Nate Campbell, Joel Cassamayor, Verno Phillips, Bernard Hopkin, Joe Calzaghe: boxing's new prime is over 35?

Question

Seems the young bucks can't hang with the old dogs anymore what is going on here?

Answer 1

The problem is that the new fighters are not born boxers, they are getting into the fight game late with limited amateur backgrounds. With all the different weight classes it allows fighters to avoid each other for the sake of 5 lbs.

With the new human growth hormone, and god knows what is out there we dont know of. Boxers are having longer careers, diet, training, less rounds, more rules, fighters are more protected today, If Hopkins,Cambell,Cassamayor,Calzaghe had to fight 15 round championship fights and 12 round non title fights with some of the tough as nails fighters of the 50s, 60s,70,s they would not have been able to avoid the wear on their bodies into there mid 30's. One thing older fighters had more of then young boxers today is heart.

If you tell a guy that if he dosnt win this fight his family wont eat this week, thats motivation boy. That kind of motivation can make a fighter win a fight he would normally have no right being in. If The old dogs of today had to face men like that, they may have won, but it would be a shitload of damage taken in order to win.

Not just boxers, all athletes are playing longer, its just evolution, health, medical advances, brain scans. And most of the guys you mentioned never took horrible beatings in the ring.

The less damage you take in your career the longer you can have a prime. Simple as that.

Answer 2

The population is getting older as a whole.

Answer 3

It sure as h**l seems that way.  I mean, it really wasn't that long ago when in boxing, if you were in your mid-30s, you were considered old and had to start thinking about retirement.  But, now with people taking care of themselves along with all of the advances in medicine, people are now living longer and are staying in their primes for much longer periods of time (especially boxers).  The other thing is that the guys that you mentioned- Campbell, Casamayor, Phillips, Hopkins, and Calzaghe are real cagey guys that have been around the block more than a few times, and they've seen all of the types of styles that are out there, so nothing is going to surprise them.  Look at Casamayor- he's had over 300 amateur fights and he's fought and beat the best as a pro throughout his entire career.  The old dogs have been showing the young guns what it feels like to be in the ring with a genuine world class fighter who is still hungry and who's had loads of experience

Answer 4

It seems like it is now well at least with those fighters you just listed it certainly seems to be the case. They all proved they still got some gas left in the tank and tricks up their sleeves. I dont think phillips is gonna make anything out of his last win hes more like the veteran gate keeper ... more of a test than a legimate threat to anyone out there. The rest of those guys are all legimate threats to anyone who steps into the ring with them. These guys all obvisouly take good care of themselves and are still in great shape. Where you look at say a morales /tyson/holyfield these guys around the same age but in their case they are shot fighters.

Answer 5

It's called experience as well as staying true to the game.  These guys came up the right way -- they worked hard and fought their way up the ranks, these guys did not get the super fights quickly like some.

These are the type of boxers that should get most of the press.

You may be able to add Tony Thompson to this list.  Thompson's scheduled to face Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO/IBF title and he is 37.