Quote Originally Posted by Andre View Post
I was never talking just HW. I was thinking more of eras and why. But for some reason thats where the major concentration of general public has always seemed to be the world champ was the largest and best I suppose is the thought behind it. I much prefer the lighter weights speed and actions.

Also on your side of thinking for the modern fighter; is they get much more power through body mechanics coming all the way from the big toe by the use of modern gripping shoes instead of flat leather shoes and talc tray in the corner.

Modern have all the benefits you've mentioned and more. Shame some of them havent the heart or balls of the old fighters eh? I think thats why Im attracted more to the mid to lighter Mexican fighters now Im thinking about it.
Yeah I cannot argue against the better equipment thing Andre. Better performance and safety equipment and all that too you are right.

On the heart and balls thing though I fully disagree but this is a subjective assessment that I can't prove or disprove in any way. If you think they had better determination/motivation or just plain guts back in the day, that's your prerogative Andre.

I would much prefer to be in the ring with someone like Ali or Johnson than I would with a Tyson or a Klitschko personally, and would be more apt to try much harder too because the stakes were much lower.

You've mentioned gloves before being thinner back in the day. That's an interesting issue. Today's boxers with thicker gloves actually have far greater incidence of pugilistic dementia (or punch drunkenness) because their skin and bones are better protected that they absorb far more damage before stoppage.

I have researched in a study somewhere which escapes me now that the boxers were not so brain damaged by the use of bare knuckles or only thin gloves.

But of course the price to pay then was obviously far greater and deforming, sometimes horrific structural damage to skin, and bones of the face and bones etc. that society would never accept today. Brain damage is mostly a long term and most times not immediately visible effect which is how it goes under the radar.