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

[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...