By Bill Calogero
Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com
The Cruiserweight and Light-Heavyweight Divisions are ready to explode onto the professional boxing scene over the next year or so. Boxing fans have come to realize that there is a lot of talent in these two divisions and hopefully, the major players in the boxing business will start to get going in the right direction putting these matches together.
Traditionally, the Heavyweights are the prime weight class. It has, is, and always will be the most desirable division in boxing. Middleweights have had their day, past and present, as did the Welterweights and even Featherweights but for some reason, the Cruiserweight and Light-Heavyweight divisions have been lost in the shuffle.
Keep in mind, twenty years ago and longer, Heavyweights were coming in under 200 lbs and there was no Cruiserweight Division. Greats like Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles and Jersey Joe Walcott, to name a few, all fought under two hundred pounds. When Iron Mike Tyson was the “Baddest Man On The Planet”, he came in under 212 lbs. Past Heavyweight Champions who have been considered big, like Jack Johnson and Sonny Liston both fought at less than 219 pounds in their prime.
Today’s Heavyweights stand well over six foot and weigh in over 230 lbs. As time goes by, this will become more common and the smaller heavyweights will not be able to compete. A good bigger man will always be able to beat a good smaller man. What this will and has created is a pool of fighters that can fight at Cruiserweight, which is less than 200 lbs. Luckily for boxing fans, this will be a treat.
Currently, in my opinion, both the Cruiserweight and Light-Heavyweight Divisions are wide open. In the Cruiserweight division, O’Neil Bell and Virgil Hill are STILL at the top. Virgil Hill is in his forties. O’Neil Bell is well into his thirties. The other ranked Cruiserweights like Steve Cunningham, Vincenzo Cantatore, Jean-Marc Mormeck and Vadim Tokarev all are no strangers to the top-ten rankings either. They too are all well into their thirties.
We have an influx of young, talented fighters coming up in the rankings and this should start to change the complexion of the division soon. Fighters like WBO Champion Enzo Maccarinelli, David Haye, Matt Godfrey and Johnathon Banks are all in their early twenties and should bring excitement to the Cruiserweight Division in the coming months.
Smaller Heavyweights like Calvin Brock, DaVarryl Williamson and Chris Byrd should consider moving down to Cruiser to fight guys more their size. Even journeyman fighters who fought their entire careers as a small Heavyweight like Kenny Craven are making the move to cruiserweight so they can fight guys their own size. More of these moves down in weight will happen sooner than later. Remember, the ONLY reason these guys have chosen to fight in the Heavyweight Division in the first place is because of the money that comes with the most popular division in the sport. In Craven’s first fight as a Cruiserweight, he dominated his opponent. It makes more sense for fighters to fight at a size that produces more competitive fights.
The Cruiserweight Division is simply getting better and better and the fighters themselves should be rewarded with bigger paydays for their efforts once the demand is there. The demand WILL come once the powers that be in boxing put these guys on cards that will showcase their talents. There are many boxers out there today that can fight at 199 lbs that currently are forced to fight in the Heavyweight Division because of the substantial difference in the money making opportunities that come with Heavyweights. What it has ended up giving us is lop-sided fights, which has become much too common over the past several years. What’s worse is that they are usually Championship bouts on PPV!
The Light-Heavyweight Division is also loaded with quality fighters that should be in the public’s eye more than they are. Putting the current title holders aside, young fighters like Paul Briggs, Adrian Diaconu, Stipe Drews and Chad Dawson will impress once they are showcased on the major fight cards. Add top-rated fighters like Roy Jones Jr., Antonio Tarver, Danny Green and Glen Johnson to the division and it becomes clear that the Light Heavyweights are a good group of fighters.
The top-ranked Super-Middleweight fighters, like Title Holders Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler can easily move into the Light-Heavyweight Division to make things even more interesting. All the Cruisers and Light-Heavies need is exposure. Once fans see these fighters and realize how exciting they are and that they too have that one punch knock out power, that can change a fight at ANY time, like the Heavyweights, the demand will surely follow. After all, when fans see quality fighters in exciting fights, they want to see more of them.
I think it’s a natural evolution. As fighters become bigger, faster and stronger, it will force fans to recognize the slightly smaller fighters. The Cruiserweight and Light-Heavyweight is more of a “normal” or average size that fans can certainly relate to. The Heavyweight fighter has become very big. Lennox Lewis set the tone while controlling the Heavyweight Division.
The bottom line is how can a six-foot guy, that weighs 210 lbs (or less), EVEN if he is loaded with talent, seriously compete with a six-foot-five (or bigger) Heavyweight weighing in at a fit and trim 240 lbs (or heavier) with just as much speed, agility and superior power? Even though everyone roots for David when he is battling Goliath, in Pro Boxing, it’s just called a mis-match.
As is the case with boxing (and with ALL sports), it truly becomes up to the fans. THEY have to DEMAND what they want. If boxing fans continue to buy high priced tickets and pay outrageous prices for PPV for the major fights, then we will continue to be force-fed mis-matched fights. BUT…if they stop going to fights and purchasing bouts on PPV because the outcome is obvious, or because they refuse to support a so-called World Champion fighter fight an un-ranked fighter rather than the best contenders available, then maybe, just maybe the major promoters and the major networks will be forced to start giving us the bouts that we deserve.
Boxing, contrary to many people, some boxing fans and some non-boxing fans, is NOT dying. It’s still the best one on one sport and it’s continued longevity will persevere as long as we get to experience quality bouts that are competitive. That is not too much to ask from the powers that be, and both the Cruiserweight and Light-Heavyweight Divisions will be the first to benefit. Most importantly, the Boxing Fan will benefit. And, nothing for nothing, the promoters and networks will benefit too. It is truly a win-win situation.
