[SAL]

Originally Posted by Cap

About 40 years ago the folks at The Ring Magazine listed the top heavyweight contenders to champion Joe Frazier's title:

Joe Frazier, Champion

1.Muhammad Ali(39-1-0)
2.George Foreman (36-0-0)
3.Jimmy Ellis (36-7-0)
4.Ron Lyle (18-0-0)
5.Floyd Patterson (55-8-1)
6.Ernie Terrell(44-7-0)
7.Jose Roman (41-7-1)
8.Joe Bugner (41-4-1)
9.Ken Norton (28-1-0)
10.Jose Luis Garcia (24-2-1)

Compare that to the present group on Boxrec.com

Wladimir Klitschko - champion

1.Vitali Klitschko (45-2-0)
2.Tomasz Adamek (47-2-0)
3.Kubrat Pulev (17-0)
4.David Haye (26-2-0)
5.Alexander Povetkin (25-0)
6.Tyson Fury (20-0-0)
7.Odlanier Solis (18-1-0)
8.Robert Helenius (18-0-0)
9.Johnathan Banks (29-1-0)
10.Tony Thompson (36-3-0)

First thing you might notice is that Group 1 is way more experienced. It's probably much lighter in total weight as well. How would Group 2 fare against Group 1, if you could pluck Group 1 from the end of 1972 and bring them into 2012?

Cap

I ran bouts 1972 versus 2012 and TBCB says..............

1972

Joe Frazier (11-0-0)
Muhammad Ali(11-0-0)
Jimmy Ellis (11-0-0)
Floyd Patterson (10-1-0)
George Foreman (9-2-0)
Ernie Terrell(8-3-0)
Ken Norton (7-4-0)
Joe Bugner (6-5-0)
Ron Lyle (6-5-0)
Jose Roman (5-6-0)
Jose Luis Garcia (2-8-1)
only two fighters finished the series below .500

2012

Vitali Klitschko (7-4-0)
Wladimir Klitschko (6-5-0)
Odlanier Solis (5-6-0)
Robert Helenius (4-7-0)
Tony Thompson (3-8-0)
Alexander Povetkin (3-8-0)
Tomasz Adamek (2-9-0)
David Haye (1-9-1)
Tyson Fury (1-10-0)
Kubrat Pulev (1-10-0)
Johnathan Banks (1-10-0)
only the Klitschko brothers were able to post a record above .500