What happened to the American HW's?

I really don't think that America produces no good HW boxers anymore. The "problem" you guys have is that, much like in Basketball, other countries have drawn level. There haven't been too many succesfull professional fighters from the Soviet Union until the 90s for obvious reasons. As boxing becomes interessting for athletes around the world the competition gets bigger. Another factor is that you don't have to fight in the USA anymore if you want to make serious money. After all I believe that a lot of former american HW champions would have never made it this far if the situation then would have been the same as it is today.

Athletes are athletes. If you are born an with the ability to be great at football or basketball than there's a good chance you would be a great boxer. You take away NFL and NBA in the States and all these kids grow from the age of 10 boxing, what do you think would happen? I'm not sayin that every Javon Kearse would take over boxing, but a few of the millions of high school and college players would rise above the rest and be the great boxers. And yes... I think an Ali or Tyson would emerge from this pool of atheletes. I know a few NFL players. They ARE a different breed. They are athletes and their natural athletic abilities are in a different world than everyone else.

LOL Naismith was canadian and basketball was started in canada we just took the sport as our own :DLOL!!! Sorry about that! I guess I subconsciously jumped on the general take spawned by decades the myth having been spread! LOL!!! I stand corrected.:D Edit: Thanks! Gave you good K's for pointing out the error.

NO you cannot take a TOP 5 NFL lineman and turn him into a top Boxer in 5 years BUT if you take a kid who could grow upto becoming a Top 5 Lineman and got into boxing before he was 10 year old, then he may have a chance of great success. That is the point, not that top athletes from other sports can be converted to boxers as adults, that the kids with the best genetic potential are being funnelled into these sports rather than boxing at an early age.

I think it was on the show "Duke it out" {ESPN}, that stated during one of their episodes {which I think was the "Immigrants" episode}, that after World War II, with the rise of a better economy (due to the War) Americans were no offered the chance to go to college through the G.I. Bill; plus, lots of jobs sprung up giving a person at least a decent living.True. But, just the same, boxing was not left to rot by the improved economy. Proof is it produced several great ones among the "Baby Boomers" (Babies born in the years immediately after the end of WWII), among them: Larry Holmes (Born 1949), Joe Frazier (1944), George Foreman (1949) to mention a few in the Heavyweight Division. Ali was born at the height of hostilities (1942), but as a youth, he was already part of the population that enjoyed the so-called improved economy. Eisenhower is credited for the Interstate Highways that enabled goods to travel faster around ConUS-- from where they are produced to where they are needed-- thus, making the economy even more vibrant. Still, there was boxing. And the champs in those years were not only household names and glamorous figures, but also, more important, role models. Kids wished fervently to be like them, not only because they were wealthy and famous but also it was "good" to be like them. Champions were, generally, "good people" in the eyes of the general population; not "badass";) Boxing then came as close as it got to being a mainstream sport, if it was not already. Then, came Clay, then, Ali who made the sport even bigger, and himself, transcend the already huge sport. There's no survey that I'm aware of that says for sure how many of the subsequent champions came to boxing because of Ali, but had there been one, it is close to certain that a vast majority were inspired by him. In sum, it seems that improvement in economic conditions do not prevent boxing from flourishing. Though it may have some effect at times, many other factors make boxing bloom, including but not limited to, great champions who inspire kids to get into the sport, the availability of facilities and training methods, widely acceptable officiating, etc. Note: I failed to thank you again for the Villoria-Nino updates while the fight was in progress. I finally saw a tape of the fight the following day, but you description was valuable. So, I say now, "Thanks again!":)

youd have thought alonzo mourning could be the heavyweight champ until you saw him get in a fight with larry johnson and throw the most pathetic bitch slap of all time. Yeah I saw that, and it was pathetic. Oh and Zo really did fight under the Alias Lance "Mount" Whitaker. Or Lance "Goofy" Whitaker. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

youd have thought alonzo mourning could be the heavyweight champ until you saw him get in a fight with larry johnson and throw the most pathetic bitch slap of all time.

This right here, is not only correct but extremely informative. LOL Naismith was canadian and basketball was started in canada we just took the sport as our own :D

This right here, is not only correct but extremely informative.Thanks, Run..., ol'' buddy!

That alongside among others, American universities and colleges offering scholarships to lure talents abroad with respect many other sports and, in boxing, managers/promoters/trainers taking under their wings fighters whom they consider having some potential and giving them the type of regimen, methods, techniques and facilities that would not have been available to them had they stayed in their homelands. I think it was on the show "Duke it out" {ESPN}, that stated during one of their episodes {which I think was the "Immigrants" episode}, that after World War II, with the rise of a better economy (due to the War) Americans were no offered the chance to go to college through the G.I. Bill; plus, lots of jobs sprung up giving a person at least a decent living.

When England was hit by a century-long Heavyweight championship drought, I don't believe it can be ever said it was because of American-brand of football; not even rugby. I think it was because American big men just got better and eventually dominated for a century. In basketball, no one ever came close to American dominance of the sport except once--in the Olympics when the Soviets took their controversial one and only gold. But that dominance was last seen in the Jordan-Magic-Bird era. Teams after the original "Dream Team" won, but never in the same fashion. It's just that the rest of the world is getting better even in the sport that an American (Naismith) invented. One looks around and see that in many sports that used to have only American names at the top of the "Best List", many from other continents are creeping up (golf, though there's still a Tiger in there), or even,some, at the top (tennis). A large part in the success of other countries is the generousity of US sports, in general, for making available their training methods to everyone interested. I doubt very much whether those who currently hold the Heavyweight crowns would have reached the level they are in now had they not been given the benefit of considerable "American experience". In short, I humbly think the others got better because America helped make them better. Edit: I neither begrudge those who learned well enough to get far nor those who taught them well enough. It has been said that, "From those who have been given much, much is expected." America, with its bounty, must share. This right here, is not only correct but extremely informative. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

American organizations for quite a bit of time now invest more money overseas than they do here with the youth. So if that is what you are talking about, agreeThat alongside among others, American universities and colleges offering scholarships to lure talents abroad with respect many other sports and, in boxing, managers/promoters/trainers taking under their wings fighters whom they consider having some potential and giving them the type of regimen, methods, techniques and facilities that would not have been available to them had they stayed in their homelands.

American organizations for quite a bit of time now invest more money overseas than they do here with the youth. So if that is what you are talking about, agree

When England was hit by a century-long Heavyweight championship drought, I don't believe it can be ever said it was because of American-brand of football; not even rugby. I think it was because American big men just got better and eventually dominated for a century. In basketball, no one ever came close to American dominance of the sport except once--in the Olympics when the Soviets took their controversial one and only gold. But that dominance was last seen in the Jordan-Magic-Bird era. Teams after the original "Dream Team" won, but never in the same fashion. It's just that the rest of the world is getting better even in the sport that an American (Naismith) invented. One looks around and see that in many sports that used to have only American names at the top of the "Best List", many from other continents are creeping up (golf, though there's still a Tiger in there), or even,some, at the top (tennis). A large part in the success of other countries is the generousity of US sports, in general, for making available their training methods to everyone interested. I doubt very much whether those who currently hold the Heavyweight crowns would have reached the level they are in now had they not been given the benefit of considerable "American experience". In short, I humbly think the others got better because America helped make them better. Edit: I neither begrudge those who learned well enough to get far nor those who taught them well enough. It has been said that, "From those who have been given much, much is expected." America, with its bounty, must share.

So whats up with American being the way of thinking andn ot your racial origin? I mean that way, no one is really american(besides the natives), does not matter wether you were born here or not, your ancestors came from another country. "America" is an idea, a dream, not a "country/land", at least not in my mind: if you are born any where in the World and believe in the "American Way", the "American Dream", the "American ideal", you are American...to wish and to need Liberty is America...America isn't the first civilization with regards to "Liberty", but it is in existence now so that is the place in your mind you can go to in order to one day get there. "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death"- Patick Henry. If tomorrow the States were taken over by a piece of shit Dictator, it will no longer be "America"...of course, the people in this land have the RIGHT to put down such an intolerable Dictorial Government. :D

/\ Exactly. They're all playing Basketball and Football. All the guys that are 6'2" and up & 215+ are in the NFL and NBA. Those guys are athletic and can manuever. Leaving us with boring ass heavyweight boxing. So bad to the point where a fight with minimal action, such as last night, is deemed to bring the HW division "back". What a joke. You know what it's gonna take to get a great American heavyweight? A super crazy Boxing DAD, similar to Roy's dad, that wants his kid to be a boxer. But nowadays with all the money in the NFL and NBA, why would you want your son to be punished and beat in a boxing ring? You want to see great heavyweights? Lebron James - 6'8" (close to 6'9"), 240 pounds, less than 10% body fat http://aol.nba.com/media/act_lebron_james.jpg Kenyon Martin http://cache.nba.com/media/martin_180_moves.jpg Brian Urlacher http://czabe.com/daily/archives/cover_urlacher.jpg Ray Lewis http://www.lequipe.fr/Xml/Aussi/Dossiers/Media/35_superbowl_ray_lewis_triomphe.jpg etc, etc, etc, etc, etc I would lean more towards FOOTBALL than Baseketball

In my opinion, I think the American boxers in general are starting to suck because of how they grew up. America is a pretty rich country, a lot of people here are "Brats" and take things for granted. Now, people in other countries like Russia, or Africa, or Mexico grow up poor. They have "higher" values than the people over here, they're motivated a lot more to get something since they're used to working for what they want. Plus you can't forget about how much of a role the parents play, most moms these days are babying their sons and daughters. They don't discipline them enough in order for their kids to get into that mentality that boxers have, the kids grow up all sensitive and all that BS. Hmmmm.... One perfect example of a boxer who grew up poor is Kassim Ouhma, he grew up in Africa was a child soldier but traveled to America and trained in boxing. Now he is a pretty darn good boxer. Since all these rich and spoiled kids are getting treated all good and stuff, most of them are like "I don't wanna box, fighting is pointless" (In my opinion, all the kids who say that are PdoubleSIES). They avoid boxing, and go to other sports. Hmmm.... Get what I'm trying to say? America is a rich country, but there is still plenty of slums and very poor areas. Most of the NFL's best grew up in these types of households. Trust me, if boxing was the only sport for these guys to practice and it was there dream to be a world champ, there would be no Valuev, Maskaev, Liakhovich or any other ev or vich anywhere to be found in the top 10 (maybe a Klitschko or two). You take any of the top strong athletes in the NFL and give them 5 years to box, we would find ourselves a few more Tyson's or Ali's... I'm not trying to take away from the Europeans or Russians, but the truth is they have NOTHING else althletic for a 250lbs man to make money at. They get their best to be boxers. America gets the guys who weren't athletic enough to make it into the NFL (34 teams with 53 active players = 1802) That's 1,802 of America's best 200+lbs+ not boxing. Think there's a champ hidden somewhere in there?????????

In my opinion, I think the American boxers in general are starting to suck because of how they grew up. America is a pretty rich country, a lot of people here are "Brats" and take things for granted. Now, people in other countries like Russia, or Africa, or Mexico grow up poor. They have "higher" values than the people over here, they're motivated a lot more to get something since they're used to working for what they want. Plus you can't forget about how much of a role the parents play, most moms these days are babying their sons and daughters. They don't discipline them enough in order for their kids to get into that mentality that boxers have, the kids grow up all sensitive and all that BS. Hmmmm.... One perfect example of a boxer who grew up poor is Kassim Ouhma, he grew up in Africa was a child soldier but traveled to America and trained in boxing. Now he is a pretty darn good boxer. Since all these rich and spoiled kids are getting treated all good and stuff, most of them are like "I don't wanna box, fighting is pointless" (In my opinion, all the kids who say that are PdoubleSIES). They avoid boxing, and go to other sports. Hmmm.... Get what I'm trying to say?

This has a simple answer: They are all suited up on Sunday's playing football for the NFL (and maybe a few playing for the NBA). In American kids are brought up playing football and basketball idolizing the current stars making 10's of millions every year. There are organized team divisions from the time kids are 4 years old through college. The best athletes in America never have a desire to put on a pair of boxing gloves 'cause their dreams are to one day play in the NFL. This was not the case 15-25 years ago when the salaries of the NFL players were not where they are today. Good for the NFL, bad for American heavyweights... Bingo bango... I would have liked to have seen what Simeon Rice or Jevon Kearse could have done if they had ben in the ring at age 10 instead of the football field. the current HW champ is playing D-end in the NFL... Ibeabuchi you motherfucker...she would have sucked your cock for free, what the fuck...you set the division and quite possibly the sport back, she would have blown you for free you brain dead moron!

If David Tua comes back in great shape, he can do it. He's only 33. tua's a one dimensional joke. the only way he'll ever have a chance of winning a title is if he somehow gets valuev and even thats a 50/50 shot at best. I could see the slow valuev even keeping him at bay with the jab