heres why comparing past greats to todays is nearly impossible.. MUST READ

[Derranged]

Why is the focus of this article on Mayweather??

It might have something to do with him calling himself "TBE".

[Boxing Goat]

Question:

Would anyone survive a power punch from Wladimir with the gloves they wore in say, 1910?

I just can't see it.

The guy starches guys with the modern day pillows, imagine what he would do with like an MMA size glove.

That's ridiculous.

[soul_survivor]

Boxing, until 1920 or so, was illegal. So that made it difficult as well. I break up boxing periods into the following three sections. The dates are approximate as there is no clear demarcation.

pre 1920 (illegal, official scorecards, neutral corner)
1920-1980
1980-present (multiple title orders).

1980 is generally when multiple belts became the norm.

multiple title belts were around long before 1980, read this:

http://slipthejab.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/320/

This myth that there has always been general consensus to who the champion was in a division pre the modern age is just wrong. Of course, since teh edition of the IBF in the 80s and then the WBO and then extra weight divisions and the nsuper, interim, gold, silver, marmaduke belts, champions per weight division have gotten out of hand.

Question:

Would anyone survive a power punch from Wladimir with the gloves they wore in say, 1910?

I just can't see it.

The guy starches guys with the modern day pillows, imagine what he would do with like an MMA size glove.

That's ridiculous.

oh ffs, not eveyrthing has to do with the klits, get over it

[bklynboy]

Question:

Would anyone survive a power punch from Wladimir with the gloves they wore in say, 1910?

I just can't see it.

The guy starches guys with the modern day pillows, imagine what he would do with like an MMA size glove.

That's ridiculous.

Gloves don't protect the chin of the person being hit. It protects the hands of the person throwing the punch. Gloves prevents a lot of cuts but it doesn't prevent brain trauma (concussion). If heavyweights were using gloves from the 1910s they would be breaking their hands much more often if they were using the same techniques they use now.

[bklynboy]

multiple title belts were around long before 1980, read this:

http://slipthejab.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/320/

This myth that there has always been general consensus to who the champion was in a division pre the modern age is just wrong. Of course, since teh edition of the IBF in the 80s and then the WBO and then extra weight divisions and the nsuper, interim, gold, silver, marmaduke belts, champions per weight division have gotten out of hand.


oh ffs, not eveyrthing has to do with the klits, get over it

I'm not saying there was only title holders between 1920 (or so) and 1980 (or so). But in those 60 years there were relatively few instances where there was much dispute and very little time where people "sat" on their belts and didn't fight. Cus D'Amato talks about how he avoided Sonny Liston for as long as possible (he was managing Floyd Patterson). You go and look at Patterson's record and you see an 18 mth period (and one fight) between the Johansson and Liston fights.

I like the article and it clearly shows that there were points of contention (especially when fraud was suspected or there was inactivity on the part of the champion). It's true that the NY Athletic Commission disagreed (perhaps competed with the NBA). Were there points of contention? Yes. Were there times where they were multiple crowns? Yes. But the situation was way different than today.

Case in point. Who's the LightHeavy champion? Stevenson or Kovalev? Who's the Middleweight champion? Today (for the last 20 years) we rarely, if ever, have a division champion. Often times the best fighters in a division don't fight each other - each are protecting their own belt.

Imagine if Fullmer never fought Robinson and each held a "belt" proclaiming themselves the WBA/WBO/IBF/whatever middleweight champion. That didn't happen. (Can we point out exceptions to the rule. Yes). Today we have champions who don't fight each other (Pac and Mayweather) each with their own fanclubs saying their fighter is the GOAT.

[Ray Corso]

You evaluate boxers style and form by understanding Methods & Techniques not looking at gloves or titles or records, that's for the fans to see and cackle over!

Watching how a fighter moves and sets up punches and delivers and then finishes tells you what type of talent he has. You have to know what your looking at to decide, that's why fans don't decide which fighter to sign to a promotion company. Fans don't know **** about the actual art form!!!

Sorry but you don't!!! Ray.

[StefanTosic]

Yes indeed, nothing new is said but still great article and great argument to be used against today's boxers groupies when their idols claim that they are "the best ever"

The main difference between old time champs and modern champs is that old time champs were undisputed and modern champs are only partial champs.

Great explanation

[jack p]

[QUOTE=Boxing Goat;14719958]Question:

Would anyone survive a power punch from Wladimir with the gloves they wore in say, 1910?

I just can't see it.

The guy starches guys with the modern day pillows, imagine what he would do with like an MMA size glove.

That's ridiculous.[/QU


Wladimir hit no harder then Willard or Carnera..that's because they were just as strong as him..Don't believe it?? Well believe it..Willard was a circus strongman ..He killed a man with a uppercut..He probably punched harder then Wladimir....When a guy like Dempsey punched it was an act of moving his bodyweight..So he would launch his body forward with his fist in front..Every punch is like dropping a 190 ibs on the top of your head..Thats a pure punch..The Klitschkos are impure punchers..They are unable to launch their body weight because they don't have the strength to keep their balance that causes impure punching..When Dempsey fought Willard he was at his peak as a fighter..His body was moving like lightning....Even though
Willard was a lot bigger and stronger then him he was unable to take a 190 lbs constantly being dropped on him..
We did see Wladimir fight back then.

Actually we saw a version of Wladimir that was every bit as good but with the advantage of being able to take a punch easily 5 times what Wladimir can take today!!
We saw those punches of Sanders that took Wladimir out..They wouldn't have taken Willard out...Outside of a ring like a no glove anything goes
fight...Guys like Klitschko's would twist a 200lb guys head off..But gloved against a 200lb guy that knows how to move their bodyweight fast like a Dempsey ..They get starched like Willard and all those 6'4"-6'6
250lb+ white hopes Dempsey starched on his way to the top...It was
fast moving little guys that were not as strong as Dempsey who could beat him..Sanders was nowhere near Wladimirs strength Yet I never seen a fighter get owned like Sanders owned him..Wladimir will always be Sander's little *****..he was helpless

[Mick6]

Gloves don't protect the chin of the person being hit. It protects the hands of the person throwing the punch. Gloves prevents a lot of cuts but it doesn't prevent brain trauma (concussion). If heavyweights were using gloves from the 1910s they would be breaking their hands much more often if they were using the same techniques they use now.

Tell that to Maidana fans!

[Mick6]

comparing old fighters to new fighters is like comparing Wilt Chamberlin to Shaq...or Babe Ruth to Barry Bonds..2 different eras but all were great in their eras period

I disagree somewhat with this. Boxing may be about the only sport you can try to do fantasy matchups because it's all based on weight. If you can fight you can do it against any era against someone the same size. I guess the only advantage today's fighters might have are advanced training and diet techniques but it's not like the older eras didn't train. I do respect the old timers a hell of lot more because they would all fight each other. Also, I have no idea how prevalent PEDs are among today's fighters. You guys who actually box or train could shed some light on this.