Look at the physical shape the heavyweights were in during the 70's

[them_apples]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zW287BSApo

these guys all took there jobs seriously. Unlike todays fat bums

Even Vitali looks soft as hell compared to these guys.

remember to click HQ

[Third Degree MM]

Arreola and Toney would knock them out

[GoogleMe]

Ken Norton looks like a beast!

[Davros?]

Norton always looked in great shape.

[boxing_great]

**** that george foreman is a monster hitter, he must be the hardest hitting heavyweight ever.

[bojangles1987]

Big part of the decline. Heavyweights then had to be in great shape to even crack the top ten. These days lazy fat guys like Arreola can walk into a ring and end up with a title shot. Heavyweights today outside the Klitschkos and David Haye are all fat.

Notice how Eddie Chambers turned his career around this year? He also got into shape this year.

[TheGreatA]

It doesn't even have to be the 70's. Today's heavyweights simply do not have the ambition of their predecessors. The current practise is to build an undefeated record and then cash in against one of the Klitschko brothers without putting up much of an effort. Atleast that's how I see it.

[deezdominates]

We can thank the media, the association, and the league for the decline

[NICE GUY]

The physical fitness and athleticism of today's heavyweights are a lot worse than most of the past. It's a shame how some of the top contenders, right now, are basically overweight.

[bklynboy]

The physical fitness and athleticism of today's heavyweights are a lot worse than most of the past. It's a shame how some of the top contenders, right now, are basically overweight.

Absolutely. Extra weight has an advantage for linemen but has few benefits for boxers. A perfectly timed punch for a 210 pound guy who "put on" 20 pounds of fat -- and is now 230 -- should do more damage. But the extra 20 pounds of fat will cut down on endurance, his ability to avoid punches and to close the gap. I don't know why people think you need to put on weight to match the Ks and other big heavyweights. Sonny Liston and George Foreman weighed 20-40 pounds less and easily had the power to KO either Vitaly or Wladimir.

Not to mention South African golf pros.