Black and White syndrome

[SCtrojansbaby]

I agree (although I would include more than just Manny and Mayweather). There are two main reasons for this one: the top fighters don't fight each other. They get a belt, maybe two and then avoid each other. It's rare when a division has more than a few HofFame fighters in their prime at the same time. The result is that today the top fighters don't fight top quality opposition.

Secondly fighters don't fight as often and don't have the experience they otherwise would.

I think the top fighters not fighting each other thing is way overblown and happened some in every era. Also not fighting as often should be considered a good thing as you can't be at your best fighting 10x a year

In football and basketball and baseball everybody knows that the 70s Steelers or 60s Celtics or the 69 Mets as great as they were would not have chance against 90% of teams now. Teams now are just much bigger stronger faster because of modern science but mainly because back then sports was a part time job for the most part and you didn't train year round like athletes do now. Why are Boxing fans so late to the party?

[Barn]

I think the top fighters not fighting each other thing is way overblown and happened some in every era. Also not fighting as often should be considered a good thing as you can't be at your best fighting 10x a year

In football and basketball and baseball everybody knows that the 70s Steelers or 60s Celtics or the 69 Mets as great as they were would not have chance against 90% of teams now. Teams now are just much bigger stronger faster because of modern science but mainly because back then sports was a part time job for the most part and you didn't train year round like athletes do now. Why are Boxing fans so late to the party?

Boxing training has remained the same for around 100 years.

[bklynboy]

I think the top fighters not fighting each other thing is way overblown and happened some in every era. Also not fighting as often should be considered a good thing as you can't be at your best fighting 10x a year

No matter what you do: box, race cars, play tennis, chess or tiddly-winks you get better competing against people better than you - or at least people who push you to your limits.

Great fighters are not that common at any time and there are only so many excellent fighters at one time. Unfortunately for the last 30 years (very recent in the history of boxing) we have belt holders and not champions. It isn't a problem that there are several belts: there are 4 "Major" Championships in Golf and Tennis and every golfer and tennis pro goes after them. It's as if Tiger won one major and didnt play in any other tournament. WTF!

No it's not necessary to fight 10x a year but is 4x expecting too much?

[Marchegiano]

I'm a major fan of any boxer who's still got a standing record. Example: Archie Moore holds the knock out record 131 from 1935-1963. Well older then anyone around today, and has something one everyone period. Tyson's the youngest champ. Marciano undefeated, and single most damaging blow in all of gloved boxing. Louis's 12 year reign. You get the idea.

For me it seems like the farther back in time you look the higher man's general constitution. For example Bowen vs Burke 111 round 1893..wow..Burke broke every bone in his hands....my ****...and a little older then that you get into bare knuckle and fisticuffs. Boxing today seems whimpy albiet skilled when you compare it to the past. Probably a reflection of our adaptation to easier life.

[BigStereotype]

I think the top fighters not fighting each other thing is way overblown and happened some in every era. Also not fighting as often should be considered a good thing as you can't be at your best fighting 10x a year

In football and basketball and baseball everybody knows that the 70s Steelers or 60s Celtics or the 69 Mets as great as they were would not have chance against 90% of teams now. Teams now are just much bigger stronger faster because of modern science but mainly because back then sports was a part time job for the most part and you didn't train year round like athletes do now. Why are Boxing fans so late to the party?

It's a different sport than baseball, football and basketball. Here, there's weight classes, so they're not bigger. Well, you might have a point about heavyweight, but 160 is 160 no matter what decade we're in. As far as stronger and faster, yeah there are little nutritional tricks you can use to increase speed and strength a little bit, but there is no doubt that conditioning has gotten worse. Let's use the 40's for example. Jake LaMotta would fight about once a month. He had t ostay in shape year-round or somebody would pound him. And on top of that, the champs were fighting 15 rounders! 15 rounds every month is an absurd amount of activity for a modern-day fighter. Speed and power are big, but so are stamina, toughness and general grit. Look at the Cotto vs. Judah fight. Cotto was out-talented, for sure, but he just ground Judah down to a fine powder. Not saying that all modern day fighters are Zab Judah, far from it. Most of my favorite fighters fought within the last 30 years. But you see how superior conditioning and toughness can outwork and outhustle a superior athlete.

[Scott9945]

It's a different sport than baseball, football and basketball. Here, there's weight classes, so they're not bigger. Well, you might have a point about heavyweight, but 160 is 160 no matter what decade we're in. As far as stronger and faster, yeah there are little nutritional tricks you can use to increase speed and strength a little bit, but there is no doubt that conditioning has gotten worse. Let's use the 40's for example. Jake LaMotta would fight about once a month. He had t ostay in shape year-round or somebody would pound him. And on top of that, the champs were fighting 15 rounders! 15 rounds every month is an absurd amount of activity for a modern-day fighter. Speed and power are big, but so are stamina, toughness and general grit. Look at the Cotto vs. Judah fight. Cotto was out-talented, for sure, but he just ground Judah down to a fine powder. Not saying that all modern day fighters are Zab Judah, far from it. Most of my favorite fighters fought within the last 30 years. But you see how superior conditioning and toughness can outwork and outhustle a superior athlete.

Good comments, but one exception. 160 is not the same 160 as it was 50 years ago. Same day weigh ins made a lot of difference. In other words, middleweights (or any non heavyweights) are bigger now than they were then.

[BigStereotype]

Good comments, but one exception. 160 is not the same 160 as it was 50 years ago. Same day weigh ins made a lot of difference. In other words, middleweights (or any non heavyweights) are bigger now than they were then.

****, that's right, I forgot about same-day weigh-ins. But if both guys had to make the same weight, the same day, there wouldn't really be a huge size advantage. If you had Margarito at welterweight against, say, Basilio and a day-before weigh-in, both guys would probably come in at about 160. It's not like the times going forward have made people bigger.

[JAB5239]

I think the top fighters not fighting each other thing is way overblown and happened some in every era.

Overblown? Should we just call fighters the best who decide who they want to fight? If you aren't beating the best you can't be considered the best, thats the bottom line.

Also not fighting as often should be considered a good thing as you can't be at your best fighting 10x a year

Fighting more often proves durability, toughness and longevity. All are major attributes in determining greatness.

In football and basketball and baseball everybody knows that the 70s Steelers or 60s Celtics or the 69 Mets as great as they were would not have chance against 90% of teams now. Teams now are just much bigger stronger faster because of modern science but mainly because back then sports was a part time job for the most part and you didn't train year round like athletes do now. Why are Boxing fans so late to the party?

Most athletes are not more physically gifted than their earlier counterparts. Medical science has improved and that help. But the major factors in records being broken are PED's and better equipment along with track and field surfaces. This is a fact.

[BigStereotype]

Most athletes are not more physically gifted than their earlier counterparts. Medical science has improved and that help. But the major factors in records being broken are PED's and better equipment along with track and field surfaces. This is a fact.

I don't know if I agree with that. There are a lot of modern ATG's in sports all around. Michael Jordan wasn't on PEDs and he's the greatest ever. And look at Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. There are rules that help them break those records, but even just looking at them, you can see that they're better than most everybody else not named Montana. Maybe Unitas.

[RubenSonny]

I don't know if I agree with that. There are a lot of modern ATG's in sports all around. Michael Jordan wasn't on PEDs and he's the greatest ever. And look at Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. There are rules that help them break those records, but even just looking at them, you can see that they're better than most everybody else not named Montana. Maybe Unitas.

You know they weren't, how?