Does size matter in HW boxing?

[whdempsey]

Yes, size matters. But size is like the spunginess of the canvas, it's only important if the fighters make it important. It can be as much of a disadvatnage as an advantage. If you need proof look at Dempsey knocking out Willard, or Louis knocking out Baer. Then look at Dempsey versus Tunney and Louis versus Farr. They had far more trouble with guys their own size than they did with really big fighters. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, the best heavyweights have almost all been about 215 or less.

As for Valuev, I won't bother arguing with you Panzergirl, but I will say this: He's not that good. This isn't basketball, and being 7'2" does not make you a great fighter. It seems to have made him slow and clumsy though.

[oldgringo]

Panzerboy gets banned...and now we have to deal with Panzergirl. Both equally ******ed. Both equally blind when it comes to boxing. Neither can talk about anything besides non-American HW boxing...hmmm very interesting.

[oldgringo]

With the exception of LL, Foreman and Holmes, the greatest HW's were relatively small and quick. Size is only effective when the fighter can utilize his size and can use other resources outside of his size advantage.

[Panzergirl]

Panzerboy gets banned...and now we have to deal with Panzergirl. Both equally ******ed. Both equally blind when it comes to boxing. Neither can talk about anything besides non-American HW boxing...hmmm very interesting.

shut up! dont mention Panzerboy, if his friend and fellow think-tank members Panzerdude and Panzerguy gets wind of this, youll be in hellotrouble!

[dempseyfire]

And Foreman and Holmes at their peak were 210-220, which would be considered 'a small HW' nowadays . . . . . even though Foreman's stamina, considered lacking when he was fighting, would top any HW of today save maybe Byrd . . . .

[whdempsey]

Oldgringo and dempseyfire are right on. The only great, super-sized heavyweight has been Lennox Lewis, and he's not even in my top five. Foreman and Holmes were not huge - well, Foreman was tall and strong, but he was only 225 at his peak, much like Holmes - but they were larger than most of the great heavyweights. Of course, Foreman in his second career was pretty heavy, but we're not talking about a rock-solied fighter at that point, and Holmes in his over the hill days was pretty damn heavy, but those weren't their physical peaks. Anyway, we're still right.

[Neuraxis]

If it didn't then the more skilled boxers at lower division like LHW and CW would come up and dominate it much more often.

[oldgringo]

If it didn't then the more skilled boxers at lower division like LHW and CW would come up and dominate it much more often.

There are a good number of boxers that are coming up and having success (not dominating but having success)

Holyfield
Moorer
Byrd
Toney (hopefully still hasn't proven anything really)
Braithewaite (I think big truck can make the jump and be successful...his skills are a bit underrated IMO)

[Neuraxis]

There are a good number of boxers that are coming up and having success (not dominating but having success)

Holyfield
Moorer
Byrd
Toney (hopefully still hasn't proven anything really)
Braithewaite (I think big truck can make the jump and be successful...his skills are a bit underrated IMO)

I'll give you the first three. I agree with you about Toney, and I am undecided about Braithewaite. So that's basically 3 over the past twenty years. And then there are all of the failed attempts like Juan Carlos Gomez and Jirov. All in all the percent of fighters from lower divisions who succussfully make the jump to heavyweight is not very good at all.

[oldgringo]

Michael Spinks also had success at HW. There aren't insane numbers but the real deal HW's are all between 210-220 in general.