Does anyone still think the old time heavyweights were too small to be competitive in the modern era?

[IronDanHamza]

Stephen “Breadman” Edwards made this comment in his Mailbag this week:


“I am glad Usyk won because I have always maintained that Ali, Louis and Holyfield would be fine in this era and many disagreed. Now that a 6’3, 225lb ex-cruiserweight is the best heavyweight of this era, my theory proves correct.”

6'3, 225 lbs.

You listed Jack Dempsey who is 190 lbs.

[BKM-]

Stephen “Breadman” Edwards made this comment in his Mailbag this week:


“I am glad Usyk won because I have always maintained that Ali, Louis and Holyfield would be fine in this era and many disagreed. Now that a 6’3, 225lb ex-cruiserweight is the best heavyweight of this era, my theory proves correct.”

Sounds like a self-important silly person to me. It's not "his" theory, and it's kind of pathetic to be glad about Usyk beating a shot Fury to prove some kind of point about size.. Secondly, he mentions these era's but has a cutoff between Holyfield and Uysk. I don't know if he has been living in a cave for the past 2 decades but plenty of smaller heavyweights that size made it to the top level and even won titles in that timeframe.

Chris Byrd 6'2 I think he was like 210-215lbs. Sultan Ibragimov and Alexander Povetkin 6'2 both around 220-230. David Haye 6'3 220-225.

There are probably more I'm forgetting. These guys were Usyk sized and 70s HW's sized. Again, who are these people claiming 70s HW's like Ali were too small? Clearly they weren't. And Holyfield even fought SuperHeavyweights in his career so it's even dumber to bring him up.

[ShoulderRoll]

Sounds like a self-important silly person to me. It's not "his" theory, and it's kind of pathetic to be glad about Usyk beating a shot Fury to prove some kind of point about size.. Secondly, he mentions these era's but has a cutoff between Holyfield and Uysk. I don't know if he has been living in a cave for the past 2 decades but plenty of smaller heavyweights that size made it to the top level and even won titles in that timeframe.

Chris Byrd 6'2 I think he was like 210-215lbs. Sultan Ibragimov and Alexander Povetkin 6'2 both around 220-230. David Haye 6'3 220-225.

There are probably more I'm forgetting. These guys were Usyk sized and 70s HW's sized. Again, who are these people claiming 70s HW's like Ali were too small? Clearly they weren't. And Holyfield even fought SuperHeavyweights in his career so it's even dumber to bring him up.

Breadman Edwards trains professional fighters currently and is a bit of a boxing historian. I don’t know that I would call him a self-important silly person.

[Willie Pep 229]

Sounds like a self-important silly person to me. It's not "his" theory, and it's kind of pathetic to be glad about Usyk beating a shot Fury to prove some kind of point about size.. Secondly, he mentions these era's but has a cutoff between Holyfield and Uysk. I don't know if he has been living in a cave for the past 2 decades but plenty of smaller heavyweights that size made it to the top level and even won titles in that timeframe.

Chris Byrd 6'2 I think he was like 210-215lbs. Sultan Ibragimov and Alexander Povetkin 6'2 both around 220-230. David Haye 6'3 220-225.

There are probably more I'm forgetting. These guys were Usyk sized and 70s HW's sized. Again, who are these people claiming 70s HW's like Ali were too small? Clearly they weren't. And Holyfield even fought SuperHeavyweights in his career so it's even dumber to bring him up.

I have to argue that the cutoff period between Holyfield and Uysk is irrelevant.

Holyfield was an ATG and at his best, dangerous to all.

In making this small man - big man argument (which I hold no opinion on), his leaving out the BOLD above, is correct.

They do not represent men who could get the job done. Holyfield may well have been able to.

I think the three men he chose were appropriate examples.

[BKM-]

I have to argue that the cutoff period between Holyfield and Uysk is irrelevant.

Holyfield was an ATG and at his best, dangerous to all.

In making this small man - big man argument (which I hold no opinion on), his leaving out the BOLD above, is correct.

They do not represent men who could get the job done. Holyfield may well have been able to.

I think the three men he chose were appropriate examples.

What ridiculous standard do you attach to the statement "getting the job done" beyond becoming world champion? Because those guys won titles. Going beyond that they would have had to defeat an ATG giant who was in prime in Wlad Klitschko and they all failed, Usyk may have failed as well. No shame in that.

Like I said, sillyness. Boxing fans can be silly. Either you're great or a bum. Either you beat an ATG for the lineal championship or your whole career is meaningless.

[them_apples]

6'3, 225 lbs.

You listed Jack Dempsey who is 190 lbs.

What about Dempsey in retirement then? Heā€™s gotta be around 220-230?

[them_apples]

You say he ramps it up to 15 miles as though he always did that but there is no indication he ever did!
You originally began by assuring us he did 15 miles daily!
Don't talk to us about honesty!

Once again I sourced it

even if we throw my post out the window

that post specifically says word for word in the final week of camp he was running 12-15 miles in hill country. And would walk another 10+ miles before bed. HeĆ¢Ā€Ā™s entering the ring being capable of running 15 miles a day (7 days exactly) and this is just going by the source.

common sense would tell you it was a gradual ramp up throughout camp. With a focus on discipline first and foremost

What part of the source even vaguely hints at it being only for one fight of his entire career?

[ShoulderRoll]

What about Dempsey in retirement then? He’s gotta be around 220-230?

Dempsey proved he could destroy bigger men by knocking out:

• 6’6”, 245 lbs Jess Willard
• 6’5”, 220 lbs Fred Fulton.
• 6’4’, 230 lbs Carl Morris

And his main sparring partner was Bill Tate, who was 6’7” and weighed between 220-240 lbs.

[IronDanHamza]

What about Dempsey in retirement then? Heās gotta be around 220-230?

What about it?

[IronDanHamza]

Dempsey proved he could destroy bigger men by knocking out:

• 6’6”, 245 lbs Jess Willard
• 6’5”, 220 lbs Fred Fulton.
• 6’4’, 230 lbs Carl Morris

And his main sparring partner was Bill Tate, who was 6’7” and weighed between 220-240 lbs.

Lots of fighters beat bigger men that doesn't prove they can beat the elite big men of the modern era like you've tried to assert they can because a much larger man in Usyk has done it.

There is nothing to suggest Jack Dempsey could beat any of the elite modern Heavyweights of the modern era weighing 185 lbs.