How did older fights last so long. ????

[Capaedia]

Keep in mind we really only hear about the ones who could.

Not everyone could, but the ones that could are the ones that we remember. Not the other thousands.

I bet some modern fighters could pull it off. But things changed

[-Kev-]

I dont necessarily agree. I think guys could do it today. For every ATG they fought, they also fought 10 guys who were average to bad. It could be like instead of Floyd sparring, he fights Cotto but then after that he has like 4 fights against Matthew Hatton, Cotto's lil brother, Jesse Vargas, and guys even lesser than that

This is true right here.

[lefthook2daliva]

If boxing continues to decline, that is what will be recognized. Because the sport has been in decline for over 50 years, and that is a fact, not an opinion. Go do research then come back with a more educated opinion.

I watched big fights on ABC Wide World of Sports as a kid at my daddy's knee in the 70s...that's 40 years ago. Ali beat Liston in 64 and avenged his loss to Spinks in 78. Sugar Ray whupped Benitez in 79 then came the 80's with the Motor City Cobra/Marvelous(my personal fav)/Manos de piedra, etc...RJJ and BHOP started in the late 80's. 90's had Tyson and Lewis and Holyfield...2000+..cmon u know the drill...

You just wanna' sound like the wise old sage...

Boxing is and will continue to be healthy til long after we're pushin' up daisies...

Fuggin' drama queens...

[915angel]

Boxing is 75% mental and 25% physical, some will say 90% mental and 10% physical but boxing is a mental sport first and foremost, fighters back during the time you're speaking of were stronger mentally thus stronger physically and could endure weeks of punishment inside the ring, times were different back then so a different mentality was needed

Today's fighters have it easier and because of the fighters who paved the way before them and now because of this fighters today have puzzy mentalities and are real weak mentally, money is really what changed the game, so its the economics of the game as well....all in all fighters could do this back then because they were stronger mentally...the body follows the mind....Strong Mind = Strong Body

i think its 50 physical 50 mental look at ortiz for instance

[TheGreatA]

nobody can do anything if they arent taught to do so but they question is are the phyically capable and the answer is hell yes. Sure it wouldnt be wise to just take an already older establised guy and now tell him to go fight 6-10 times per year but it also wouldnt have been wised to tell one of those past guys to only fight once per year.

If they did then I bet anything there performances in the ring wouldnt be nearly as good as a fighter today. However if they had to do it and got use to it then they could adjust just as a fighter today could easily adjust if he had to do so. Its just not what they were doing at the time. Nothing special about it. You definitely have to give those guys credit for being able to do that but I never have and never be with the crowd who calls todays atheltes weak sissies.

I think thats what fans tend to do nowdays and its bs. Dont tell me that someone who trains as hard as Floyd couldnt do that. These guys spar hundreds of rounds anyways. Its not a real fight but again, the past guys arent fighting all top guys. People only remember the big names but if those guys had 100 fights then you will see about 80 average guys or bums on the list. No one remembers that though. Its all the same. It averages out

I have a feeling that the old timers would find it far easier to adjust than current fighters.

Take Mayweather for example, we already know he has bad hands and has had difficulty getting up to even 40 professional bouts. With an additional 100 professional fights to add to that record, he would have definitely lost a handful of pro fights due to his injuries (he almost did lose the first Castillo fight) and may have been forced to retire earlier. Especially if you consider that the old gloves were no pillows.

Fighting a hundred times is difficult, even if much of them are against "bums", after all even a "bum" can get lucky if you get injured. One of Mayweather's toughest fights was against a journeyman in Emmanuel Augustus. Overall the old timers did fight against more quality competition to add to the tune-up fights they had in between when you count the top 10 ranked fighters that they competed against. Even Pernell Whitaker with his 40 professional fights fought opponents who didn't belong in the ring with him, so record padding and tune-ups take place even in more recent times.

It's not something to be taken for granted and is worth all the respect that are given to the old timers. They only did it out of necessity as there was not enough money in it to fight 1-2 times a year. Obviously current fighters could potentially fight with the same schedule but not with ease. There would be far less unbeaten records and many more early retirements.