Why do boxing analyst act like 205-225 lb boxers are too small for the heavyweight division?

[Toffee]

It's not the weight, it's what you do with it.

If you're small and fast, you'll be vulnerable to someone big and fast. If you rely on your size advantage, you can be beaten by someone bigger.

But if you're big and slow, someone smaller and fast might be your kryptonite.

Styles make fights. It's always been true. Smaller guys are fine as long as the fight is fought to their strengths.

Usyk wins because he's brilliant. A big fighter either needs to match his brilliance (no-one will) or make the fight about size and weight. Usyk goes all out to ensure the fight isn't fought on size and weight terms.

[Stephankotyk]

he lost, but knocked him down 4 times in the process

good for him, he earned my respect in last fight, but honestly Fury look average, allowing a lot more that everyone expected walking into some shots like he doesn't respect Wilders power.

In general, a lot of todays heavyweights are tall, have a huge reach and some of them pack extra weight, thats an advantage they have over smaller fighters. Wilder for instance - tall guy with enormous reach, fighting at ~230? Good match making took him to the place where he was, until he pick a guy who has same advantages and can box/spoil a fight. Wilder best win is Ortiz who tbh never beat top heavyweight before that fight.

[-Kev-]

Wlad dominated for over a decade basically because he was bigger and taller than his opponents and fought like a tall fighter is supposed to (stay outside, jab, right hands).

No coincidence that the guy who dethroned Wlad was even bigger, taller than him and also fought him like the taller fighter.

Also no coincidence the guy who dethroned Wilder was, again, bigger and taller and absolutely used his size to wear him down.

We don’t have to keep talking about Fury though. Just look at Ali. Ali was bigger and taller than basically all of his opponents. He was able to so successful because he was bigger, taller, fought like the longer/taller fighter and was really the first fighter of his kind. Being that big and that tall but so much better at movement than any other big man in HW before him.

With Tyson Fury, it’s the same. He isn’t just big and tall. Valuev was big and tall, how good was he? Not terrible, but not all that good. Tyson Fury is the first 6’9” fighter in history who moves and punches like he does.

It’s not that Usyk and Wilder are just small. It’s that they’re fighting a big man who doesn’t move like he’s expected to. AJ is more like a big man who moves like a big man. But that’s not everything needed at HW.

Usyk is going to lose to Fury due to Fury being so much bigger, taller, and will be moving just as good as any other smaller fighter, punching just as fast, while also wrestling Usyk down if Usyk is ever getting the better of him. If Fury was 6’3”, 220lbs, he wouldn’t be the favorite vs Usyk. And quite frankly, he wouldn’t beat Usyk. It’s everything combined that gives Fury the edge, most importantly his size.

[bopbopbbe]

It’s because of giant mfers like klitchcko and fury have been so dominate bullying people with their weight using jab and grab.

[nino brown21]

Weight is just one aspect. Height and reach also matter along with weight. Fury is tall and can use the reach advantage to hurt you before you can hurt him and use the height advantage to lean on you so make you tire easily. Ruiz Jr weights 260+ but cannot lean on you during clinches. Wilder may weigh less but is tall and, therefore, does not allow opponents to lean on him except for Fury who is taller than him. Usyk and Ruiz Jr beat AJ because AJ doesn't know how to use his physical attributes to his advantage.

So, the opinion that 205-225 lbs are "small" only holds when compared to 250+ lbs fighters who are tall, have a reach advantage, and most importantly know how to use their attributes to their advantage.

And who else besides fury have you seen do that ?

[WillieWild114]

Wlad dominated for over a decade basically because he was bigger and taller than his opponents and fought like a tall fighter is supposed to (stay outside, jab, right hands).

No coincidence that the guy who dethroned Wlad was even bigger, taller than him and also fought him like the taller fighter.

Also no coincidence the guy who dethroned Wilder was, again, bigger and taller and absolutely used his size to wear him down.

We don’t have to keep talking about Fury though. Just look at Ali. Ali was bigger and taller than basically all of his opponents. He was able to so successful because he was bigger, taller, fought like the longer/taller fighter and was really the first fighter of his kind. Being that big and that tall but so much better at movement than any other big man in HW before him.

With Tyson Fury, it’s the same. He isn’t just big and tall. Valuev was big and tall, how good was he? Not terrible, but not all that good. Tyson Fury is the first 6’9” fighter in history who moves and punches like he does.

It’s not that Usyk and Wilder are just small. It’s that they’re fighting a big man who doesn’t move like he’s expected to. AJ is more like a big man who moves like a big man. But that’s not everything needed at HW.

Usyk is going to lose to Fury due to Fury being so much bigger, taller, and will be moving just as good as any other smaller fighter, punching just as fast, while also wrestling Usyk down if Usyk is ever getting the better of him. If Fury was 6’3”, 220lbs, he wouldn’t be the favorite vs Usyk. And quite frankly, he wouldn’t beat Usyk. It’s everything combined that gives Fury the edge, most importantly his size.

Wlad got beat by guys below 230 lb he even got knocked out by them so using him for a size example isn’t good

[Hustle]

Wlad got beat by guys below 230 lb he even got knocked out by them so using him for a size example isn’t good

He changed his style after those knockouts. He started using his size

[elfag]

He changed his style after those knockouts. He started using his size

That is true, he used to lean forward and not use his height, he had two stoppages. Something was weird about the brewster fight though and he even had low blood sugar at the hospital, he had some kind of medical issue but sanders was a legit stoppage still. Stewart got ahold of him and made him stand tall, jab and grab and hold.

[-Kev-]

Wlad got beat by guys below 230 lb he even got knocked out by them so using him for a size example isn’t good

Another poster beat me to it. But clearly, Wlad changed his style to use his height and size with the staying out of range. Which I specifically stated in my post that being big and tall isn’t everything you need for success in boxing, you have to use your physical advantages.

In recent times, Mariusz Wach and David Price are some big/tall fighters who didn’t fight tall or use their height.

[WillieWild114]

Wlad dominated for over a decade basically because he was bigger and taller than his opponents and fought like a tall fighter is supposed to (stay outside, jab, right hands).

No coincidence that the guy who dethroned Wlad was even bigger, taller than him and also fought him like the taller fighter.

Also no coincidence the guy who dethroned Wilder was, again, bigger and taller and absolutely used his size to wear him down.

We don’t have to keep talking about Fury though. Just look at Ali. Ali was bigger and taller than basically all of his opponents. He was able to so successful because he was bigger, taller, fought like the longer/taller fighter and was really the first fighter of his kind. Being that big and that tall but so much better at movement than any other big man in HW before him.

With Tyson Fury, it’s the same. He isn’t just big and tall. Valuev was big and tall, how good was he? Not terrible, but not all that good. Tyson Fury is the first 6’9” fighter in history who moves and punches like he does.

It’s not that Usyk and Wilder are just small. It’s that they’re fighting a big man who doesn’t move like he’s expected to. AJ is more like a big man who moves like a big man. But that’s not everything needed at HW.

Usyk is going to lose to Fury due to Fury being so much bigger, taller, and will be moving just as good as any other smaller fighter, punching just as fast, while also wrestling Usyk down if Usyk is ever getting the better of him. If Fury was 6’3”, 220lbs, he wouldn’t be the favorite vs Usyk. And quite frankly, he wouldn’t beat Usyk. It’s everything combined that gives Fury the edge, most importantly his size.

Have you paid attention to Wlad record he got knocked out by a 5’11 225lb lamon brewster !!!