How to shake free of Old School bias.

[holmcall]

Rocky was the greatest Cruiserweight champion so you have shaken the old school bias by admitting that. Others have him as the greatest heavy ever, which is wrong.

Exactly!

[holmcall]

Interestingly, in contrast to your wealth of first hand experience of being of that era, my era is still ongoing. Right now, today.

I'm not young by any means, Freya and kids prove that. But certainly not old enough to really know Rocky and co.

Yes I've watched videos, yes I've seen the records. But for me I'll never honestly know how good these guys were and I wonder how many of my generation and moving forward the next generation will remember these guys as legends, but possibly over hyped ones?

Well youtube and videos help, but I think it's important to remember a fight in the context in which it was held to get the full appreciation. Being 73 gives me a bit of an edge, but youtube has begun to level the playing field.

[holmcall]

Holmcall, Have you read the Arc of Boxing by Mike Silver? I haven't, but I read a review and it seems like it would be up your alley.

Yes indeed. I know Mike very well and he was the guest speaker at the annual Ring 4 Veteran Boxers Banquet in Boston (of which I am amember) and I had the honor of sitting at the dais with him and next to Micky Ward--a real stroke oif luck--that.

I was going to review it for the site I write on, but then I saw that too many others have already reviewd it. I would have given it a glowing review although I am not nearly as Old School as Mike. But he did his research and that's what counts big for me.

He also is a nice chap.

[holmcall]

I think people who say the guys of old are invincible are truly lost in nostalgia. I mean even the greatest ever Sugar Ray Robinson watch this fight with Lamotta.



You see brilliance in offense and his quick jab, but you also see flaws defensively. You see how his jab often falls short despite its speed, how off balance he was coming forward when he would throw those amazing combinations, if a guy were to use lateral movement who knows what would have happened. Technically we have seen the sport improve so much, but it's almost impossible to find his offensive poetry beyond Pacquiao at times, and what RJJ, Meldrick Taylor, young Mosley, Hearns and SRL did in spurts. You see Robinson look impressive, but you see him fail to capitalize on the fact that Lamotta is hunched over to his right, and Ray is often throwing his jab short despite the fact Lamotta is so slow.

Yes. I agree

[holmcall]

Yeah theres a few exceptions for sure. I wouldnt give him much hope against many of those that you've mentioned in the middle rounds he was a small heavy. I dont rate him either, I think he cheated with alot of his shots being off the padded area of the glove too.
Wore men down.
Generally again, I dont know how many modern fighters could continue into 15 rounds with some of the men of old either. Most look good when they are getting everything their own way but they fold much faster these days when they dont, I dont think they have as much grit put it that way.
Its a varied thing on too many levels, size, technique, rounds even the latest in footwear would have most modern fighters moving, gripping and hitting harder.

Grit. Indeed.

[holmcall]

Gee, It's kind of nice being back on Saddo.

[generalbulldog]

Interestingly, in contrast to your wealth of first hand experience of being of that era, my era is still ongoing. Right now, today.

I'm not young by any means, Freya and kids prove that. But certainly not old enough to really know Rocky and co.

Yes I've watched videos, yes I've seen the records. But for me I'll never honestly know how good these guys were and I wonder how many of my generation and moving forward the next generation will remember these guys as legends, but possibly over hyped ones?

Well youtube and videos help, but I think it's important to remember a fight in the context in which it was held to get the full appreciation. Being 73 gives me a bit of an edge, but youtube has begun to level the playing field.

73? Wow, that's pretty impressive. You lived through an era when baseball and boxing were the no. 1 and 2 sports in America. Well baseball has only slipped to the no. 2 sport while boxing is almost dead from the general US public.

[holmcall]

Holmcall, Have you read the Arc of Boxing by Mike Silver? I haven't, but I read a review and it seems like it would be up your alley.

Yes indeed. I know Mike very well and he was the guest speaker at the annual Ring 4 Veteran Boxers Banquet in Boston (of which I am amember) and I had the honor of sitting at the dais with him and next to Micky Ward--a real stroke oif luck--that.

I was going to review it for the site I write on, but then I saw that too many others have already reviewd it. I would have given it a glowing review although I am not nearly as Old School as Mike. But he did his research and that's what counts big for me.

He also is a nice chap.

I have now done areview on Mike's book and it is on-line on another site.