Quote Originally Posted by greynotsoold View Post
I thought that the skill level in Vitali/Lewis was abysmal. That is one of the fights that hardened my heart against modern boxing, another being Mosley/DeLaHoya I. The HWs are always the least skilled division: that is why, historically, LHWs, even middles, think they can move up and beat them.
The Ks use distance well, and that is a huge part of being a good fighter. If they let a Marciano or a Louis control the range, they'd get eaten alive. The skill involved in such a fight would be the ability to maintain space vs the ability to close it. Dempsey feasted on big slow HWs so who knows. I belive that either K would have an easy night against Ali; he had trouble with a "tall" guy that jabbed (Norton) and either K is much taller and a better jabber (and fighter) than Norton.
I can see what you are saying with the distance thing.
Im probably a bit biased but I think old school were a tougher mix mentally and in upbringing that would make them step through to their desired distance and stick there, so I dont think long distance controllers would last there either.
Im of the school of thought that Lennox Lewis would have come to the same problem against a younger hungry harder Iron Mike for similar reasons.