Anybody else into boxing?Follow

He started fighting mexicans. 1,2,3,4,5...

And yes I like boxing, but not a lot to cheer about lately, the sport needs a good overhauling in my mind.

I like the middleweights and higher. I don't like the small guys, it gets boring watching two 100lb men that can't even compress the air out of the gloves.

I have a friend that knows everything about boxing, haven't seen him for quite a while though.

Edited, Mon Apr 26 20:52:32 2004 by Reinman

the sport needs a good overhauling in my mind.

As in, the corruption factor, or overhauling the available athletes at the moment?

I have seen some of the worst calls in any sport, in boxing.

I'd have to agree if you meant either.

-Gie

I generally prefer its history to the current crop of fighters.

My mom grew up in New York City, and used to tell me about the fights she and my grandfather would go to. Bare fisted brawls, and until someone dropped even!

That is something.

-Gie

Jones' biggest problem is lack of competition. At his prime he may have been the best ever pound for pound, but we'l never know because there wasn't anyone for him to fight. He had amazing handspeed for a guy his size though.

Why for a guy his size? He had great handspeed period. He had great power as well, and he is probably one of the most elusive fighters I have ever seen fight. He would make really good boxers look like amateurs, missing him by like 3 feet, stuff like that.

Just never heard it said like that before, generally it is assumed. Otherwise, you would have to say it after every statement. He's a good fighter, for a guy his size. He has good power, for a guy his size. He has good handspeed, for a guy his size. Thinks he can win it all, in his weight class. He can knock people out. They reserve the last one for the little guys, because not all of them can. Just checking to see if things were changing out there, and nobody told me.

Put the crack pipe down, son. Ali would have destroyed Lewis.

Lewis didn't have the handsped to even get to Ali. Foreman in his prime was a far harder puncher than Lewis. Lewis benefitted from a run down Heavyweight division. He was champ because he was in the right place at the right time. He would have been about the 5th best heavyweight in the sixties, if that.

Yeah Lewis was a "great" heavyweight. With those impressive wins against Bowe, and 127 year old Holyfield, and a manic depressive Tyson. And I'm sure Ali would be upset by Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall in his prime, too! Lewis is a joke, in a joke of an era. He almost lost to Vitali and nobody thinks he's a great heavy.

Lewis retired b/c he didn't want to get embarassed by a much better Roy Jones Jr.

edit* and for the record Hatton will be exposed if he ever fights a contender.

Edited, Tue Apr 27 10:46:39 2004 by DashertheChef

Here speak some without a f*cking clue about boxing.

Hatton has beat the second tear of the world easier and faster than any of the top 3.

Funny how the top three suddenly want 50% more than thier usual fee just to step into the ring with him.They do this why? becuse they know that he could <Not will, could> beat them.

Besides i never said he was the best in the world, i said he was 1 of the 2 best britain had to offer and he would take some stopping.

I still think that Lewis in his prime Vs Ali in his prime would be too much for Ali because the skills of the modern boxer have improved and Lewis's sheer size compaired with boxers of Ali's era.

So Ali wasn't beaten then? i'm sure he was, and Lewis beat both in the rematches within 4 rounds.

I agree the modern heavyweight division is poor which is why it's hard for you to see just how much quality Lewis has. Remember he like Ali won the gold medal, and that take talent.

There's been some great light-mid weight fights the last couple of years. Ward-Gatti, Freitas-Barrios. Cory Spinks had a decent one a couple of weeks ago. Tapia was entertaining until recently. Freitas looked unbeatable until his last fight or two, he had a high-profile divorce in that time, maybe he'll recover.

That Klitschko fight Saturday against Sanders was fun to watch. Always great to see a flabby guy like Sanders take beating and keep coming. Too bad Vitali couldn't finish Lennox, he looks too stiff to me to unify the belts. I think Byrd would land a thousand of his limp wristed taps on Vitali and win on points every time.

Edited, Tue Apr 27 12:18:17 2004 by Aades

Not during his prime he wasn't, no. Ali was a far superior boxer prior to his 3 year break. This was a guy who called what round he would knock his opponent out, and get it right 90% of the time. He defended the title he won from Liston 10 times without defeat prior to his ban, compared with Lewis defending the one he got on a technicality 3 times before getting beat.

All the classics you have probably seen like Fraizer I,II,II and Foreman were all a much slower Ali, he made up for his loss of movement with sheer guts and tactics.

For 3 of his 5 losses, he was old , fat and already showing signs of Parkinsons when he lost to Spinks, Holmes and Berbick - those 3 losses came 18 years to 21 years after he started his professional career, through the most brutal and talented heavyweight line-up in history. Lewis by contrast had a career that lasted 14 years, and was a hell of a lot easier.

The other two losses agains Frazier and Norton were against quality, and fierce, boxers.

There is no comparison between Ali and Lewis.

Do you see me arguing that Ali wasn't the greatest no, i am saying that boxing like all sports evolve and become better, the fighters of today are better than those of 20 years ago fitter, faster and hit harder it is the natural progression of any sport. In 20 years the world No 1 will probably be 6'10 and 20 stone of pure muscle that if Lewis had to fight they would pound him into the dirt.

In much the same way Athlete's are faster, jump higher and are bigger in size to those 20 years ago.

I am NOT repeat NOT saying that Ali isn't the greatest fighter the world has ever seen i am saying if he was stuck in a time machine and fought today he would find that boxing is a different game now, as with all sports.

I have been trying to find stats on Ali's and Foremans hieght / weight but i can't for the life of me.