Overrating the Past......? No way!

[brocktonblockbust]

Rocky lost a fight BEFORE he was even amateur, in Brockton, Mass to a black guy. It was like some local boxing club/gym. Marciano had thrown all his punches--about 250 they say--in the 1st 3 rounds and was totally punched-out. So knowing he would get knocked out, he kneed the poor guy in the balls, and ran out of the ring into the street. At that time he may have been 23 years old. I think he quit boxing for a year or 2 after that, and tried out for the Chicago Cubs. So that's a DQ. But I dont think that counts

[brocktonblockbust]

Anyway, like I said before, some people come into this world and by some hand of grace nobody can beat them. Marciano was one of those people. How can we explain it? To the poster who was "confused" why I started another Marciano post----some things need no explanation. This topic will never be totally discussed, there's too much mystery and fascination about it.

Balding, 2 left feet, uncoordinated, SHORTEST REACH IN HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY, slow, DIDN'T STRAT BOXING UNTIL AGE 24, etc.... How did this guy do it? How?

[marbleheadmaui]

Anyway, like I said before, some people come into this world and by some hand of grace nobody can beat them. Marciano was one of those people. How can we explain it? To the poster who was "confused" why I started another Marciano post----some things need no explanation. This topic will never be totally discussed, there's too much mystery and fascination about it.

Balding, 2 left feet, uncoordinated, SHORTEST REACH IN HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY, slow, DIDN'T STRAT BOXING UNTIL AGE 24, etc.... How did this guy do it? How?

Well one way is he was as fit as any man who ever stepped into the ring. Another is he wasn't bereft of athletic talent. He was FREAKISHLY strong for a man his size and I think the uncoordinated thing is overplayed. he was too good a baseball player for that to be true. Maybe a better way of saying it is he wasn't graceful.

[Beanflicker]

This kind of argument is foolish IMO. You'd have to be crazy to believe that, on average, athletes today are not stronger than the athletes of yesteryears.

This "people were tougher back then" crap always irks me too. There were tough guys and sissies back then, just like there are tough guys and sissies now. Not trying to sound like a prick, but these are the kinds of ignorant blanket statements that you make when you're a kid.

[marbleheadmaui]

This kind of argument is foolish IMO. You'd have to be crazy to believe that, on average, athletes today are not stronger than the athletes of yesteryears.
This "people were tougher back then" crap always irks me too. There were tough guys and sissies back then, just like there are tough guys and sissies now. Not trying to sound like a prick, but these are the kinds of ignorant blanket statements that you make when you're a kid.

And you'd have to be crazy to think boxing gets the same quality athlete it got 50+ years ago. And since one can't make the skull or brain stronger? If figghters are stronger? How come there aren't more deaths today? I mean there oughtta be dead fighters all over the place, right?

[Beanflicker]

And you'd have to be crazy to think boxing gets the same quality athlete it got 50+ years ago. And since one can't make the skull or brain stronger? If figghters are stronger? How come there aren't more deaths today? I mean there oughtta be dead fighters all over the place, right?

1) Rules and sanctions have changed (less rounds, quicker stoppages, ect ect) over the last 50+ years to make it "relatively" safer. That, coupled with the fact that boxers are having much less fights (thus, less brain injury) than fighters of yesteryears. I reckon that would explain the drop in deaths.

2) Go back and look at the deaths in boxing. How many of them have been brutal early KO's? I can't think of one. Deaths/serious brain injuries have occured when fighters have taken a multitude of blows over a longer fight. Over the past several years, its been determined that its not only the concussion blows that take its toll on the brain, but also the subconcussive ones. One is much less likely to die from a brutal early KO than from a prolonged beating that lasts into the later rounds.

So if fighters today are much stronger (and thus scoring more early KOs), then it stands to reason that there would actually be LESS deaths than if they didn't punch as hard and had to punish their opponent into the the later rounds to get a KO.

[marbleheadmaui]

And you'd have to be crazy to think boxing gets the same quality athlete it got 50+ years ago. And since one can't make the skull or brain stronger? If figghters are stronger? How come there aren't more deaths today? I mean there oughtta be dead fighters all over the place, right?

1) Rules and sanctions have changed (less rounds, quicker stoppages, ect ect) over the last 50+ years to make it "relatively" safer. That, coupled with the fact that boxers are having much less fights (thus, less brain injury) than fighters of yesteryears. I reckon that would explain the drop in deaths.

2) Go back and look at the deaths in boxing. How many of them have been brutal early KO's? I can't think of one. Deaths/serious brain injuries have occured when fighters have taken a multitude of blows over a longer fight. Over the past several years, its been determined that its not only the concussion blows that take its toll on the brain, but also the subconcussive ones. One is much less likely to die from a brutal early KO than from a prolonged beating that lasts into the later rounds.

So if fighters today are much stronger (and thus scoring more early KOs), then it stands to reason that there would actually be LESS deaths than if they didn't punch as hard and had to punish their opponent into the the later rounds to get a KO.

MANY deaths in the ring are early KO's. Lito Sisnorio, round 4, Hen drik Bira, round three, Muhammad Basule, round 3, David Rickman, round four, Bones Francisius round three, Amang Gimay Round one, Bradley Rone, round two, Hugo Guzman, round two, Cresencio Mercado, Round one, Simpiwe Galade, round one, Coleman Cedar, round four, John Namitula, round four, Mazawa Mathole, round three. Now that is a partial list from 2000-2007 only.

Since you entire argument rests on an assumption that isnt' valid...

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Anyway, like I said before, some people come into this world and by some hand of grace nobody can beat them. Marciano was one of those people. How can we explain it? To the poster who was "confused" why I started another Marciano post----some things need no explanation. This topic will never be totally discussed, there's too much mystery and fascination about it.

Balding, 2 left feet, uncoordinated, SHORTEST REACH IN HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY, slow, DIDN'T STRAT BOXING UNTIL AGE 24, etc.... How did this guy do it? How?

Well one way is he was as fit as any man who ever stepped into the ring. Another is he wasn't bereft of athletic talent. He was FREAKISHLY strong for a man his size and I think the uncoordinated thing is overplayed. he was too good a baseball player for that to be true. Maybe a better way of saying it is he wasn't graceful.

Baseball player?! That fucking explains it then.. I mean the way he throws some of his punches, he pitches them at you.

[marbleheadmaui]

Anyway, like I said before, some people come into this world and by some hand of grace nobody can beat them. Marciano was one of those people. How can we explain it? To the poster who was "confused" why I started another Marciano post----some things need no explanation. This topic will never be totally discussed, there's too much mystery and fascination about it.

Balding, 2 left feet, uncoordinated, SHORTEST REACH IN HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY, slow, DIDN'T STRAT BOXING UNTIL AGE 24, etc.... How did this guy do it? How?

Well one way is he was as fit as any man who ever stepped into the ring. Another is he wasn't bereft of athletic talent. He was FREAKISHLY strong for a man his size and I think the uncoordinated thing is overplayed. he was too good a baseball player for that to be true. Maybe a better way of saying it is he wasn't graceful.

Baseball player?! That fucking explains it then.. I mean the way he throws some of his punches, he pitches them at you.

LOL, yup. He was a pretty good catcher.

[brocktonblockbust]

If that argument irks you, then it proves my point. People 50 years ago wouldnt be irked by that argument. But since you aren't as strong as those people, it irks you.

[Beanflicker]

If that argument irks you, then it proves my point. People 50 years ago wouldnt be irked by that argument. But since you aren't as strong as those people, it irks you.

LOL good point