Why no more 180-199lb boxers with extraordinary punching power?

And someone claims I am why the grand old posters left this forum.

Seriously, gentlemen, this is the most boring discussion in the history of the internet.

 

Bob foster was known to be a heavy handed fighter. But I think your question goes deeper than thay, I think they used to put more emphasis what fighters traits were back in the day, whether they had great power, speed, footwork, stamina or punch resistance was all more documented than today, or maybe it's that most fighters today tend to balance themselves out being a jack of all trades but masters of none.

 

Hitting on bigger opponents?

 

It does address your post.

All the cruisers come in at 210 to 215 so they wont be outweighed as they fight other cruisers.

185 to 199 isn't a desirable weight any fighter wants to enter the ring at anymore.

 

Guys from the 1940-1960's often used 6 or 8 ounce gloves. These are puncher's gloves! Today light heavies and cruisers often use 10 or 12 ounce gloves, which takes something off the impact and slows the velocity just a tad.

 

You nailed it. 185 is a light heavy after he rehydrates. There is something called a best weight. If your best weight is 185-199 are now small cruisers.

Also guys are getting a little taller. You don't see many short light heavies at the top.

 

Because your sample group doesn't exist in today's climate. No Cruisers weigh 180-199 anymore.

Some light heavies fall into that range, like Kovalev 181-189, but he isn't matched the same way light heavies of the past was.

The heavyweight division where there is most potential for weight discrepancy now has a 200 pound requirement and the weight of the division tends to trend because nobody wants their man to be the smallest in every bout. Anyone turning pro at Heavyweight now and looking to contend will weigh at least 220.

Even Povetkin got "fattend" up some 20 pounds between the 2004 Olympics and his 2005 Pro Debut.

 

Yes, look at Denis Lebedev. At 25, he was likely weighing 180 or lighter in the ring. I have little doubt he could KO a 220 pound man if given the opportunity.

Recall, Adamek vs Banks. Banks was supposedly 215-220 in that fight with Adamek not gaining much after the weigh in at 199.

 

Pretty sure he meant the more modern little men are hitting bigger opponents. Could be wrong.

 

This.

 

Contemporary studies with pressure sensors, show that smaller gloves, make almost no difference to the power of the punch.

But, and there is a but.....

The smaller gloves made it a lot easier to thread a punch through a gap in the guard.

This could be a big advantage for a smaller fighter.

Also the quality of the padding on the older gloves was more dubious, and got displaced a lot more readily.