Which ERA had the more better skilled, better talent fighters over all? The 90's to early 2000's or the 2000's to present?
Given the choice only dating back to the 1990's, I'd vote for the 1990's. Except for a few exceptions, talent has been on a decline since the 1970's. Fewer gyms, less trainers, and the obliteration of the small fight clubs. There are less fights, less fighters, less learning opportunities. The most obvious result in the absence of learning venues is the current heavyweight division. Poorly conditioned, mediocre skills, and in many cases , a casual attitude. Guys quit a lot more, and for a lot less than they used to.
The 90s was a bit better. The very best were better back then (Whitaker and Jones v Mayweather/Pacquiao/Hopkins), and there was more strength in depth (Lennox better than Wlad, Ricardo Lopez better than Calderon, Trinidad/De La Hoya/Mosley/Quartey better than Williams/Margarito/Cotto/Hatton, etc etc). There's not that much in it, a close but clear win for the 90s I'd say.
As far as the heavyweight`s, I would say the 70`s...The likes of Forman, Fraizer, Norton,Shaver`s and all the other great contenders was the best in any era to me.. The fight`s were great to. Ali vs Forman and Fraizer outcompete any other fight in history in my view because I grew up with these fights. The fights were hard and tough and not like the boring heavyweight fight`s we see today. Joe Louis had some great fight`s to but he was unlucky to be in a lesser era than Ali... Jack Johnson also had great fight`s but to me the 70`s is the best era.. Sonnly Liston and Ali was the dominating heavyweight`s in the middle of the 60`s but we all know how much better Ali was than Liston, when Ali was at the top of his game. As far as topping fighter`s as Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Hitman Hearns, I can`t see anybody doing that...The excitment and the great fight`s they made were simply great...
That Lennox beat a untrained and way over the hill Tyson doesn`t make Lennox great..The fight`s Lennox had with Holyfield was when Holyfield had passed his prime... Hopkinsk is a great and very smart fighter but he is boring...Marvin Hagler in his prime would have beaten Hopkinsk...How easy I don`t know but he would have beaten Hopkinsk.. Sugar Leonard at 147 would have beaten Pac Man and De La hoya in my view ..The same would Hitman Hearns and Roberto Duran...Leonard at his best was awasome and so were Duran and Hearns.. These fighter`s are all time greats and ranked high up as the best in history depending on which weight classes we talk about... Tyson in his prime was very good and as Bert Sugar says on Espn ringside...Lennox Lewis beat Holyfield and Tyson pass their primes..He also state out that Tyson was very, very good in his prime and that he has him ranked around 12-14 amoung the best heavyweight ever. He had Lennox down at 19 or 20... Wladimir and Vitali is not in the same class as Lennox was in his prime and when he was totally focused on fighting good.Tyson in his prime would have little problems beating both of them because is there one thing these fighter`s doesn`t like it`s fighter`s that`s quick and comes to fight... They don`t like to be forced back but Wladimir dislike it more than his brother...Only Vladimir has a good chin... To me this is a no brainer..
