The American Heavyweight Scene

[-CANE-]

is the worst I have ever seen it. I remember watching the fat lazy era of the 80's with Dokes,Tubbs,Witherspoon,Page etc. At the time they were called the worst the division had ever seen but it has slumped to new lows.

As Steve Bunce commented on Setanta last night the current crop are gutless wonders.

They might have been fat and a little lazy but the aformentioned fighters all had talent. I couldn't help feel dissapointed by the state of the division at the moment. Wlad is a nice guy but is only champion in a terrible division right now.

Thompson seemed to just give up and want out last night, when I felt if he had put in a concerted effort he might have been able to unsettle Wlad.

I bet americans long for the likes of a Witherspoon or a Dokes to come along, let alone a Tyson or Holyfield.

[WLAD OWNS]

The stronger,tougher,more determined Eastern Europeans destroyed the Americans.

[The Hammer]

It's true, the American heavyweight scene is very bad.

To say the heavyweight division has little talent, is not correct. There's a lot of talented Europeans like Boytsov, Haye, Povetkin, Dimitrenko, etc.

But to say there is an all-time low number of talented American heavyweights, is correct. Except for Arreola, Chambers and perhaps Walker, there are no good up-and-coming Americans.

It will be that way for a long time. No Americans qualified for the "over 200" (super heavyweight) category for the summer Olympics. I've heard that the next generation of East European heavyweights (age 17 to 22 now) are going to be even better than the current ones.

I just hope other Americans learn to accept it as I have, and stop bashing the division and it's top fighters.

[.Mik.]

The American heavyweight division is a shambles if that is one of their top guys.

Its not just America though. I bet guys like Frank Bruno were wishing with all their hearts that they'd been up and coming fighters in this division.

[duffgun]

The American heavyweight division is a shambles if that is one of their top guys.

Its not just America though. I bet guys like Frank Bruno were wishing with all their hearts that they'd been up and coming fighters in this division.

Yeah Bruno would do well now.

[.Mik.]

A lot of 'nearly men' would be complete forces in today's division.

[Silencers]

American heavyweight boxing is in bad, bad shape right now and there doesn't seem to be anyone coming along any time soon that will capture the public's imagination either.

[-CANE-]

Why is this though?

[Silencers]

Why is this though?

Have a look at this article.

http://www.maxboxing.com/Kim/Kim070708.asp

[The Hammer]

Why is this though?

It's because of the soft American lifestyle.

It used to be in the early days of boxing, there were a lot of good Irish boxers who grew up in poverty. But the Irish in America prospered by mid-century, and then there were few good Irish-American boxers. Blacks, who grew up in poverty and faced discrimination, became dominant in the sport. However, nowadays, ambitious black people are prospering, ***** is even running for president.

People who grow up in poverty, need to have a lot of determination and will to get along from day to day. They learn to deal with the discomfort of unpleasant work, and put extra effort into whatever they do. In boxing, you need the will and determination to overcome the discomfort of being hit hard by your opponent. Growing up in a comfortable lifestyle does not prepare one mentally for the punishment you sometimes need to takes in a fight - many American fighters seem to "quit" in the later rounds (Chambers vs. Povetkin).