Modern boxers will likely be better conditioned than old timers, plus (since advances in nutrition and also holding the weigh in 24 hours before the fight) they are all much bigger than their counterparts when they actually get in the ring ....... today's middleweights are definitely not middleweights when they get in the ring, which sort of defeats the object for me ........ but the old timers had better technique and experience because they fought so much more often. A world champion should not be a flawed fighter, or someone we don;t know how good they are, but modern fighters build a carefully protected record and can win one of a meaningless proliferation of 'world' titles.

The old fighters were generally tougher than modern fighters as the fights were longer, could be dirtier and the refs hardly ever stopped them. There are always a few throwbacks who are teak tough even nowadays, but I think the 'average' has dropped.