Does competition in boxing breed weakness?

[R.Winky Wright]

What era of boxing was the most competitive? I would say the 70's. If I'm not mistaken many great trainers even Emanuel Steward (who trains Wlad) said for a boxer to become great they need good competition. So with that in mind... can we question how good a fighter is based on the level of competition?

[The_Demon]

ye the 70's-hands down (the HW division especially)

[mickey malone]

What era of boxing was the most competitive? I would say the 70's. If I'm not mistaken many great trainers even Emanuel Steward (who trains Wlad) said for a boxer to become great they need good competition. So with that in mind... can we question how good a fighter is based on the level of competition?

Absolutely... That's how I rate fighters..
And correct.... The 70's Rocked...

[sylvestersweet]

Yeah, that's probably why Larry Holmes isn't really considered an ATG.

[mickey malone]

Yeah, that's probably why Larry Holmes isn't really considered an ATG.

Only in your book mate...
Holmes fought throughout most of the 70's, finished the career of Ali, & has always been at no3 on my ATG HW's list...

[MANGLER]

I seen plenty of old school fights from past decades and done a ****load of readin on it. It's just hard to truly gauge it accurately if you didn't actually live thru it tho. I only been here thru the last 3 decades, so I won't try to say for fact which era in boxing was more competitive. But old school gr8s are highly praised so much cuz it was tougher then. $ wasn't as big, 15 rd fights, less alphabet belts allowin guys easier routes to success, less weight classes, more active schedules.

Every fighter lives off of his opponents names for the most part. Of course quality of opposition is key to judgin a fighter's gr8ness. Guys like RJ and Bhop are slight exceptions. Even tho both mos def beat their share of names, they're best known for long reigns where they owned all the ranked challengers, tho not all of em were superstars.

[talip bin osman]

What era of boxing was the most competitive? I would say the 70's. If I'm not mistaken many great trainers even Emanuel Steward (who trains Wlad) said for a boxer to become great they need good competition. So with that in mind... can we question how good a fighter is based on the level of competition?

its difficult to say in general... but as far as weightclasses go,

the 90s middleweight landscape was oozing with talented guys...

nunn, barkley, mcclellan, benn, toney, olajide, kalambay...

not to mention lennox lewis & his contemporaries @ HW...

as for the present crop, the light flyweight division houses calderon, solis , sosa, viloria...