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The thing is, if you take that all into consideration, how much of an advantage do you give modern fighters? And how can you really know how much of an advantage they have? What if you over gage the advantage? It will throw everything off. I don't think it's as big a factor as some people might think. In boxing you still need to know how to fight, have a good chin, and be dedicated to be an outstanding fighter. I think just for the fact that the heavyweight division isn't in that great of shape shows what I'm saying is true. Where's all the Mike Tysons and Evander Holyfields? There's a big motivating factor for everyone to be a non stoppable machine (MONEY) but we still don't see any evidence that modern medicine, nutrition, and training have a huge advantage. Don't get me wrong, there may be advantages but I think when taking that into consideration you can't over gage it because you'll short change some of our modern fighters that were very good regardless. I think the best example of this modern advantage would be Holyfield when he went up in weight from Cruiser to Heavy. I wouldn't count Tyson because he looked like that at 15. And this isn't any kind of an argument against you (yet lol) it's just where I stand on the subject. I'm not really sure where you stand on it though. For me, it's hard to classify Marciano, Dempsey, and Johnson with other champions because of special circumstances from those times that made them who they are. If we get into all that, this thread will get out of hand. I think we should wait until right thread comes up and then duke it out there.
LOL
LOLAlot of the guys in the past had good amateur experience prior to turning pro but nowadays the division is so...welll, ****ty...that any heavy with a decent pro can turn pro and make some $$$$.
But as far as matching eras, I do it for one reason. To take the huge weight advantages out of the picture. That alone should tell us how advanced alot of things have become because weight has gone up across the board. Guys are bigger, just a part of evolution in modern society.
However, to back to what I was saying..I don't touch the reach advantages or height..but I do downplay the weight issue and base it more on the fighters overall skill-level and the things I have seen.
Of course, if you take Marciano from 1952 and put him in 2007 he's going to look puny. Look at far training and nutrition alone have come. I just think it is more fair to base fighters on skill level alone instead of factoring in the whole weight issue..otherwise the matchups would be no fun. Everyone does it differently, I just prefer it that way.
Move along, nothing to see here.
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