Who is the earliest fighter who you think could beat the best of their size, currently active?

Size as in division or actual size? Height and weight? Queensberry or the whole wallopper?

Usyk's hot **** at present and I've always heard folks speak on Marciano at CW loads of times so yeah, I'll go with that. I like Usyk, picked him to win his undisputed crown and even got booted for praising Ukrainian boxing, but Rocky Marciano would knock him out something mighty terrible.

I think it's a very interesting matchup because Usyk's got a tank on him. He can go, looks to me if he had 15 to work with he'd do 15 fairly intensely. He'd keep moving too.

Marciano on the other hand is a demi-god blessed by Apollo himself. Seriously though Marciano's stamina, tenacity, and power are beyond question, he'd be on Usyk from bell to bell.

 

I’d pick Joe Louis over Anthony Joshua but I am very hesitant. He’d be the only heavyweight pre 1960 that even has a slim chance against Joshua.


Louis in my opinion was a special once in a lifetime talent who proved it in his resume as well.

 

If Louis were to fight the best current fighter his size, wouldn’t it be Usyk?

 

Dempsey over Kovalev?

 

These Joshua's Wilders Wladimirs dont show me anything special.
Louis beats them all
Holmes
Liston
Ali
Foreman
Holy
Yes I got Frazier and Dempsey too.
These guys are one dimensional and panic when taken out of there comfort zone.
They are big strong but are far from complete fighters. Athleticism goes a long way. Skill goes further.

 

Greb sprung to mind right away. Also somebody like Willie Pep.

 

188lb Dempsey over Joshua and prime Wlad?

 

Oh, I got ya. I think the inclusion of more and more weight divisions kind of nerfs this.

I don't think the present MWs-CWs, would do very well against yesteryear's HWs because MW-CW used to be HW and if styles make fights the old HWs come massively prepped where as the new weight divisions have refined their games to fit their sizes specifically.

Everyone above CW I'd favor the present. 220 might be small now but 220 in shape is quite large for the old'ens to compete with. I mean who is comparable? Primo? Yeah, I'd take Wilder and Joshua over Primo. Primo could whoop Charr though....could get whooped by Charr too. Just not any 220+ in shape at prime fighters in history worth comparing to modern HWs.

Everyone smaller I'm too ignorant to speak on. Of course I've read a bajillion articles on Gans. Not once read a book on him or did any serious research to him.

That said, I believe Daniel The Jew Mendoza would whoop Gennady. If Danny's story is true it's a story about a man much greater than the current MWs.

Oh and on that note, if they're stories are remotely true, even half true, Theagenes against anyone at any weight for any reason under any rules and Melankomas gets ditto to that.

I don't think a modern boxers wants any from the ancient world anymore than modern survivalists want to show a caveman how camp in the woods.

 

Joshua is a novice compared to Dempsey. He didn't look like anything against the smaller Parker.
Brewster and Sanders dont have anything on Jack except there slower and less talanted and they both stopped Wlad.
Wlad did nothing but panick and hold when taken out of his comfort zone. Joshua hasnt shown anything except he looks like a bodybuilder which doesnt impress me when it comes to fighting.

 

It is possible that men like John L Sullivan, Nonpareil Jack Dempsey, and Jim Barry could have had a chance against their modern counterparts.

Perhaps they benefit from the lack of footage in this, but I would not be prepared to say that they couldn't possibly prevail.

 

I agree...the guy does nothing at all for me...I even think the other guy, Wilder would take him...and this is a monumental admission considering that I don't hardly follow the modern scene at all, especially the heavyweights. Man, what a mediocre bunch they are...