Would modern Deontay Wilder be too small for the 80s/90s HW divison?

Lewis`s chin wasn`t any heavier than Wilder when he was knocked out by McCall who wasn`t big at all and Wilder has a punch as hard as McCall`s there wasn`t any heavyweight in the 90`s that punched harder than Wilder.

 

Are you comparing Wilder to Wlad? There wasn`t any other heavy in 2013 that could of troubled Wilder! What stage/state was Vitali in at that point? How old was Byrd at that point?

 

Boxing is divided into weight classes in the interest of competition as weight is the best indicator of size. This doesn't mean that size advantages can't and don't exist between opponents fighting in the same division. Jarrett Hurd enjoys huge physical advantages at 154lbs, for example.

Boxing like life itself isn't completely fair. Weight divisions don't take into account the distribution of the participants weight so lean mean fighting machines like the Charlo twins, at least in my view, boast a more optimal build over say Advantil Khurtsidze. Thats not to say the stockier fighter can't overcome this perceived disadvantage but all else being equal (experience, pedigree, form, condition, age, etc) the longer, taller guy is generally more fit for purpose.

Deontay Wilder clearly belongs to the so called "Superheavyweights" whether he got the flu and boiled down to Joe Louis weight or not. The big gangly freak is 6'7" and is ultra lean with matchstick legs and as others have mentioned he weighed in considerably heavier in most other bouts. I reckon the reason Wilder keeps his weight down is tactical, he is very evasive so by keeping as trim as possible while still retaining energy he can conserve by dipping in and out before unleasing that freak right hand when his opponent is tiring. They say don't judge a book by its cover but I also get the impression from Wilder's panic and evasiveness that he doesn't have the the sturdiest chin in the world.

Despite that last paragraph I have always been pretty high on Wilder, even pre-Ortiz (who I also rated and gave DW huge credit for facing)) and his prospects. I do think Joshua will wreck him, KO'ing him early-mid rounds. Other than AJ though I fancy Wilder to eventually catch any of the other HW's in come from behind KO victories. I would also favour him over a plethora of past champions given his athleticism, size and single shot power from that ridiculous right hand.

 

Morrison? He weren`t a super heavy and couldn`t deal with Lewis`s reach and power and was knocked out by a smaller heavyweight in the form of Mercer and some other bum knocked him out also. Bruno wasn`t any heavier than Wilder in a number of his fights, he was stopped by a small flabby Witherspoon and an out of shape Tyson who only weighed around 220lbs. Tucker did not punch as hard as Wilder but could take better punches. Briggs was crap and too open he would be knocked out by Wilder except the way he came out against Lewis like a wild man might have panicked the tentative Wilder so it would who lands first. Grant couldn`t take a shot. Golota was wide open and got knocked out by a 220lbs Tyson was way past his best and didn`t do well when he had to fight a big heavyweight in the form of Lewis he did better against a badly faded Bowe, who was overweight in their first fight but weighed about the same as Wilder in the rematch. McCall was dire but could take a super heavies punched very well so he could win, I feel any fighter with a good chin has a great shot at beating Wilder. Holmes didn`t look that big and his body wasn`t built as strong as Wilder`s it was soft, I don`t think his biceps were as big as Wilders he didn`t do strength work like Wilder does, in fact I think Holy and Tyson in the 90`s were the two fighters that started power lifting and strength training in their camps, which actually ruined Tyson by taking away his hand speed. Ruddock was punched around and decked by a smaller Tyson and Morrison who didn`t weigh that much, also when Lewis knocked Ruddock out he weighed a lot less than in his second Title reign.

 

Guess I'll throw my two cents in.

I need to address something. What is with the aversion to analysing where power comes from in particularly powerful strikers? They call it sweet science but whenever anyone comes that doesn't adhere to it's predetermination rather than analyze it most of boxing demonizes it for what it isn't. The idea that power is something you're born with is absurd. It's like saying you believe in magic muscles are some such similar. It's about the most unscientific adage that's ever been tossed around by fans and the industry. I don't believe in magic people. I don't believe power is something you're born with.

That said studying where the power comes from in boxing terms or from boxing authorities is kind of hard because they all want to explain where power comes from for standard boxers. You get these case studies here and there where people make logical conclusion but they have no boxing credentials. I myself am a medical professional. I can explain where I think the power comes from and what the difference is between very powerful punchers and your average boxer's punch but again I lack boxing credentials and the thing about science is most of it is based off gorgeous math that doesn't hold up to real world tests. Stupid science bitches say this every day " We expected X because the math and got Y when we ran the test". So even though being a medical professional, prosthetics to be direct, sounds good I have good reason to hold my own opinion with a grain of salt.

Jack Dempsey's book is about the only thing that explains what I reckon is the key to really just absurdly hard punching. When he's talking about the powerline I know that as kinetic chains. If you know powerline punching you know exactly what I'm talking about. There's a difference in hitting a man hard enough to hurt them and hitting a man as hard as your body possibly can.

I don't think Wilder is screwing around when he says he's a throwback. He baits, he has patience, he takes up dangerous posture, he offers dangerous position, he studies his opponent's attack patterns and tries to get his man out of their when they open up to hit him because he knows they're throwing just enough to hurt while he's throwing an instant sleeper. I'm pretty sure he get his power from kinetic chains or have a really pure powerline and if I'm even close to right then I'm pretty sure he's one of the best to ever do it in gloved boxing history....I guess the nature of his KOs kind of already proved that though.

edit- Yes....I'm saying yes I believe he's viable despite the weight difference because his power is pretty awesome and that always has to be respected. I believe Marciano's viable as well so a grain of salt I reckon. Boxing fans put more into weight and weight class than I see in kinesiology actually playing much of a difference.


For example, Marciano's hands are tiny and his thighs are about as thick as SHWs. That's like a ball-peen hammer on a rocket....it'll hurt. George Foreman's got giant hands that displace a lot of energy. You're going to feel his power differently and he has to generate more raw energy to get the same amount of damage....theoretically. Kind of like curved blades vs straight. Weight behind the curve is ideal but a heavy straight blade in not cutting deeper than light curved unless you put more force behind the heavy than you do the light. The heavy, both back to George and in the sword analogy has more potential energy to spare so in my head they about round out. George needs to put in more energy just like lifting a heavy sword requires more energy but once put in the potential energy works out to about the same.

 

There were boys at my school who could naturally knock a house down, it was the same in my kick box class.

 

I think you've misunderstood me. I'm not saying naturally powerful punchers don't exist I'm saying we can study, identify, and define where their power comes from.

 

Marciano's fist is measured in various tale of the tapes as 11.5/12inches the same size as Walcott's and several others. His thigh was 22", the same size as Dempsey's who was considered to have pretty slim legs .The size of fists or legs do not dictate how hard anyone hits no more than the size of biceps do There are skinny ,string bean guys who hit like hell and there always has been,and there are boxers who look like Bob Sapp who couldn't break and egg and they have always been with us.
Bob Foster,and Archie Moore are two of the hardest hitting 175 pounders of all time and they are physically exact opposites.
GGG is probably the hardest punching 160 pounder around ,he is of average build for a middle Julian Jackson had neither big fists or big thighs, did anyone ever hit harder at the weight? Wilder has two sticks! Graziano was a small middle who hit a ton.Tommy Hearns had the legs of a stork any welter hit harder? How about Arguello, Saddler ,Jenkins ,Zarate,Wilde ? Truth is no one knows how or why some guys can generate such power and any attempt to intellectualise it with terms like kinetic chains and curved swords is just so much bull**** and those propagating it are pissing into the wind.

 

Exactly!

 

Wilder probably hits harder than any heavyweight in the 80s and 90s despite being so skinny. He also has great hand speed and quick feet.

So in terms of size it would be no problem.

However tall technically sound fighters like Lewis and Bowe would probably be too much for him to handle.

 

Because punchers are born not made.

 

You still looking for work?

 

Oliver McCall was big even by his measurables, 6-2, 240, 82" reach. And the funny thing is, he is even bigger in person.

 

He looks plenty big to me.