why do people seem to think big heavyweights have never existed before this century?

[Scipio2009]

im sick to death of reading how old fighters couldnt compete with the big heavyweights of today because they are 'too small'

There was a few posters saying miller (fresh off beating the world number 52) beats an all time great in frazier because he weighs too much. I also did a tongue in cheek thread a while ago about how would luis ortiz do against past legends like marciano, ali etc (because of how much wilder fans were bigging him up now) and there were posters actually taking it serious saying hed win against most of them because he was too big and that them older fighters couldnt compete in this era of bigger fighters.

So can someone explain to me what the **** do people mean when they talk about 'this era of super heavyweights?' I keep hearing this as if theres been some sudden genetic mutation that has suddenly produced big human beings this century and theres been no such thing as big/tall/heavy people in other eras who could have made great heavyweights.

Why wasnt there some fat **** like miller and ortiz in previous eras just walking down these supposedly small heavyweights if it was so easy? Why wasnt there some 6 ft 7 giant who was taught a solid jab who was too big for everyone else? I know sports nutrition has evolved in recent years but i think if it was advantageous to be 300+ pounds then they may have had the common sense to start eating more.

Just because the current heavyweight landscape (which funnily enough also seems to be considered one of the weakest ever) consists of bigger fighters, doesnt mean that suddenly no 'smaller fighter' can ever compete with them and that you have to be 6ft 6+ to compete or weight a ridiculous amount. Its even more ridiculous when weve seen them all struggle with smaller guys in the past

Fighters such as ali and frazier were the best because they were the best fighters, they were still big men but they had the skill alongside it. Its absolute nonsense to think they couldnt compete with the guys around at the moment because they are 'too small', if that was the case then the tallest and heaviest fighters would have dominated the division all through history. People acting like there was a ****ing weight cap or height restriction on the division or some **** in previous eras.

Outside of Primo Carnera and Jess Willard, there's no one that you can point to that was a giant guy who had great runs in those days.

A 15-round fight (acknowledging that fights were longer even before that) was arguably hell for a really big guy to navigate back then.

[GhostofDempsey]

Miller would not have the stamina to go the distance with Frazier. Miller is a talentless hype job.

[boliodogs]

I agree. Many posters no little or nothing of boxing history. Giant boxers have always been around and two of them won the heavyweight title. Jess Willard was the heavyweight champion from 1915 to 1919 and he was 6 ft. 6 inches and 250 pounds. He was slaughtered by 185 pound Jack Dempsey and knocked down 7 times in the first round. Primo Carnera was the heavyweight champion in 1934 and he was 6 ft. 6 inches and 260 pounds of rock hard muscle. He was slaughtered by normal sized 210 pound Max Baer. Some of the best and most famous heavyweight champs like Dempsey 185, Marciano 185, Louis 200, Liston 214, Ali 210, Foreman 214 and Frazier 205 were small to average sized heavyweights. They had the speed, skill, stamina, punch and chin to be great in any era and do well against the largest giant heavyweights.

[asgarth]

im sick to death of reading how old fighters couldnt compete with the big heavyweights of today because they are 'too small'

There was a few posters saying miller (fresh off beating the world number 52) beats an all time great in frazier because he weighs too much. I also did a tongue in cheek thread a while ago about how would luis ortiz do against past legends like marciano, ali etc (because of how much wilder fans were bigging him up now) and there were posters actually taking it serious saying hed win against most of them because he was too big and that them older fighters couldnt compete in this era of bigger fighters.

So can someone explain to me what the **** do people mean when they talk about 'this era of super heavyweights?' I keep hearing this as if theres been some sudden genetic mutation that has suddenly produced big human beings this century and theres been no such thing as big/tall/heavy people in other eras who could have made great heavyweights.

Why wasnt there some fat **** like miller and ortiz in previous eras just walking down these supposedly small heavyweights if it was so easy? Why wasnt there some 6 ft 7 giant who was taught a solid jab who was too big for everyone else? I know sports nutrition has evolved in recent years but i think if it was advantageous to be 300+ pounds then they may have had the common sense to start eating more.

Just because the current heavyweight landscape (which funnily enough also seems to be considered one of the weakest ever) consists of bigger fighters, doesnt mean that suddenly no 'smaller fighter' can ever compete with them and that you have to be 6ft 6+ to compete or weight a ridiculous amount. Its even more ridiculous when weve seen them all struggle with smaller guys in the past

Fighters such as ali and frazier were the best because they were the best fighters, they were still big men but they had the skill alongside it. Its absolute nonsense to think they couldnt compete with the guys around at the moment because they are 'too small', if that was the case then the tallest and heaviest fighters would have dominated the division all through history. People acting like there was a ****ing weight cap or height restriction on the division or some **** in previous eras.

On average people are taller and bigger than they were a couple decades ago.

More big and tall humans => the potential pool of big and tall boxer increases.

You could also ask why nowadays most top heavyweights are bigger guys and in the past they werent.

[boliodogs]

Who the hell did Marciano ever fight that wasn’t over the hill. Every great fighter on his resume was mid to late 30’s when they fought. Hell Jersey Joe was damn near 40. And not only did he fight him he fought him again after stopping him.

He fought the very best heavyweights who were available to fight and ducked nobody and that's all any champion can do. Walcott may have been damn near 40 but he was the champion of the world and the best heavyweight in the world when Marciano knocked him out twice. He can't beat young great fighters if none are around to fight,

[Outwest Exp 355]

He fought the very best heavyweights who were available to fight and ducked nobody and that's all any champion can do. Walcott may have been damn near 40 but he was the champion of the world and the best heavyweight in the world when Marciano knocked him out twice. He can't beat young great fighters if none are around to fight,

He wasn’t the best heavyweight in the world. Also Joe Louis was 38 and Archie Moore was 41. Those are the best fighters Rock ever fought.

[Armchairhero]

In every sport where it is measurable, sprinting, weightlifting, throwing etc etc the athletes are bigger faster and better, but somehow in the magical world of boxing this linear progression doesn’t exist. This is only because it’s subjective and plays on people’s emotions.

[Cortez]

In every sport where it is measurable, sprinting, weightlifting, throwing etc etc the athletes are bigger faster and better, but somehow in the magical world of boxing this linear progression doesn’t exist. This is only because it’s subjective and plays on people’s emotions.

bigger sure, and the bigger guys of today where much better that sloths like willard.

Better overall in boxing as a whole ? Does anyone favour mayweather over a prime robinson?

As for feats in other sports, it is simply steroids usage to be honest.

Some experts reckon that without the modern shoes and tracks and stuff like that , that Usain Bolts speed is in reality only a tiny tiny fraction more than that of jessie owens

weightlifting in the Olympics actually reset the weight classes, that is the only reason that a lot of world and olympic lifts get recorded today
they had to do it as any amount of juice was allowed previously

[Cortez]

I agree. Many posters no little or nothing of boxing history. Giant boxers have always been around and two of them won the heavyweight title. Jess Willard was the heavyweight champion from 1915 to 1919 and he was 6 ft. 6 inches and 250 pounds. He was slaughtered by 185 pound Jack Dempsey and knocked down 7 times in the first round. Primo Carnera was the heavyweight champion in 1934 and he was 6 ft. 6 inches and 260 pounds of rock hard muscle. He was slaughtered by normal sized 210 pound Max Baer. Some of the best and most famous heavyweight champs like Dempsey 185, Marciano 185, Louis 200, Liston 214, Ali 210, Foreman 214 and Frazier 205 were small to average sized heavyweights. They had the speed, skill, stamina, punch and chin to be great in any era and do well against the largest giant heavyweights.

Nobody knows nothing about the past except this grand fountain of information: "boliodogs"

[Armchairhero]

bigger sure, and the bigger guys of today where much better that sloths like willard.

Better overall in boxing as a whole ? Does anyone favour mayweather over a prime robinson?

As for feats in other sports, it is simply steroids usage to be honest.

Some experts reckon that without the modern shoes and tracks and stuff like that , that Usain Bolts speed is in reality only a tiny tiny fraction more than that of jessie owens

weightlifting in the Olympics actually reset the weight classes, that is the only reason that a lot of world and olympic lifts get recorded today
they had to do it as any amount of juice was allowed previously

The 50’s until the 90’s were the best years to use legit steroids and easily pass testing, the last decade is very hard to pass a test and will result in athletes taking far inferior products than in the past... yet are all bigger/faster/stronger as we are evolving into bigger people as a whole as seen in the height/weight per average in all populations.