By Eric Johnson: Every so often fighters from different generations are matched up against each other, fueling massive debates on how the fighters would have fared against their younger or older counterparts. More often than not, the older generations get the nod. Pundits insist that more recent fighters would stand little to no chance.
Power is exaggerated, speed is intensified, and Ring IQ is fabricated to make older fighters appear as Einstein’s descendants, and newer fighters as brain dead dunces. Now, I’m not saying newer fighters would obliterate older fighters, what I’m saying is that I’m sure some of them would fare well.
I’m sure there would be some unexpected losses, and some unexpected wins. However, when we pretend and convince ourselves that some of the previous legends are made of diamond and lava, instead of bone and blood, it takes away from the thrill of debate. When we automatically say that Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would become deer in headlights to Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, without taking into consideration their actual skill-sets, is there nothing wrong with that? Is that fair to fighters both new and old? To not acknowledge what beautiful competition these fights could have actually been, and instantly give the nod to older generations because they arrived first?
It’s become a crime to debate icons of the now and the past, a crime to give the newer generation a one up on any level. It seems we have to accept that Jordan is the greatest of all time, that Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali are the greatest. That The Beatles and Led Zeppelin are as good as it’ll ever get. Doesn’t that belittle the accomplishments, and potential compliments of the ones currently making their names? The fact that they never have a chance to grab that title. The term “Greatest of All Time” isn’t something someone can hold forever, simply because time doesn’t stop. If someone does one day succeed in outworking and going further than their ancestors, do we not acknowledge that because of some unwritten law that says it isn’t accepted?
The question is, when and how did the greats get this immortality? When did their nicknames become reality? At what point does Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran get taken into a literal context? I firmly believe it is the time attached to their names. Sort of like a myth if you will. I’m definitely not saying that those who come before us are slouches or bums. That would be disrespectful and I do my best to give everyone their due credit, but in time some of these skills are exaggerated in order to pay homage? Only, I don’t consider that paying homage. People don’t adore Mike Tyson’s career because they believe his right uppercut will send his opponents flying out of the arena like rockets. They adore him because they know nine times out of ten, that guy is hitting the canvas, or is severely stunned. Fabricating someone’s skills in order to guarantee them fantasy wins is not paying homage. Paying homage is saying exactly what their skills were and believing in them enough to feel that their opposition would take a loss, or have a very hard time winning. That’s how you pay respect to your icons.
Also, you have to remember that their resumes are finished. Nothing will be added to them. You can’t compare a book that’s waiting to be published, to a book that’s selling copies around the world. Any fighter or athlete still competing today has a resume that is incomplete. So when matched up against a complete piece of work, it’ll always be inferior. In 30 years, fighters you see today may have the same ring to their names that fighters of yesterday have. Simply because their legacies will be known, and would have given birth to the next generation of competitors.
We, as a Boxing Republic owe it to ourselves to examine these match-ups without bias. To avoid simply writing off current fighters because fighters from previous generations have had time to be missed. To take the time and initiative to give detailed opinions about dream match-ups we will never see, but are able to discuss and debate while showcasing our knowledge of The Sweet Science. The Mayweather’s, Cotto’s and Pacquiao’s of today, are the Leonard’s, Duran’s and Hagler’s of tomorrow. 20 years from now there will be a fresh crop of young talent, taking names and making a name for themselves. Hopefully by then we can appreciate all generations, and have debates that give justice to the sport we all love. It also pays true homage to the fighters past, to actually accept their skills for what they were, instead of fabricating them to superhuman levels to support our arguments. Legends can be born any given day, and tomorrow never dies. Which means in order for you to truly appreciate the legends past, you have to first appreciate the legends being made.
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