What height is too short for a boxer in todays heavyweight division?

[HitmanTommy]

?????????????????

[OnlytheTruth]

I think its more about the weight and reach, than the height. Some Mfers have crazy long arms and are under 6ft, with some weight to lay people out.

[dan_cov]

I'm not sure there is a limit.
There have been plenty of fighters around the 5'10 mark who I would pick to obliterate just about any of the current HWs

Chagaev, Povetkin were barely 6' and had great success up until a few years back. Ruiz is what? 5'11 or something and won the HW title.

[dan_cov]

Are we going to pretend a prime Tyson, a prime Tua wouldn't straight up close the distance on these fundamentally poor, slow footed HWs and get inside and tear them apart?

Or a prime Mercer couldn't beat them

I don't even rate Frazier as high as most but if a third rate version with a 4 round gas tank in Chisora can bother just about all of todays HWs why couldn't smokin' Joe?

Literally the only one I'd pick over them is Fury and even then his best wins were the most timid, gunshy HW champions there has ever been

[HitmanTommy]

I'm not sure there is a limit.

Could a 5'5 fighter hang in the division?

[dan_cov]

Could a 5'5 fighter hang in the division?

If they are skilled enough then I don't see why not.
Dwight Qawi was only 5'6 and he gave a peak Holyfield and Foreman absolute hell. He did a lot better vs them than a lot of opponents nearer to his own size.

A short opponent that knows how too fight small is a horrible proposition and often give taller fighters very difficult fights.

[ShaneMosleySr]

David Tua would be the best heavyweight in the world if he fought today.

His resume dwarfs todays fighters and he fought in an era where heavyweights where the exact same size.

He was 5-foot-9 or 10.

[KingGilgamesh]

In reality about 5'11...and those are in real inches

In truth, there is a lot more to being a heavyweight than merely height. Reach, shoulder width, bone density and body type all matter.

The reason why I think taller boxers are becoming more common is due to self selection. I think in Europe and the UK, there is a tendency to push big athletic guys who are 6'3-4+ into boxing unlike in America where they tend to go into NFL/NBA. The reason why this happens is because, ultimately, its a lot easier training a big guy to fight long than it is training a shorter guy how to take on bigger opponents. I'm actually not sure there is a strict cut-off per se as there is simply a lack of decent talent in the 6'-6'2 range. Those guys tend to fair better in the cruiserweight division and its of little surprise that its that same division thats been a desert for years now. Especially in America.

[REDEEMER]

David Tua would be the best heavyweight in the world if he fought today.

His resume dwarfs todays fighters and he fought in an era where heavyweights where the exact same size.

He was 5-foot-9 or 10.

David Tua is a less skilled version of Ruiz . If he fought today posters would be saying he has no defense and Wilder ,AJ spark him out and he would b3 to short for Fury . If Ruiz was around in the 90”s he doesn’t get out boxed by Chris Byrd ,I don’t even think Tua beat Mike Hunter ,that’s the type of guy he picks apart like Byrd did to Tua .

[ShaneMosleySr]

If David Tua is a less skilled version of Andy Ruiz, why does he hold wins over three different two-time heavyweight champions?

Two of those champions were unified and lineal champions btw… one was undisputed at one point.

I can’t wait to hear this brilliant response lol.

David Tua is a less skilled version of Ruiz . If he fought today posters would be saying he has no defense and Wilder ,AJ spark him out and he would b3 to short for Fury . If Ruiz was around in the 90”s he doesn’t get out boxed by Chris Byrd ,I don’t even think Tua beat Mike Hunter ,that’s the type of guy he picks apart like Byrd did to Tua .