IMO, the Heavyweight division is REALLY holding the spor back. thoughts?

[BrooklynBomber]

I hope you're not talking about Wlad, he's made the best matchups he could, how does he avoid the best fighters, according to most people, Peter is #2 and he already fought and beat him, Wlad just came out of a fight and all of the other belt-holding champs have their own fights to worry about, there is nothing Wlad can do right now about unifying.

Heh, it's obvious Wlad is ducking the new savious of american HW scene --- Holyfield.

[Ironside]

Heh, it's obvious Wlad is ducking the new savious of american HW scene --- Holyfield.

Haha, good one.

[toyboy33]

Heh, it's obvious Wlad is ducking the new savious of american HW scene --- Holyfield.

Hahaha I wont even throw my e-cash away on a Holyfield winning against Vlad bet. Vlad wins by assault on the elderly.

[oldgringo]

There are several reasons why the division is average.

If the fighter is supremely talented, he's a puss and doesn't engage his opponent (ala Wlad who really doesn't need to because of his disgusting size advantages).

If he's somewhat talented and will risk trading leather, he's inconsistent and looks good against the middling sorts (Ibragimov, Lyakhovich).

If he is a monster with a big punch, he is crude, lacks activity or just flat out sucks (Sam Peter, sucking referring to Briggs exclusively).

After that it seems like there is just let down after let down in the match making process. I'd actually leave Wlad out of this conversation of match making because he has fought 3 of the bigger names in the division as of late in Peter, Byrd and Brewster.

The fans still want to see exciting TITLE fights (uhh, the last exciting HW fights on any level were Minto/Maddalone, Toney/Peter I and Brewster/Lyakhovich ). Wlad jabbing someone to death for 6 rounds and then blowing them away with a right hand is nice for HIS fans, but it sucks for everyone else. Ibragimov/Briggs, Chagaev/Caveman, Maskaev/Rahman II, Wlad/Austin, Wlad/Brewster, Lyakhovich/Briggs...I mean all of them just flat out blew goats.

I guess we just have to wait and hope some of these champs start taking each other on. One can only hope.

[-Antonio-]

Yes it is. I dont think the division is as bad as most people say, and I do think the top guys are talented. Its just not deep at all. After the top six or seven guys the talent level drops drastically. There is rarely any entertaining bouts, and I can count the amount of great fights I've seen over the past two years on one hand.

[rudement]

its very true that most of the athletes are going to other sports. Boxing isnt near the same money maker it used to be....Why would athletes want to get punched in the head when they can throw a football and get insane endorsment deals.... + in highschool and hell even junior high in most schools there are football programs/basketball whatever but do you see boxing programs? Football players make alot more money than boxers do now except a few superstars in boxing perhaps, but people get reebook shoe deals or whatever and in boxing they get everlast deals and you tell me what sells more to the average person....is that simple MONEY is what it is all about to people and it has always been... Boxers along time ago made alot more $ than football players then made, hell football didnt start getting really big till probably the late 80's to now

[Kball15]

If no one else will admit it, I will. I haven't been interested in the heavies since Lewis retired. He's not American, but he's black. I do like Klitschko, but not nearly enough to buy a PPV. Americans need their own heavies to root for and most of them are not competitive on the world stage. Right now the white, Euro's are running things in the heavy division and try as I might I'm just not that excited. Anyone who say's race and nationality has nothing to with people complaining is fooling themselves. Personally, I find the Euro's talented, but boring. Maybe, its because we don't get the coverage and interviews of Euro heavies?

The BOLD part is the reason im not into the heavies. nothing to do with race.

My favorite fighters are white, Ricky Hatton. I like Vazquez and Mormeck. Both different races then me.

Hell, i even like Ibragimov a bit for what its worth.

But the last exciting heavyweight fight was Brewster-Lyko, and before that what? Lewis-V.Klitschko?

Good heavyweight fights are unlike any other fight. They are awsome. But they are few and far between these days

[Thunder Lips]

I thought Brock/Wlad was a decent fight. Not an all time classic but much better than my initial expectations. Brock fought a smart fight and stretched things as far as he could before Wlad's superior talents and power overwhelmed him. Good action, fairly competitive in the early rounds, and a great knock out. Not a bad fight at all in my book. People **** on Brock all the time now but he was really a good fighter that hopefully isn't completely done.

Hell, Chag/Valuev actually had some decent exchanges and was fairly competitive. Not a bad fight either.

[!! Mr. Soprano]

I don't know why you hate Wlad. He's got the best jab in all of boxing, by a ****ing mile, and KO power in both hands, and terrific handspeed, and he improves with every fight.

Chagaev is the best pure boxer for a natural superheavy in a LONG LONG time.

Peter is a ****ing monster, and contrary to popular misconception, not a crude brawler.

Povetkin is a good boxer that can beat anybody other than the above-named.

Ibragimov is interesting, although very vulnerable.

Boytsov is the most talented small HW to come along since . . . . . I won't say

I'm a bit late into the thread.. and I stoped reading here (second post)

great post!

Enough said

[Thoth]

There's so much hate in this thread I love it. You know i'm kind of glad the heavyweight division hasn't recieved the attention people think it "deserves". IMO people are watching the heavies for KO's, plain and simple. And while a KO is sweet as hell, i'll take a brutal 12 rounder at bantamweight anyday. In the immortal words of William Munny: "Deserves got nothin to do with it." The smaller guys have always been more talented and they tend to fight harder as well.

The majority of the public is still boggled over Mike Tyson anyway. Oh what could have been... hah!