I think with boxing, you can't go about comparing it to other sports and saying all the newer fighters are better than the fighters of old.
There is one thing that Boxing requires that other sports don't (to a degree) and that is balls. Going in against someone and knowing you could get your face smashed in is a lot worse than other rough sports such as football or hockey. Not as much fear factor.
You can't go about watching a newer faster fighter and say, "wow, he'd woop this guy" and etc.
a good example is Zab Judah vs Duran.
Zab is quicker than Duran, Zab arguably has more KO pop (because of speed) than Duran. Zab fades after he gets hit once. Duran would crush him in 4 rounds and bloody his face up, yet on paper he's at an EVERYTHING disadvantage physically, aside from chin of course.
Ken Norton was an incredible athlete in his youth, he won dozens of medals and probably could have been any type of athlete he wanted to be.
Was he the best boxer? nope. Not even close.
Boxing takes more than just physical advantages. Ali liked to boast about his handspeed, but was it really that? It was more his determination and will power.
I've been ripping on Rocky lately, but it's safe to say he'd send David Haye or even Wlad home in a body bag.
Before this get's too out of hand, i'm going to list some good boxers of today that I think are a modern advancement.
Floyd Mayweather: sure he's ****y and annoying, but he was determined during his reign and he has all the modern advancements such as his incredible defense and insane handspeed.
Manny Pacquiao: look at him during his youth, he's rough and clumsy, leaves his face open but still managed to win against sharper opponents. Give him some skills and look where he is today. ( I highly suggest someone watch Pacquiao vs the japanese champion, he was only using typical boxing training, and he wasn't that fast because of it. He had power and heart however, and look where it got him)
those are 2 really good examples of how boxing HAS evolved, I think they would come out very high on the who beats who list when pitted up against fighters of yesteryear.
Every era has it's crappy fighters and good, but with every era, I think one division will produce an upgrade. Hearns and Leonard' for example, possessed handspeed nobody up untill then had ever witnessed. On top of that they both fought like warriors.
However, It's ****** to go around and say "oh this guy is bigger and faster, he would win" that logic won't work. 80% of boxing is mental.
There is one thing that Boxing requires that other sports don't (to a degree) and that is balls. Going in against someone and knowing you could get your face smashed in is a lot worse than other rough sports such as football or hockey. Not as much fear factor.
You can't go about watching a newer faster fighter and say, "wow, he'd woop this guy" and etc.
a good example is Zab Judah vs Duran.
Zab is quicker than Duran, Zab arguably has more KO pop (because of speed) than Duran. Zab fades after he gets hit once. Duran would crush him in 4 rounds and bloody his face up, yet on paper he's at an EVERYTHING disadvantage physically, aside from chin of course.
Ken Norton was an incredible athlete in his youth, he won dozens of medals and probably could have been any type of athlete he wanted to be.
Was he the best boxer? nope. Not even close.
Boxing takes more than just physical advantages. Ali liked to boast about his handspeed, but was it really that? It was more his determination and will power.
I've been ripping on Rocky lately, but it's safe to say he'd send David Haye or even Wlad home in a body bag.
Before this get's too out of hand, i'm going to list some good boxers of today that I think are a modern advancement.
Floyd Mayweather: sure he's ****y and annoying, but he was determined during his reign and he has all the modern advancements such as his incredible defense and insane handspeed.
Manny Pacquiao: look at him during his youth, he's rough and clumsy, leaves his face open but still managed to win against sharper opponents. Give him some skills and look where he is today. ( I highly suggest someone watch Pacquiao vs the japanese champion, he was only using typical boxing training, and he wasn't that fast because of it. He had power and heart however, and look where it got him)
those are 2 really good examples of how boxing HAS evolved, I think they would come out very high on the who beats who list when pitted up against fighters of yesteryear.
Every era has it's crappy fighters and good, but with every era, I think one division will produce an upgrade. Hearns and Leonard' for example, possessed handspeed nobody up untill then had ever witnessed. On top of that they both fought like warriors.
However, It's ****** to go around and say "oh this guy is bigger and faster, he would win" that logic won't work. 80% of boxing is mental.
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