Are past boxers really better than current boxers?

Lewis wasn't "fat" or "shot" when he got his ass whooped by Vitali. Lewis was coming off the KO win over Tyson. In the Lewis-Tyson post fight interview Lewis stated "I'm like fine wine, I get better with age" In an interview right before the Vitali fight, Lewis said "I'm at the peak of my powers, I will keep fighting for many more years" Vitali dominated Lewis and scared him into retirement. do u have this lying around on your desk top and copy and paste it everytime? Of course Lewis was past his prime, do u realy think Tyson was much of a challenge at that time? the same Tyson that got wooped by Williams and McBride ? Tyson was well over the hill at that time and so was Lewis, but he was even worse when he fought Vitali. Lewis weighed around 110 kgs in his prime, he was about 117kgs for the Vitali fight, and that was even notable with his gut sticking out. Oh and btw i don't mind you replying to me, but next time you do, please have the decency to post me something original.

Vitali Klitschko vs Lennox Lewis THE TRUTH Vitali took the fight on just 10 days notice. because bull**** ever invented/claimed by klitorises. 1. vitali was suppose to fight on the undercard. he was properly trained and in shape. 2. if vitali took it on 10 days notice. then so did lewis , you stupid faggot. both vitali and lennox was suppose to fight different opponents that night. when kirk johnson got hurt lewis okayed vitali to fill in for kirk johnson. if anything , lennox deserved more credit for that.

I won't claim to have a vast knowledge of the fighters of the past, but from what I've seen, there were more quality fighters around, especially at the top. When I watch older fights, more often than not, I say to myself how skilled the fighters were, more so than they are now and there seemed to be a greater level of competition from what I've seen and read. You can take this for what you will, but if you were to compile a list of the top fighters during the early 80s it would like something like this: Hagler, Leonard, Duran, Sanchez, Gomez, Hearns, Arguello, Spinks, Holmes, Chandler, Zapata, Chang, Benitez, etc. Just my take. Agreed, I remember discussing something with you about how Martinez would fair in the early 90s middleweight division.

I won't claim to have a vast knowledge of the fighters of the past, but from what I've seen, there were more quality fighters around, especially at the top. When I watch older fights, more often than not, I say to myself how skilled the fighters were, more so than they are now and there seemed to be a greater level of competition from what I've seen and read. You can take this for what you will, but if you were to compile a list of the top fighters during the early 80s it would like something like this: Hagler, Leonard, Duran, Sanchez, Gomez, Hearns, Arguello, Spinks, Holmes, Chandler, Zapata, Chang, Benitez, etc. Just my take.

And most importantly, there were just more fighters and the sport was more popular compared to other big sports than it is today. Theres just no substitute for having better athletes in your sport. Vitamins or no vitamins. Exactly. That isn't saying there are not good fighters today, there was just more of them when boxing was considered a major sport.

And most importantly, there were just more fighters and the sport was more popular compared to other big sports than it is today. Theres just no substitute for having better athletes in your sport. Vitamins or no vitamins.

I generally believe most past fighters would lose to the current ones just because of the training, vitamins, and other training regimens. The sport has evolved a bit. And its hard to say if the fighters in the past had the same tools/resources the fighters do now adays they'd beat the current crop. Fighters of the past fought more often and more rounds. What training methods and vitamins are better tools for mastering your trade than that? And for the most part there was only 1 world title in many less weight classes making competition for it that much tougher.

Vitamins, as in actually legally manufactured sports drinks and nutrients. I don't want to get into the steroid. Hi tech training, yes I mean the likes of altitude chambers, weight training facilities, hyberolic chambers, etc. what kind of vitamins would you be lacking from a wellrounded diet that would have an impact on how great you perform? Weight training facilities? People have been able to squat and deadlift for a long time now. altitude chambers could be of help tho i don't know how much and i don't think many fighters at all uses it. Maybe the incorporation of drinking pee?

i think those past generations were from a tougher stock than ours in everyway. sure some of todays fighters could beat past fighters but i think it would lean towards past victor's. duran is the only one out of the 4 horsemen from the 80s that pac or may have a chance against. leonard, hearns, and hagler all win by ko easily.

Is vitamins code for steroids? Or are you actually suggesting actual vitamins would make any major difference as to the quality of the athlete? And what are these high tech training facilities you guys speak of? Like altitude chambers?

they can't even beat all the heavyweights in this era. you know they're not undefeated right? lol schooled

They had more balls and thats not debatable.

I generally believe most past fighters would lose to the current ones just because of the training, vitamins, and other training regimens. The sport has evolved a bit. And its hard to say if the fighters in the past had the same tools/resources the fighters do now adays they'd beat the current crop. I believe this. Just like any other sport - records are being beaten all the time. Athletes can run faster, jump higher, have more endurance, etc than previous generations. We've made a lot of improvements and scientific breakthroughs in health and nutrition.

For the most part yes they are,but I believe you can throw some new school guys in the mix that whould have been greats no matter when they fought..But you got to say they wore smaller gloves fought longer rds,and everyone came to win..Nowa days ya got guy's coming in to collect pay checks,fighting bums yr after yr to pad their records..B.S. belts to help them duck good comp in their own weight classes..I think fighters of yesterday are better,but I also think that time period was better for boxing..Just my two cents.. This sums it up nicely for me.

Yes. Back in the day, boxing was more popular around the world and expcially in the US and you would have more athletes competitng. Also there were only 8 weight divisions and 1 title, sp you had to earn a title.

there is no "roberto duran or something" theres only one manos de piedra lets go through it growing up similarly to pacquiao, even going so far as to have to swim across a river for food in his youth (according to somebody on the forum,) he entered the pros as a bantamweight, 20 lbs north of the weight at which pacquiao was reported to weigh (98 lbs according to his 60 minutes interview) within two years he had grown into a lightweight, where he would dominate for almost a decade, building a hall of fame resume at lightweight alone and then he moved up to WW and beat SUGAR RAY LEONARD by outboxing and outpunching him in one of the highest level and most aesthetically pleasing boxing displays you will ever see from two legends in their primes if you don't know much about sugar ray leonard you probably think he was some feather fisted boxer mover he wasn't. he was a true WW with muscles and big bones. 5'10 or so, 74 inch reach, physically larger than margarito and every bit as strong with much cleaner, crisper, and harder punches he'd pick manny apart and probably stop him late and far beyond his best weights, when duran's discipline was in question, he still earned some great wins // had great performances he won in the fight of the year in 89 against iran barkley (a guy manny pacquiao and bob arum wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole) he took punches that would end manny's career he threw punches that would end manny's career he could be slick he was a very good counter puncher as New England Patriot Chad Ochocinco would say kind sir, please. I wasn't just talking about Roberto Duran vs Pacquiao. That was just an example. That's why I said "...or something." I just didn't want to write down all the list of potential fights, Ali vs Wlad, SSR vs May, this guy vs that guy, etc.

There are catch 22's in both arguments. Fighters have better equipment & scientific components on there side now.They have an entire day to rehydrate,more weight classes,12 round championship fights.Get more money,are allowed to pick & choose. Fighters from years past had 15 or more rounds to fight.less rest time. Same day weight in. Less money. less scientific components. Usually didn't duck & less weight classes. I think fighters from yesteryear were definately mentally stronger, while current fighters are physically stronger. But if you took Duran on his prime & fastforwards to now, with the scientific tech of today,next day weight ins & 12 rounds of championship fights & more weight classes, there is absolutely no way that Pacman beats him. add smaller gloves, and smelling salts to the list for the old fighters and refs that wouldn't stop a fight until a man was near death did i mention smelling salts :theyareon

I feel like everyone believes that fighter from the past would DESTROY the fighters of the present. I don't understand why people would find it so far fetched to believe that Manny Pacquiao would win against Roberto Duran or something. I, for one, believe that Roberto Duran would beat Manny Pacquiao. But, if someone were to tell me that Pacquiao would beat Duran, I wouldn't find it all that shocking or far fetched. I mean, isn't it natural that as the sport goes on, fighters evolve? Not just the fighters, but the training as well. If a fighter back then ran 5 miles everyday, wouldn't it be natural for a fighter today to run a little more as the standard for the "best" continues to grow? Or if someone, back then sparred for 15 rounds, today, they have people sparring 40 rounds straight, with fresh opponents every 2 rounds (or something crazy like that). Back then, being champion was everything. Now, being champion doesn't mean anything. They have to create a "Pound for Pound" title now because the word "champion" means nothing in boxing. So as fighters are going for the P4P title instead of being a normal "champion", is it so hard to believe that current fighters are more evolved, better conditioned, and created better and more useful techniques than the fighters in the past? there is no "roberto duran or something" theres only one manos de piedra lets go through it growing up similarly to pacquiao, even going so far as to have to swim across a river for food in his youth (according to somebody on the forum,) he entered the pros as a bantamweight, 20 lbs north of the weight at which pacquiao was reported to weigh (98 lbs according to his 60 minutes interview) within two years he had grown into a lightweight, where he would dominate for almost a decade, building a hall of fame resume at lightweight alone and then he moved up to WW and beat SUGAR RAY LEONARD by outboxing and outpunching him in one of the highest level and most aesthetically pleasing boxing displays you will ever see from two legends in their primes if you don't know much about sugar ray leonard you probably think he was some feather fisted boxer mover he wasn't. he was a true WW with muscles and big bones. 5'10 or so, 74 inch reach, physically larger than margarito and every bit as strong with much cleaner, crisper, and harder punches he'd pick manny apart and probably stop him late and far beyond his best weights, when duran's discipline was in question, he still earned some great wins // had great performances he won in the fight of the year in 89 against iran barkley (a guy manny pacquiao and bob arum wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole) he took punches that would end manny's career he threw punches that would end manny's career he could be slick he was a very good counter puncher as New England Patriot Chad Ochocinco would say kind sir, please.

With the likes of Hopkins and Tarver around the past boxer are destroying the modern ones.

Not necessary. The past usually has an idyllic aura around it. That's the reason why people find it so far fetched to believe that a current boxer would destroy a past boxer.