Could the heavyweight all-time ranking process completely change in 50-100 years?

[PainfromUkraine]

With the modern heavyweight greats like Lennox Lewis, the Klitschkos or even going back to someone like Rid**** Bowe really being a 'super heavyweight' - i.e. 6ft5+/240lbs+, and the modern heavyweights of the present day, potential future champs, like Joshua, Fury, Wilder etc being of these kinds of physical dimensions, and the probability of even bigger heavies in the future, could the way we rank heavyweights change completely?

What I mean by this is that in 50 or 100 years, we may not see any successful heavyweights at all that are reminiscent of Ali, Foreman, Tyson etc. At that point we may never have guys that weigh below 250 lbs...below 6ft 5.

Personally, I think some people are unfair to both the old legends of the division and the modern greats by comparing them stylistically, or for example being critical of someone who is far bigger, heavier (thus naturally slower and more cumbersome) performing the light-footed movements of guys like Ali.

So in 50 years, let's say we have a good few champions that are real super heavyweights and are worthy of historical mentions, will there be separate lists where the guys like Holmes, Louis, Ali and Marciano etc will be ranked alone, and guys like Wlad/Vitali, Lewis, and all the future champs that are really incomparable to smaller guys of the past?

I'm not suggesting that we will see a super heavyweight division, but with these informal lists which the fans make, possibly the way future fans will rank the greats will be divided, if there are many more of these super heavyweights to place on the lists.

Thoughts?

[Elroy1]

The problem came when they raised the HW limit.

Amateur boxing did it in a less confusing way by introducing the Super class and not the Cruiser.

But because pro-boxing kept HW as the unlimited division and had Cruiser inserted instead, what happened is that past boxers like Ali, Holmes, MArciano etc, get ILLEGITIMATELY compared to what we today call HW boxers.

They DO belong on separate lists, they should be ranked against the CRUISER class boxers all time.

For any objective fan, this is how it is in fact. Muhammad Ali for instance has absolutely nothing in common with Lennox Lewis other than the fact they were both CALLED Heavyweights at one point in time.

BUT.. The American public will never want to change this image and I can tell you why!

Because the mythology is one of the only things keeping America alive in the sport at this time. And if we were to suddenly consider guys like Holmes and Ali as being in a lower weight class, then it would be INSTANTLY CLEAR TO EVERYONE that these guys were merely good out of many good sub HW's and that Lennox and the Klitshko's etc are a league apart.

That's NOT in their interest whatsoever!

Keeping the mythology going and leading people to believe that Ali stands a chance against modern boxers IS in their interests!

MOST of the fighters on top 10 lists, Ali, Marciano, Louis etc... None of these guys would EVER even step into a professional boxing ring today as they were.

That is a fact!

[LacedUp]

greatness doesn't come from size or built. It comes from daring to do what others don't and succeeding or rising in defeat.

Daring to be great means a helluva lot more than a simple string of wins. That's why greatness is special.

To answer your question, yes it could change. But it's not very likely simply because boxing isn't the same as what it once was. It didn't really use to be a limelight sport, except for a select few, it was a smoke-filled bar room sport which also meant that the best would fight the best. Often multiple times.

Because of money mostly, that's pretty rare nowadays. Everyone, not just heavyweights, are more comfortable making their way fighting mediocre opponents for money that will give you a respectable life.

Hopefully they'll pick up a belt and then they'll call themselves champions and mention guys like Ali and Lennox Lewis. But at the same time not wanting to fight Klitschko because they know the potential losses. See, that's not greatness and will never be commended.

Guys like Elroy will go out of his way to thrash guys like Ali who took boxing out of smoke filled rooms and paved the way for someone like Klitschko to do as well as he does.

Luckily, Klitschko has way too much class to even think of talking the same nonsense as Elroy, a supposed fan, does.

[Jloro]

Yeah they will be 8 foot tall super soldiers jabbing everyone's head off of their shoulders

[Larry the boss]

No..Greatness is not determined on size and height..it is determined by skill,resume and accomplishments...

[Elroy1]

No..Greatness is not determined on size and height..it is determined by skill,resume and accomplishments...

Both Klitschko's and Lewis all have the 3 best resumes of all time by far.

All 3 have the 3 sharpest skills by far (albeit utilising their height and weight too but it's HW boxing, not limit weight).

You can argue "Tyson" had better skills, sure. But by comparison, Ali, Foreman, Louis, Frazier, Marciano, Dempsey etc.. These guys could barely even box!

All 3 accomplished things unheard of prior in boxing and unique among HW boxers at this point in time.

So yes...

You have exposed yourself as a fool!

Keep trolling!!

[Larry the boss]

greatness doesn't come from size or built. It comes from daring to do what others don't and succeeding or rising in defeat.

Daring to be great means a helluva lot more than a simple string of wins. That's why greatness is special.

To answer your question, yes it could change. But it's not very likely simply because boxing isn't the same as what it once was. It didn't really use to be a limelight sport, except for a select few, it was a smoke-filled bar room sport which also meant that the best would fight the best. Often multiple times.

Because of money mostly, that's pretty rare nowadays. Everyone, not just heavyweights, are more comfortable making their way fighting mediocre opponents for money that will give you a respectable life.

Hopefully they'll pick up a belt and then they'll call themselves champions and mention guys like Ali and Lennox Lewis. But at the same time not wanting to fight Klitschko because they know the potential losses. See, that's not greatness and will never be commended.

Guys like Elroy will go out of his way to thrash guys like Ali who took boxing out of smoke filled rooms and paved the way for someone like Klitschko to do as well as he does.

Luckily, Klitschko has way too much class to even think of talking the same nonsense as Elroy, a supposed fan, does.

Great post......

[Larry the boss]

Both Klitschko's and Lewis all have the 3 best resumes of all time by far.

All 3 have the 3 sharpest skills by far (albeit utilising their height and weight too but it's HW boxing, not limit weight).

All 3 accomplished things unheard of prior in boxing and unique among HW boxers at this point in time.

So yes...

You have exposed yourself as a fool!

Keep trolling!!

What?? how do they have the best 3 resumes?? explain

Lewis has a nice resume but far from top 3..and neither Klit has even beaten 1 fighter who will ever see the hall of fame

[Mr.Fantastic]

No..Greatness is not determined on size and height..it is determined by skill,resume and accomplishments...

Skill is pretty unfair sometimes. A brawler who doesn't have the same skill set shouldn't get punished if he has accomplished more with the resume to back it up. Sometimes heart/will can overcome skills.

[Ryn0]

No, ranking heavyweights should always be done by what they did in their era against the competition they faced.

It is not a head to head because much lesser fighters have beaten ATG heavyweights. Comparing across eras is impossible because the advances in modern sports science would be applicable to old fighters if they existed in our eras and vice versa. Who knows how some fighters would perform if the fundemental way they trained was different.