A look at Robinson and Mayweather- Modern vs Old timers part 2!

[Andre]

Again, if Robinson lived in this area... He'd have the extra half a century of sports science, nutrition, PEDs and sporting history/experience to learn from.

You can only judge a guy relative to the context of their area.

Like I've already said...

True and we now know that balance and power stems from the big toe so even the old flat soled leather high boots dipped in a chalk tray each round for some grip messed with that era.
Imagine them in modern shoes with no slippery advertizing on the canvas plus the modern diet, training and study of techniques we have.
Add that to the old work ethic and real hunger and you'd have some all round machines frequenting the ring.
If you got the best of both worlds you'd have dudes with thin old gloves used to going 20 rounds and before that up to 103 one minute rounds without gloves and people not being able to recognize the fighters after a few rounds, thats a tough setting.
How many modern boxers could handle stepping back to any of that?.
Different games different rules now, padded gloves, less rounds, ring size agreements, better boots, you name it,we got it, so now you can diversify and survive in there a number of ways. I think it works both ways though,there'd be some massive shocks in store for a modern fighter going back in time and trying to survive under their rules.
On the other side of the coin it would be just as hard for old school to come forward in time and survive what its become too although with the modern gloves and less rounds and better ring control by the refs I think they'd be still standing but maybe frustrated and outpointed or disqualified.
Go the other way though and I think it could get messy for most modern boxers in old gloves,longer rounds with more fouls allowed on the inside and those crushing outer wrist bone shots that were ignored in those old gloves. If anyone had a hope it would be Floyd though,he has a way of dissolving the oppositions power in close while gaining position.

[Max Power]

Andre the adjustments each would have to make would of course ask many questions of the fighters involved, that complicates things..

On the issue regarding if previous fighters were to have had the same advancements and experiences of more modern generation ones would be as good if not better than modern fighters are today by virtue of the fact they came up tougher and with a greater work ethic- I don't really have an issue with that assumption. I'm only comparing how they in fact were as opposed to how they would have been... IF.

A couple of things to consider though...

1/Just because they came up tougher does not necessarily mean they would be more focussed on boxing. It could be argued that a harsher and more turbulent life might destroy focus maybe. If you look at the great number of fighters from the former Soviet Union and Eastern BLOC countries who have made it to the top these days- they come from an extremely oppressive and harsh regime just like the former American one which raised those greats of the past with the added distinction though that the Soviet regime had an intensive boxing program which forged their fighters like a factory from the time they could walk. It shows in the statistics as well in that the Eastern BLOC has bested the Western World overall in the Olympics going back a long time.

2/To say that old timers had better work ethic is an unproven assumption to begin with. Take none other than Mayweather for example.. Or Wladimir Klitschko. Both of them state their cases for being dominant champions due to their "hard work.. and dedication". Who is to say that these guys don't work as hard as say Rocky Marciano? Or Sugar Robinson? I would think they'd work just as hard at their craft.

3/If you take the olden days fighters, give them modern diets, training, sparring partners, medicine, pharmaceuticals, make them taller and heftier or what not then they would have different balances and have to fight different game. They would not even BE the same boxers.

Again Andre, I'm not denying that what your saying can't be true, it might! But it could also be akin to assuming that former greats were intrinsically better which is disputable.

[Master]

Who is to say that these guys do work as hard as say Rocky Marciano? Or Sugar Robinson?

Just because they are modern does not make them better either.

[Max Power]

Yes Master, the reverse can also be true, I'm not disputing that! If you need to hear it explicitly.

Personally, I think the champs of all the eras work equally as hard and their were lazier than average guys in every era.

[Master]

Yes Master, the reverse can also be true, I'm not disputing that! If you need to hear it explicitly.

Personally, I think the champs of all the eras work equally as hard and their were lazier than average guys in every era.

Yes I did need to hear that acknowledgement as you have called legends in the sport fat, blind, shoe shiners and feather fisted.

[Max Power]

Yeah. And you have called contemporary top level boxers, fat, lazy, unskilled and unable to carry these old timers spit buckets! Don't be such a hypocrite!

[bradlee180]

Yeah. And you have called contemporary top level boxers, fat, lazy, unskilled and unable to carry these old timers spit buckets! Don't be such a hypocrite!

Shaddup for a while now, you @$$-licker....

[Master]

Yeah. And you have called contemporary top level boxers, fat, lazy, unskilled and unable to carry these old timers spit buckets! Don't be such a hypocrite!

Never said anything like that ever but you carry on making false accusations if it keeps you happy.

[Andre]

Who is to say that these guys do work as hard as say Rocky Marciano? Or Sugar Robinson?

Just because they are modern does not make them better either.

I was thinking more of the tough grind these boys had to go through outside of the ring just to bring food in their door.Aisde from their training which was minimal to some extents when compared to today.

I think the closest we get to that kind of hunger and grit which breeds determination; nowadays would be some from south of the border in the States, some parts of Asia, Africa maybe, but they haven't forests they have to go out in and cut trees for 12 hours a day by hand, or roads to build,tunnels to dig by hand or quarry split all that stuff they used to have to do out in the elements rain or shine.