Are the fighters of the 90s and todasy better than the fighters of the past ?

[JazMerkin]

Jesse Owens woulodn't even get on the US Olympic team today.

Look at his physique or that of the US '68 Olympic team, and their times, then look at modern guys and their build & times, and you will see that most of it is down to training. Most of the guys back then weren't full time athletes, they were college athletes at the same time. I'll continue to go against the rest and say it hasn't evolved as dramatically in the last 50 years as some might say. Boxing that is. I still think the truly great boxers of the past would have found a way to win in the modern era, as would the best of modern times in the past.

[Taeth]

Guys like Leonard would have done well, but his style still wasn't as developed as Mayweather, his defense wasn't as sharp, his punching technique not as precise. I'm not saying they couldn't compete with the guys nowadays, I am just saying their technique isn't as good. I just think if you go too far back there is no way guys like Jack Johnson, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis would overcome the differences in size, technique, and training if they put into a time machine a brought today. Even the great Ray Robinson IMO might be the only guy who could cross over, even though he had terrible defensive skills his power, speed, and combinations were a mixture of Roy Jones Jr and Mike Tyson, and he had the speed and chin to deal with a beating.

[dee_z_r]

i think 90s n modern fighters may have an edge because they learnt from the previous era and analysed their mistakes and good points

[holmcall]

Since weight divisions stay constant by definition, I say the fighters that go all the way back to the 50's are pretty competetive. However, at the higher weight of heavy, that may not hold given the unlimited size a heavy can fight at today. Howevere, the 90's produced some good heavies whom I think could compete witht he dreadful bunch in there today except maybe for Wlad.

Weight and size are variables in other sports like football and basketball, and I believe the argument for them does not necessarily apply to boxing.

Great question, however, and I realize progressive skills is the real question.