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You take a fighter like say, Floyd and you think about it and Floyd is a masterful enough boxer to be at or near the top in any era. Right guys?
Conversely you look at Ricky Hatton and it's hard to come to the same conclusion. He's tough but that one punch-clutch, grab-hold style wouldn't have gotten him that far in most era's. Not too mention he's a bleeder...I'm a hatton fan, but a realist, guys.
Every generation of fighters has at least a handful (and sometimes much more) of fighters that would have been first rate in any era. For instance in the 90's, Johnny Tapia, would have been a top ten contender if not champ in any era.
The difference today is that there simply aren't many fighters that stack up to the past like that. And I see two main reasons but I'm sure there are more:
1-This decade there has not been ONE genuine star developed. Think about it all the PPV's we've been presented feature fighters from the 90's and in some cases the 80's!
For God's sake we're almost 8 years into this decade and not One American and what's even stranger, not one Mexican star (maybe Juan Diaz?) has been developed. I'm talking about the kind of fighter that captures fan's imaginations.
2: Fighters simply don't fight enough anymore to develop into great fighters. Thse days 3 bouts a year is considered a busy schedule. You can train 24/7 but if you don't have an active schedule - especially as a beginner, you are not going to develop into a great fighter.
Every decade back to the 50's has seen a diminishing amounts of fights per year for individal fighters. Of course there are always exceptions but in the main this hold true.
Bottom line withough an active schecdule to gain the necessary experience no fighter is going to develop into a great one. And if you don't buy my premise name me one great fighte developed this decade.
Conversely you look at Ricky Hatton and it's hard to come to the same conclusion. He's tough but that one punch-clutch, grab-hold style wouldn't have gotten him that far in most era's. Not too mention he's a bleeder...I'm a hatton fan, but a realist, guys.
Every generation of fighters has at least a handful (and sometimes much more) of fighters that would have been first rate in any era. For instance in the 90's, Johnny Tapia, would have been a top ten contender if not champ in any era.
The difference today is that there simply aren't many fighters that stack up to the past like that. And I see two main reasons but I'm sure there are more:
1-This decade there has not been ONE genuine star developed. Think about it all the PPV's we've been presented feature fighters from the 90's and in some cases the 80's!
For God's sake we're almost 8 years into this decade and not One American and what's even stranger, not one Mexican star (maybe Juan Diaz?) has been developed. I'm talking about the kind of fighter that captures fan's imaginations.
2: Fighters simply don't fight enough anymore to develop into great fighters. Thse days 3 bouts a year is considered a busy schedule. You can train 24/7 but if you don't have an active schedule - especially as a beginner, you are not going to develop into a great fighter.
Every decade back to the 50's has seen a diminishing amounts of fights per year for individal fighters. Of course there are always exceptions but in the main this hold true.
Bottom line withough an active schecdule to gain the necessary experience no fighter is going to develop into a great one. And if you don't buy my premise name me one great fighte developed this decade.
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