Heavyweight may be THE Division in 2014

HW will never be THE division to me, but it definitely deserves attention. Haye/Fury, Pulev/Thompson, Wlad/Povetkin and Arreola/Mitchell have all been confirmed. Wilder packs dynamite, Jennings is pretty well-rounded, and Mitchell's bad chin adds tension to his fights. Chisora and Arreola are loud-mouths with fan-friendly styles and are a tough out when they're in shape. I definitely don't want to see Banks again though. Why not? It has produced some of the greatest fighters ever and I'm sure in the years to come, it will again.

Really? That's a ridiculously long time to develop especially since he has a good amateur pedigree. He's no Denis Boystov! Also, if you hadn't noticed, Hughie seems to be on the fast track to the upper ranks. He's been fighting very frequently (8-0) and I expect him to be fighting decent opponents by mid-to-late 2014. He's stated such and so has his team. Also, why is Wladimir Klitschko not on the poll? If you're only talking about the new or semi new talent to the scene then you shouldn't have included Povektin. 6-8 years isn't a ridiculous time frame, especially in the modern heavyweight division. Gone are the days of 20-24 year old champions, most guys now become champion in their mid to late 20s and peak at about 30. I know Hugh is about 18/19 and has a lot to learn, yes he's fighting often but he's fighting guys who are total bums, as is the case with any prospect but no way does he fight a legit threat or a top 50 heavy by mid - 2014. They have to build his rep, they have to make him seem like someone who is a star, the way to do that is feed him some wimps. The 6-8 year time frame becomes even more relevant when you look at who's the kingpin right now, yes Vitali is on the way out and that WBC belt will be taken by either Haye or fury, you can bet on that. Wlad still has a good 2-3 years left in him, no way does Hugh get brought along in the next 4 years or so to fight Wlad, Haye, Tyson or possibly a Wilder/Jennings/Povetkin level fighter. They'll wait till the belts are disbanded and Wlad is retired then they'll move him to get one of the vacant titles. That's at best, another 5 years from now. Let's not get carried away by the younger Fury, he looks a talent but his next opponent has lost 50% of his fights. Puts things in perspective.

The differences is that those guy are actually talented, Guerrero, Floyd, Pac, Marquez, etc. are all extremely talented fighters. The only quality fighters are the Klitchkos and they're extremely flawed. All their perceived talent combined would barely take them past a round with a middle of the road HW, much less an elite like Klitschko. The little leagues are fun to watch but HW is and will always be the real deal.

it will definitely be a more competitive division once the klits are gone. I dont see anyone being on top for too long

You can say this kind of stuff about any division. Floyd has ducked prime opponents and got rocked by an over the hill Mosley and is now fighting a green Alvarez who struggled with Matthew Hatton. Pacquiao is past prime and was put to sleep by Marquez who is also old and is working with a convicted steroid cheat. Guerero is a blown up lightweight who doesn't belong at 147 and Berto is a hypejob. Karass is limited and Malignaggi has lost his legs. Brook is afraid to step up and Maidana isn't as effective at the weight. Broner is a cherrypicker and Bradley lost to bum Provodnikov while Devon Alexander bores everyone to tears and gets gifts wrapped for him at the end of it. One truth remains however, you can put any middle of the road heavyweight in with someone from the little leagues and man on manlet, the little guys get knocked out cold. The lower divisions were created to give small people a chance, you can move any one of those guys up a couple of divisions and they'll get beat but HW is the real deal, the top shelf, the division by default. The differences is that those guy are actually talented, Guerrero, Floyd, Pac, Marquez, etc. are all extremely talented fighters. The only quality fighters are the Klitchkos and they're extremely flawed.

I honestly think this is the most entertaining division and most fun to watch.. Also is very deep 1 wlad 2 vitali 3 povetkin 4 haye 5 fury 6 thompson 7 pulev 8 adamek 9 chisora 10 helenius 11 stiverne 12 aerreola 13 wilder 14 tua 15 cunnignham 16 banks 17 mitchell 18 price 19 botsoy 20 charr plus throw in marco huck and maybe a few other guys... alot of exciting fights to make..... Not the greatest fighters, but all would provide excellent action

HW will never be THE division to me, but it definitely deserves attention. Haye/Fury, Pulev/Thompson, Wlad/Povetkin and Arreola/Mitchell have all been confirmed. Wilder packs dynamite, Jennings is pretty well-rounded, and Mitchell's bad chin adds tension to his fights. Chisora and Arreola are loud-mouths with fan-friendly styles and are a tough out when they're in shape. I definitely don't want to see Banks again though.

Really? That's a ridiculously long time to develop especially since he has a good amateur pedigree. He's no Denis Boystov! Also, if you hadn't noticed, Hughie seems to be on the fast track to the upper ranks. He's been fighting very frequently (8-0) and I expect him to be fighting decent opponents by mid-to-late 2014. He's stated such and so has his team. Also, why is Wladimir Klitschko not on the poll? If you're only talking about the new or semi new talent to the scene then you shouldn't have included Povektin. That's why I like Hughie... dude's very active and making nice steps early in his career.

Hugh is far too green, he has potential but it's very, very far away, I reckon he'd need to have another 6-8 years under his belt before he gets anywhere near the top. I'm not hyping Wilder, I think he needs a lot of work, needs to fight better opponents and needs to get more rounds BUT he has legitimate, elite level power. Along with the Klits and Haye, he is the hardest hitting heavyweight on the planet but I think Jennings is the best American heavy out there. Jennings v Mitchell anyone? To clear up the American scene and then a step into Europe, Helenius or Pulev or someone such as that. Is Chagaev still fighting? Really? That's a ridiculously long time to develop especially since he has a good amateur pedigree. He's no Denis Boystov! Also, if you hadn't noticed, Hughie seems to be on the fast track to the upper ranks. He's been fighting very frequently (8-0) and I expect him to be fighting decent opponents by mid-to-late 2014. He's stated such and so has his team. Also, why is Wladimir Klitschko not on the poll? If you're only talking about the new or semi new talent to the scene then you shouldn't have included Povektin.

Uh. :ugh: No.

Most those fighters are average or terrible. Well that's the HW division

Fury has been dropped and rocked against a feather fisted cruiser which is also a poor division, Chisora has been KTFO by Haye with ease, Helenius has been outboxed by Chisora and won by robbery, Povetkin is a p*ssy and isn't very good, Banks has a glass chin same as Mitchell, Jennings has a glass chin too and is a KO waiting to happen, Wilder is extremely dangerous with his 1 punch KO power but is totally amateurish with everything else he does, Haye struggles mightily with taller fighters almost losing to Valuev and throwing wild punches against Wlad. You can say this kind of stuff about any division. Floyd has ducked prime opponents and got rocked by an over the hill Mosley and is now fighting a green Alvarez who struggled with Matthew Hatton. Pacquiao is past prime and was put to sleep by Marquez who is also old and is working with a convicted steroid cheat. Guerero is a blown up lightweight who doesn't belong at 147 and Berto is a hypejob. Karass is limited and Malignaggi has lost his legs. Brook is afraid to step up and Maidana isn't as effective at the weight. Broner is a cherrypicker and Bradley lost to bum Provodnikov while Devon Alexander bores everyone to tears and gets gifts wrapped for him at the end of it. One truth remains however, you can put any middle of the road heavyweight in with someone from the little leagues and man on manlet, the little guys get knocked out cold. The lower divisions were created to give small people a chance, you can move any one of those guys up a couple of divisions and they'll get beat but HW is the real deal, the top shelf, the division by default.

They're all really bad fighting in a piss poor division tbh. Fury has been dropped and rocked against a feather fisted cruiser which is also a poor division, Chisora has been KTFO by Haye with ease, Helenius has been outboxed by Chisora and won by robbery, Povetkin is a p*ssy and isn't very good, Banks has a glass chin same as Mitchell, Jennings has a glass chin too and is a KO waiting to happen, Wilder is extremely dangerous with his 1 punch KO power but is totally amateurish with everything else he does, Haye struggles mightily with taller fighters almost losing to Valuev and throwing wild punches against Wlad. The only guy that looks semi decent is Pulev who beat that slow and robotic punching bag Ustinov. New names same scrubs.

The HW division is always the division by default, it's where the big boys play.

HW isn't gonna be "the" division for a while modern HW's are just too damn big for that there's skilled guys at HW and most of them can hit but they're just too slow to keep a pace fans will always like there's plenty of fun matches to be made in the division so long as Wlad's healthy, nothing is gonna change though

Still think young Hughie has the best chance of the lot, although he's still just a baby so expecting him to be on top within 4 years might be a bit much Hugh is far too green, he has potential but it's very, very far away, I reckon he'd need to have another 6-8 years under his belt before he gets anywhere near the top. Can't belive people are starting to hype this wilder guy I'm not hyping Wilder, I think he needs a lot of work, needs to fight better opponents and needs to get more rounds BUT he has legitimate, elite level power. Along with the Klits and Haye, he is the hardest hitting heavyweight on the planet but I think Jennings is the best American heavy out there. Jennings v Mitchell anyone? To clear up the American scene and then a step into Europe, Helenius or Pulev or someone such as that. Is Chagaev still fighting?

I'd pick a ton of those 80's heavyweights who were average to beat the average guys of today. I mean we've been in an era of heavyweights where out of shape bums are top contenders supposedly. I think that's changing, guys like Arreola and Solis are on the way out. A lot of the contenders these days are in shape and obviously taking things seriously. As some of the posters said, some of these guys are average, can't argue with that but against one another they can make great fights, scraps that will get people interested in the division again and not just wait around trying to get a Klitschko clash. Vitali is on his way out, maybe another couple fights...then things will get interesting.

In the 80's the heavyweight scene was full of average fighters who produced either really terrible or really good fights. Watching two average heavies in a tear up is better than watching a very big good heavyweight outjab & smaller average one. Hopefully the next 5 years or so will produce some big fights & bigger upsets. I'd pick a ton of those 80's heavyweights who were average to beat the average guys of today. I mean we've been in an era of heavyweights where out of shape bums are top contenders supposedly.

Here are the 6 fights I would love to see in 2014 : Deontay Wilder vs Seth Mitchell/ Hughie Fury Vitali Klitschko vs David Haye Wladimir Klitschko vs Tyson Fury David Haye vs Alexander Povetkin Tony Thompson vs Dereck Chisora Wladimir Klitschko vs Kubrat Pulev The heavyweight division can certainly be THE division. It all depends on the fighters' and promoters' choixes. Let's get it on!

In the 80's the heavyweight scene was full of average fighters who produced either really terrible or really good fights. Watching two average heavies in a tear up is better than watching a very big good heavyweight outjab & smaller average one. Hopefully the next 5 years or so will produce some big fights & bigger upsets.