Are boxers getting faster?

Last point, and this about Duran. Duran was an athletic freak not just by 1970s standards - by today's standards too.

Ever see what Duran could do on the jump rope? Aren't any guys today who can duplicate it. Fimo Lopez tried, and failed.

Duran had rare athleticism, by measure of any decade.

 

Proudly, REED Falls in the Middle of Both Extremes...

Watched Boxing w/a Critical Eye Since the 70's & the Fandom Has Only Gotten STRONGER...

w/That Established, Both Sides Have Short Comings, But the Nostalgia Bias Crew is By Faaaaaaaaaaaaar the WORST...It's Like They're Rabidly PROTECTING Something...

The Recency Bias Faction Typically Consists of Newer Fans Who Just Need to Get Up to Speed a Bit, but the Nostalgia Bias Faction States OPINION as FACT More Times Than Not...

To Say There Will NEVER Be Another Muhammad Ali or Roberto Duran is a Shining Example of Nostalgia Bias...& While REED Can Acknowledge the Likelihood of Another Ali/Duran is REMOTE, You Can NEVER Say "Never"...Not in Boxing...

But Yeah, REED Doesn't Subscribe to Either Side...The Nostalgia Bias and Recency Bias Crews BOTH Suck Dick...





REED

 

I'll double-down on it - no, there will never be fighters again quite like Duran and Ali.

With Ali, you need a heavyweight with not only the same rare physical traits Ali had, but the exceptional intangibles that Ali had - meaning the incredible heart, chin, and stamina.

Athletes are getting SOFTER, because society is getting softer. I dunno if that'll change, but as of NOW, there's no Ali coming around.

With Duran, you would need an offensive fighter with an EXCEPTIONALLY rare blend of athleticism, offensive skill, creativity, and rage. Plus, the engine Duran had. It doesn't happen often, especially because the skills Duran had aren't emphasized as much anymore.

We won't see another Ali or Duran in our lifetimes.

 

These guys didn't disappear yesterday. Duran's prime ended in 1980. Ali's prime ended in 1967.

They obviously aren't that easy to replicate.

Duran influenced an entire generation of Latin fighters - many have tried to be like him, and admit they tried to be like him. None have been able to pull it off, or even come close.

 

Exceptional athletes are never duplicated - there are just NEW exceptions that come around.

Manny Pacquiao wasn't the next Roberto Duran - he was the FIRST Manny Pacquiao.

LeBron wasn't the next Jordan, he was the first LeBron. Kobe, God rest his soul, tried to be a Mike replica, but never quite came close.

 

There can be another Oscar, or another Spence, or another Cotto, ect. These guys are talented, but not generational.

Ali, Duran, Roy, Tyson? Yeeeaaaa, don't hold your breath waiting for another to come around.

 

But Every Single Modern Day Athlete ISN'T Soft Though...Even if There's MORE Soft Athletes Today, it's Not ABSOLUTE Bruh...

At his Best, Manny Pacquiao Possessed Many of the Characteristics You've Attributed to Duran, and His IMPACT/INFLUENCE On His Poverty Stricken, 3rd World Country Has Yet to TRULY Be Felt or Realized in Boxing...

For All We Know There's Some Dirt Poor, Uber-Athletic Filipino Kid, Not Sure WHEN His Next Meal Will Be, Walking the Streets SHOELESS Right Now...And Based Solely on Pacquiao (Who's Background was EXACTLY the Same), He'll Pursue Boxing as a Vehicle to Alter the Course of His Own Life...

Another Factor is VIDEO/Youtube...It Affords Modern Day Fighters the Opportunity to Mimic or Flat Out STEAL the Moves and Techniques of Retired Legends...

Again, REED's Acknowledged the Likelihood of Another Ali/Duran is REMOTE AF...But to Definitively Say "NEVER AGAIN"???...Nah...






REED

 

I can never say "never." I'm only a human.

Yes, remote AF

 

I think the point Unthinkable is trying to make is that unless you have a time machine and put Ali or Duran with some of the greats of recent times how do we really know there will never be better fighters? Yes we can go by the old eye test and say this fighter was the best fighter until we're blur in the face but unless they get in the ring how do we really know? I started watching mma from the UFC 1 days when they had no rules or weight classes. When it was a circus freak show and boxers came in the octagon with boxing gloves and got submitted by some bjj expert. I've watch the sport and athletes evolve into what it is today and those guys back then who were champions wouldn't make a penny today. There's Just no reason for me to believe boxers can't or haven't evolved into better fighters over time.

 

Somewhere, Probably On Facebook, a RECENCY BIAS Fan is Thinking "There'll NEVER Be Another Deontay Wilder"...




REED

 

I mean, Wilder is kinda rare, though I hate him.

Its rare to see a tall heavyweight complete devoid of skill, with freak power and athleticism.

But they'll be another Wilder before another Ali or Tyson.

Ali and Mike are by FARRRR the two rarest heavyweights OAT.

 

Not really comparable, since mma was pretty much starting out at ufc 1 (sure there was some vale tudo events in brazil and Japan to a lesser extent, but the sport was fringe). Nobody really knew what worked or not, so it's obvious that skills level, training and tactics evolved exponentially. Nowadays, i dont think there has been an increase in skills since the last 10 years in mma. Pretty much all the big gym train the big 4 discipline (wrestling, bjj, boxing, mt), and the style disparity that were so frequent in old ufc are less and less frequent.

Boxing being a much more ancient sport, the big evolution already took place in the 30s. Sure there's been some change, but imo, they are pretty marginal

 

A huge percentage of the recency bias crew are Floyd cock lickers. Casuals think Floyd invented some new style - not knowing that his moves have been utilized by guys like Benton, Locche, Robinson, Gavilan, Ike Williams, ect., years before Floyd was born.

 

The worst of the worst for me are the so called historians that are sure some old timers would whip the floor with modern guys, yet, there's not even film of these old timers. This is delusion at its finest. Young fans are aslo annoying, for example those that call floyd tbe. But to be honest, i think boxing fans gives too much importance to these generation battles

 

I think the Floyd Mayweather phenomenon of being the self appointed best ever my strategically cherry picking opponents in order to take on the lowest risk with the highest reward while at the same time keeping an undefeated record is slowly going away. We are starting to see champions taking risks and going for undisputed like Canelo-Plant, Casimero, Donaire and Inoue, Charlo-Castaño, Taylor. Fighters are more willing to put their 0 on the line for the sake of greatness and giving the fights fans want to see. Like the old days of Hagler, Hearns and Duran.

 

agREED...

And Most of Them Only Know the "Money May" Floyd that Surfaced in the Dela Build-Up..."Pretty Boy" Floyd is FOREIGN to Most of Them...

They're the Ones Fellating Floyd For Repeatedly BULLSHITTING the Boxing Public via Berto, McGregor, Tenshin and Logan Paul, BRAGGING About his Earnings as if THEY Got Even a Penny of It...

The Loma Lovers were Pretty Bad Too, Not AS Bad as Floyd Sack Swingers Admittedly, But That's Only Because Loma Lost to Teofimo...






REED

 

Trust me, I've argued with them before.

"You a hater, bro! Watchu know about Floyd?"

My response: "MF I was a Floyd fan before you even knew who he was!"

 

Do You Remember the Poster Ramonza Soliloquies???...He's EXACTLY Who You've Described in Your 1st Sentence and the Motherfucker was Like in His Mid-20's, at Most...

ANY Fighter That Had Footage in Color WASN'T Worth Ramonza's Time...His Knowledge was Okay, but it was Pretty Obvious He BOXREC'ed Most of His Typewritten Boxing Thoughts...




REED

 

One guy on Eastside said that Benny Leonard would pitch a shutout on Floyd. It was one of the few times I had to defend Floyd.

Both extremes are annoying.

 

Of course i rebember Ramonza, he was a legend. I even rebember his last message "that'll do me". I dont rebemebr what made him leave though. I know it was someone trolling him and picking some old timers against a modern great, but don't remember details :)

But yeah he was a bit of a clown, sure he had some knowledge, but he was going way overboard with fighters he didnt even saw. There was also a so called historian here doing the same thing ages ago (monte cox or something like this)

 

REED Has Zero Tolerance for Their Asses @ This Point and Typically Responds, "No, I'm a BOXING Fan, You're Just a FLOYD Fan, That's the Difference"...






REED

 

Ramonza's Guy was Either Benny Leonard or Harry Greb...Can't Recall...




REED

 

Jack Dempsey would KO Bowe in 2 rounds, thats another one I once heard on Eastside.

Pretty sure Jack Dempsey would piss himself at the thought of fighting a 6'5 black dude with ability.

 

The latest recency bias comedic statement I heard... "Floyd would destroy Aaron Pryor in a few rounds."

Yeeeaaaa, ok MF.

 

I think it was Lennox Lewis vs Gene Tunney MM thread.

 

If somebody picked Floyd over Pryor i wouldn't bat an eye. "Destroy in a few rounds" is not even worth replying to.

 

Tunney schools Tyson - I've heard MANY guys say that.

Mannnnnnnn Mike would wipe Gene Tunney off the fuckin face of the Earth.

 

Exactly. "Floyd by decision in a great fight" would be a BOXING FAN answer.

"Floyd destroys Pryor" is casual 101.

 

Benny Leonard was great. Even on film he looks very talented. I have no doubt he could excel in any era.

It was the "shut out" part was that was ridiculous.

 

REED Recalls One of the Boxing Magazines Posting a Letter Written by Billy Conn's Son, TRASHING Roy Jones, Questioning the Boxing Knowledge of Anyone Who Suggested Roy was BETTER Than his Ol' Man...





REED