Why do people overrate boxers from the past eras?

[The Ninth Layer]

People venerate fighters from past eras over the current one because we have more information about them. When fighters are still active we don't have the full picture of their career, we don't know what they are yet to do or what their opponents are yet to do. We know everyone that Muhammad Ali fought and how he fared against them, and also everyone his opponents went on to fight. Not only does this make evaluating the legacy of retired fighters a lot easier than active ones, both in terms of accomplishment or what they did in their career, as well as talent or how they fared against various styles.

It is also a lot easier to make objective assessments about people and events you don't have a strong emotional connection to. If your favorite active fighter loses a controversial decision, chances are you will have a more biased perspective of the entire event than someone who is watching it 20 years later.

[Shape up]

You got it backwards. Today’s fighters are highly overrated compared the the fighters who fought more often and actually fought the best of their respective divisions. Unlike most of today’s cherry picking champions who duck and doge the best at their best.

couldnt agree more, most today are entitled b****, SRR fought up to 22 times in one year, 15 round fights, fighting injured, no strength and conditioning coaches then, no idea dietary wise, just fight who ever was in front of you

[thedarkdragon11]

Because there was no VADA/USADA/WADA or whatever nada testing during those times yet people can claim that they're clean... Unlike today, even if one passes an anti-doping test, one is still subject to su****ion by some...

[Lomadeaux]

You're entitled to your opinion.

AJ would flatten the chinny 29-yr old Lennox and his clumsy stance/footwork into the future. Even prime Lennox took a lot of punishment from short and stocky guys.

[ShaneMosleySr]

Fighters from the past are better.

Anyone who thinks differently is wrong.

I would love to see fighters from today’s era have to fight 250 times with unlimited rounds while being denied a shot at the title because of their race. I doubt many would last.