Who today most resembles the old guard of professionals? (Read OP)

What counts as being one of "them"? Are we talking stylistically or the idea of "Back in the good old days the best used to fight the best!... just please ignore the color line."

Also what's modern? The last 20 years? Maybe 30?

 

Chocolatito and Rungvisai

Canelo

Beterbiev reminds me of an oldschool boxer style wise, though his extensive amateur career and lack of pro fights at his age is pretty much the antithesis to old school boxing

 

Usyk epitomizes everything good about our sport, im not quite sure what you mean by this post. If you mean stylistically or a willingness to challenge oneself and fight the best… but either way, Usyk is deserving.

 

For whatever it's worth, Bivol reminds me of an "old school" boxer in the classic Tunney/Conn/Harold Johnson mold.

 

It wouldn't be a southpaw, for starters.

 

Lew Tendler & Johnny Wilson would each like to have a word w/ you.

 

Sure. There are always exceptions.

The old school person also ideally wouldn't be weight trained, even though Randy Turpin was.

 

Crawford

 

Hi Buddy
Well remember reading about Ike Williams weeks prior to his defense against our own Ronnie James, having to spend hours in one of them saunas that you are up to your neck in, then if that didn't do the trick, his handlers would flail him with hot towels, in a vain attempt to get the weight off, sounds pretty grim....
stay safe buddy, chat soon.

 

So GGG, Pacquiao, Ward, Mayweather, etc, etc aren't modern? Feels like something has gone wrong with that definition but I'll just go with it.

I don't really think there's that much in common with all boxers pre 1970s to really have a grasp on what traits count as "old school" and what traits don't. I'm pretty sure I've walked out of this thread realizing that "old school fighter" is a rather vague and pointless phrase.

So we're looking for active boxers who share some unspecified trait with boxers pre 1970?

 

So we're not looking at styles but how they manage their career and what fights they take? I feel like that's more on the system than the individual. A lot of old school fighters wouldn't go the old school route if they were around today. I should probably actually answer your question after all this time, sorry about that.

I think most of the main players at super fly fit this feeling even if they are getting old. For example Estrada has fought: Gonzalez x3, Wangek x2, Cuadras x2, Melindo, Viloria, Rodriguez, etc.

 

In my humble view, it cannot be anyone below Heavyweight, because modern fighters below Heavyweight do not compete in their normal weight classes, as the old guard did. Who does that leave me with? I am unable to think of a Heavyweight who resembles the old guard fighters. It is a different time, but I still enjoy watching them.