6'6 or 6'7 are still very rare. The spectrum has not moved very much.

Its probably going to change soon but the top HW with the longest reach was Gastanaga from the 30s who was an IBU mandatory.

Would going from 15 to 12 favor bigger guys? I think it really depends.

 

People haven't been getting bigger to that extent, just more big men available since the 80s and the weight gain is all fat

 

Indeed...

It's mostly about percentages, I think - I mean, huge guys exist with height and reach, guys with elite ring IQ exist, guys with iron chins exist, etc.

Each desirable characteristic has a low percentage of occuring... When you have multiple desirable characteristics, it's an "and" situation, which with probability means you multiply them - so the more exceptional each attribute is, the less and less likely it is to exist with other exceptional attributes.

So the odds of having a 7ft natural 260lb fighter with Usyks ring IQ, chin and stamina is so low you'll never realistically see it.

Then of course, when you have attributes that work against each other (size Vs speed or stamina, say) then the odds of that existing together go down even faster.


What's the optimal? Can it even exist, or are the odds of it happening too small?


It might be that taking size back a little on that bellcurve (ie: higher chance of finding it) brings the capacity for skill and ring IQ alongside chin and stamina up to where it needs to be to produce some great fighters...
Where if you keep that low percentage for hugeness in the picture, you can have chin or power or you can have IQ and athleticism but you're asking too much to have it all?

And so ... We get effective lumps, we get athletic guys who are smaller but missing something... And the elite comes, via genetic luck, in various forms - whether that's your Lewis, or Usyk, or Ali, or Wlad, etc