The following info was extracted from the VERY detailed stats provided at:
http://sportsline.netscape.com/u/boxing/1999/holylew/heavytales.htm
Check it out, it was very cool.
Things to notice:
1) the average height DOES tend to increase over the years,
2) 6'2" - 6'3" seem to occur the most
3) Rocky Marciano's stats might surprize you.
4) Gichoke pumped up Dempsey a bit.
5) Ali was taller than I remembered.
6) Look at the top 6 fighters in the last 30 years, more than half were 6'2" or
less.
Of course, people will dissemble till the cows come home about these numbers,
but this is, afterall, rec.martial-arts. ;)
The data are interesting though and the link listed above provides much much
more details than I extracted here.
====================================================
Tales of the Tape
The Heavyweight Champions of the World
Jack Dempsey
6-0ž
187
Gene Tunney
6-0˝
189˝
Max Schmeling
6-1
188
Jack Sharkey
6-0
205
Primo Carnera
6-5ž
260
Max Baer
6-2˝
193
Jimmy Braddock
6-1˝
197
Joe Louis
?
?
Ezzard Charles
6-0
181ž
Jersey Joe Walcott
6-0
194
Rocky Marciano
5-10ź
184
Floyd Patterson
6-0
182ž
Ingemar Johansson
6-0˝
196
Sonny Liston
6-1
214
Muhammad Ali
6-3
210˝
Joe Frazier
5-11˝
205
George Foreman
6-3
217ž
Leon Spinks
6-2
196
Ken Norton
6-3
215˝
Larry Holmes
6-3˝
209
John Tate
6-4
240
Mike Weaver
6-1
207
Michael Dokes
6-3
216
Gerrie Coetzee
6-2˝
215
Tim Witherspoon
6-3
220ź
Pinklon Thomas
6-3
216
Greg Page
6-3
236
Tony Tubbs
6-3
230
Michael Spinks
6-2˝
200
Trevor Berbick
6-2˝
200
Mike Tyson
5-11˝
218
Bonecrusher Smith
6-4
230
Tony Tucker
6-5
225
Buster Douglas
6-4
231
Evander Holyfield
6-2
215
Riddick Bowe
6-5
230
Lennox Lewis
6-5
245
Michael Moorer
6-2
225
Oliver McCall
6-2
225
George Foreman
6-4
250
Bruce Seldon
6-1
233
Frank Bruno
6-3
230
Courtesy International Boxing Hall of Fame
=========================================================
Ketho
"To search for the old is to understand the new."