Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑15 Jan 2026, 20:02
Well sure there a certain fighters from today who were better than certain fighters from the 1990s. You can do that with any era. But it is just stupid to take out the best fighters. Holyfield fought them all. Every fight that Holyfield had that was close to his prime counts. Same with anyone.
Sure but we are trying to imagine how Holyfield would do in today's era. I don't think the 90s are stronger than the current era if we take out Lewis and Tyson let alone Bowe.
I would say the rough 90s equivalents to today would be as follows
Holyfield-Usyk
Smith-Ortiz
Tubbs-Chisora
Witherspoon-Povetkin
Tucker-Wilder
Williams-Pulev
Douglas-Miller
Mercer-Hunter jr
Ruddock-Zhang
Bruno-Joshua
McCall-Kabayel
Sanders-Bakole
Akinwande-Fury
Bowe-Hrgovic
Zolkin-Joyce
Golota-Dubois
Moorer-Parker
Norris-Ruiz
The era isn't over yet so I don't know if it will produce any equivalents to Wlad, Vitali etc
Just for fun, I'll have a shot at picking winners, best versions of the fighters; Tubbs-Chisora Witherspoon-Povetkin Tucker-Wilder Williams-Pulev Douglas-Miller Mercer-Hunter jr
Ruddock-Zhang Bruno-Joshua
McCall-Kabayel Sanders-Bakole
Akinwande-Fury Bowe-Hrgovic
Zolkin-Joyce
Golota-Dubois Moorer-Parker
Norris-Ruiz
I would pick Ruddock and McCall as well. You never know what you are going to get with Golota. At his best, I would pick him. Some of these are not even close. Bowe-Hrgovic? Tucker-Wilder? Really?
And of course it is ridiculous not to count some of the very best fighters like Holyfield, Lewis, and Tyson.
The mere fact that Fury is matched up against Akinwande says a lot. Fury is what the #3 guy from the 2000s? And Akinwande is what about the 20th best from the 1990s?
Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑18 Jan 2026, 14:06
I would pick Ruddock and McCall as well. You never know what you are going to get with Golota. At his best, I would pick him. Some of these are not even close. Bowe-Hrgovic? Tucker-Wilder? Really?
And of course it is ridiculous not to count some of the very best fighters like Holyfield, Lewis, and Tyson.
The mere fact that Fury is matched up against Akinwande says a lot. Fury is what the #3 guy from the 2000s? And Akinwande is what about the 20th best from the 1990s?
Sure but I'm trying to imagine how Holyfield would do against Usyk's competition and it makes sense to look at how he did against fighters of that level. Even if you don't rate Fury or Joshua it seems hard to believe they are much worse than some of the guys Holyfield struggled with like Moorer and Mercer. So you could expect them to give him problems even if they lose.
What would the 1990s equivalent to those guys be ability wise in your view
Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑18 Jan 2026, 14:06
I would pick Ruddock and McCall as well. You never know what you are going to get with Golota. At his best, I would pick him. Some of these are not even close. Bowe-Hrgovic? Tucker-Wilder? Really?
And of course it is ridiculous not to count some of the very best fighters like Holyfield, Lewis, and Tyson.
The mere fact that Fury is matched up against Akinwande says a lot. Fury is what the #3 guy from the 2000s? And Akinwande is what about the 20th best from the 1990s?
Sure but I'm trying to imagine how Holyfield would do against Usyk's competition and it makes sense to look at how he did against fighters of that level. Even if you don't rate Fury or Joshua it seems hard to believe they are much worse than some of the guys Holyfield struggled with like Moorer and Mercer. So you could expect them to give him problems even if they lose.
What would the 1990s equivalent to those guys be ability wise in your view
Anthony Joshua is essentially a taller, slightly more coordinated Frank Bruno. Tyson Fury is unlike any other Heavyweight there ever was, that's a part of why he was so effective. A big, tall guy with an awkward herky jerky style and unusually good movement for a man of his proportions.
Not saying that Tyson Fury is one of the greatest there ever was or anything, just saying there's not another fighter you could really compare him to. Other big, tall guys that had fought in the past fought nothing at all like him.