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This question is old in the sense that it doesn't need to be asked anymore.
My short answer is definitely not. Modern fighters have the advantages of modern medicine and nutritional knowledge, and that's it. Fighters in the past were part of a deeper talent pool, worked harder, were more active as fighters, and were required to have higher conditioning. These days, despite the advances of medicine and science, fighters at the elite level get away with fighting very few times a year, and probably 1/10 of them actually maintains fighting shape year round. Even all else considered equal, the talent pool disparity is a huge factor. There are less fighters, less trainers, less truly knowledgable trainers, and less competition. It doesn't take a scientist to determine from that alone, that a smaller talent pool means it takes less to make it to the top, and it takes less to succeed at all levels. The lack of boxing knowledge passed on by trainers and masters, and the overall lesser knowledge many "trainers" have today means fighters learn less and less is required of them to "qualify" to enter the ring, to win at the AM level, to become pro, to challenge for a title, etc etc.
In summary, boxing is the only sport I know of that is moving backwards in that aspect, unlike sports like Basketball or Baseball, which you could argue and support the exact opposite.
Would Babe Ruth be effective in todays MLB? doubtful. On the other hand, Barry Bonds would be the GOAT in any era. Why? Rule changes, a smaller league, less talent, (Ruth didnt' even play against African Americans or latinos) among other things.
On the other hand, you would never convince me that fighters like Floyd, Pac, RJJ, or Wlad would have the same success in the golden era of boxing. The odds are just to great against them. Floyd for example would of had to clear through 48 fighters in much, much less time, and he wouldn't have been able to challenge for a title so early, and even if he did win it, he would have multiple defenses the same year. There is no guarantee he wouldn't be undefeated, but the chances of it are much, much, much slimmer. Wlad especially, he would be a club fighter in the past, the talent pool in the HW division was much larger and richer, despite the greater average size of HW today.
My short answer is definitely not. Modern fighters have the advantages of modern medicine and nutritional knowledge, and that's it. Fighters in the past were part of a deeper talent pool, worked harder, were more active as fighters, and were required to have higher conditioning. These days, despite the advances of medicine and science, fighters at the elite level get away with fighting very few times a year, and probably 1/10 of them actually maintains fighting shape year round. Even all else considered equal, the talent pool disparity is a huge factor. There are less fighters, less trainers, less truly knowledgable trainers, and less competition. It doesn't take a scientist to determine from that alone, that a smaller talent pool means it takes less to make it to the top, and it takes less to succeed at all levels. The lack of boxing knowledge passed on by trainers and masters, and the overall lesser knowledge many "trainers" have today means fighters learn less and less is required of them to "qualify" to enter the ring, to win at the AM level, to become pro, to challenge for a title, etc etc.
In summary, boxing is the only sport I know of that is moving backwards in that aspect, unlike sports like Basketball or Baseball, which you could argue and support the exact opposite.
Would Babe Ruth be effective in todays MLB? doubtful. On the other hand, Barry Bonds would be the GOAT in any era. Why? Rule changes, a smaller league, less talent, (Ruth didnt' even play against African Americans or latinos) among other things.
On the other hand, you would never convince me that fighters like Floyd, Pac, RJJ, or Wlad would have the same success in the golden era of boxing. The odds are just to great against them. Floyd for example would of had to clear through 48 fighters in much, much less time, and he wouldn't have been able to challenge for a title so early, and even if he did win it, he would have multiple defenses the same year. There is no guarantee he wouldn't be undefeated, but the chances of it are much, much, much slimmer. Wlad especially, he would be a club fighter in the past, the talent pool in the HW division was much larger and richer, despite the greater average size of HW today.
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