The word Great is used by many boxing fans in todays World,when describing the elite boxers of today.Granted a very few of them would come into that category in my opinion in the last twenty years as being truly great fighters.There are exceptions like Leonard,Duran,Hagler,Ali,Tyson,Monzon,etc who would have held there own in any era of boxing.
But over the last twenty years or so we now have numerous World Champions,even three or four in the same weight divisions.And be honest how often do the best meet the best in the weight divisions,to be undisputed Champion.The reason being the Champions of today are looking for the easy route to making big paydays,taking on not the best contenders at there weight.The promoters dont want there cash cows beaten,and the organisation are just happy to pick up there sanction fee,s for the Plastic belts.
Off course fighters in bygone days avoided certain dangerous opponents in there divisions,mainly i may add black fighters.But then that was the way of the world in them dark days of racial prejudiced against many a great black fighter.But the abundance of great contenders all fighting each other in every division to trying to reach the top of the pile was evident.And when the blacks were finally given a fair shake later in the centuary boxing boomed bigtime.
By today standards boxers are winning so called World Title after a handfull of fights,being with the right promoter or prepared to pay sanction fee.s to one of the tinpot governing boards.Years ago boxers would have careers fighting as many as 2 to 3 hundred fights,and to even get in the top ten you had to be very good.Competition for getting in the ratings was every boxers dream,it ment normanly higher pay days.But along the way the boxers learnt their craft,and there was not much between any of the boxers in the divisions.On a regular basis you saw as a fight fan the best fighting the best.
I just cannot compare the so called greats of todays boxing,with the greats of old days.When you think middleweights even welterweights took on rated heavyweights and in some case’s beat them back then.Fighters like Harry Greb,Ray Robinson,Willie Pepp,Sam Langford,Mickey Walker,the list go’s on and on.In my opinion if today fans call elite boxers great today,all i can say the one one;s i mentioned from the old days plus plenty more were Legends.
What are your views on Boxing as it is today compared to what it was like up to the late 60s.
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