The size advantage of modern HWs just got exposed badly

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Usyk is smaller than Ali, Holmes, Foreman etc. The dimensions are similar but they fill out much more while Usyk has noticeable fat specially in the middle. And lets not forget he was an alltime cruiser as well.

Fury and Lennox are the only true modern "giant" HWs where their size advantage would be a deciding factor against some past greats but even they have their issues. Fury almost got KOd by Cunningham and we know about Lennox chin.

Joshua was supposed to be one of the bigger, powerful HWs. Too big for past smaller HWs that would be "CWs" in todays era. Well he just got his ass lit up by a CW who doesnt have a fraction of the power of those greats.
 
Usyk weighed in at 221

Ali vs. Liston: Ali was 210
Ali vs. Foreman: Ali was 216
Ali vs. Spinks: Ali was 221

Foreman vs. Frazier: Foreman was 217

Holmes vs. Norton: Holmes was 209.


When Usyk won the heavyweight championship, he weighed more than the guys listed in the OP when they won their heavy weight title for the first time.
 
I do not think the size of modern HW's was exposed, rather, Usyk was simply woefully under rated and also Joshua was over rated. Ruiz did the same thing to him already and made him look stuck in the mud. Take away AJ's muscle, put a flabby body on him and he never would have got as hyped as he did.
 
Ali had a similar size maybe bigger head and less muscle he was 210-215 at his best
 
Usyk weighed in at 221

Ali vs. Liston: Ali was 210
Ali vs. Foreman: Ali was 216
Ali vs. Spinks: Ali was 221

Foreman vs. Frazier: Foreman was 217

Holmes vs. Norton: Holmes was 209.


When Usyk won the heavyweight championship, he weighed more than the guys listed in the OP when they won their heavy weight title for the first time.
Ali was 221 vs norton in 1976 and 34 years old like usyk
 
Ali, Holmes & Foreman are the 3 strongest heavyweights from that time period. They're a rough night for everyone.
But Klitschko vs. Patterson? Joshua vs. Quarry? Wilder vs. Bonavena?
Even though styles make fights, size does matter.
 
Usyk is smaller than Ali, Holmes, Foreman etc. The dimensions are similar but they fill out much more while Usyk has noticeable fat specially in the middle. And lets not forget he was an alltime cruiser as well.

Fury and Lennox are the only true modern "giant" HWs where their size advantage would be a deciding factor against some past greats but even they have their issues. Fury almost got KOd by Cunningham and we know about Lennox chin.

Joshua was supposed to be one of the bigger, powerful HWs. Too big for past smaller HWs that would be "CWs" in todays era. Well he just got his ass lit up by a CW who doesnt have a fraction of the power of those greats.
Riddick Bowe.
The Klitschko brothers.
Michael Grant.
Henry Akinwande.
Valuev.
 
Size advantage in the HW's is only a huge advantage when you can box. Just being big isn't enough. When you can stick and move while being north of 250 and a giant you don't need to be that good a boxer, as long as you can box you will give hell to everyone.

Joshua is big and can box, he is dangerous. Usyk is just out of this world good.
 
Chagaev vs Valuev comes to mind.
 
Joshua has a comprised chin, because of this he limits himself in both movement and volume.

I think there are actually a lot of heavyweights from the 80s and 90s steroid era that would best him. He's still really good, but this issue is going to continue to be a problem for him.
 
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Size gets overrated in these discussions. A lot of superheavyweights had their toughest fights against smaller guys.

The people who think Larry Holmes or Muhammad Ali couldn't hang against an Anthony Joshua are just clueless about the sport. His limitations were always pretty obvious. Very stiff and rigid, and he has definitely been fighting scared after the beating from Andy Ruiz. Fury was right about him, he's probably kicking himself now for not getting to Joshua first.
 
Usyk is not smaller than Ali. At least not in this fight. He actually weighed more than Ali in the Foreman fight and they’re the same height.
 
Usyk is not smaller than Ali. At least not in this fight. He actually weighed more than Ali in the Foreman fight and they’re the same height.

I would say that they are roughly the same size, Ali probably had a bit of a bigger frame (he walked around at 240 lbs).

Ali would definitely be fighting at around 230 pounds these days, but back in the day, with the 15 round limit, everybody was training to maximize their cardio. Even a monster like Foreman was fighting at a drained 217 pounds, when he probably had no business coming in below 230 pounds.

Usyk looked like he was carrying around more excess weight than a prime Ali.

main-qimg-60925b24cd78517f46f9aba61f0cc739


_120683730_joshuausyk.jpg
 
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The WBC bridgerweight division gets sent to hell, when Usyk can move up from cruiser and be a 3 belt HW champ that easily, Usyk had tougher fights at cruiserweight!!
 
So many people obssesed with size nowadays. Cruiserweights are all fit heavyweights in shape essentially.
 
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