How boxing would look today with the 8 original divisions

[adrian62]

Imagine this scenario with only 1 belt per division...

That would be crazy. There would be tons of **** talking Mofo's too. But there would also be great fights and even more hatred between fighters that would make a lot of fights brutal because everybody would want to display what they have 100% in order to get above their peers.

[dans]

That would be crazy. There would be tons of **** talking Mofo's too. But there would also be great fights and even more hatred between fighters that would make a lot of fights brutal because everybody would want to display what they have 100% in order to get above their peers.

I think even though you'd have less belts, they would be defended more frequently. Dudes can't be sitting on titles when there's big names hunting them down.

[DrewWoodside]

So much is made of fighters like De La Hoya, Mayweather, and Pacquiao. Guys that go up the scales and win multiple titles. But I got thinking about how much harder it would be if we only had the 8 traditional divisions. Here's what the boxing landscape would look like starting at Bantamweight (I skipped Flyweight, sorry). Just the top guys.

Batamweight - Hasegawa, Johnny Perez, Nonito Donaire, Darchinyan, Montiel, Agbeko
Featherweight - Caballero, Juanma, Vasquez, Rafa Marquez, Chris John, Elio Rojas, Luevano, Gamboa, Rocky Juarez
Lightweight - Robert Guerrero, Soto, Juan M. Marquez, Guzman, Reyes, Valero, Katsidis, Demarco
Welterweight - Pacquiao, Hatton, Bradley, Campbell, Juan Diaz, Maidana, Khan, Devon Alexander, Kendall Holt, Victor Ortiz, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Cotto, Margarito, Mosley, Berto, Clottey
Middleweight - P. Williams, S. Martinez, Kirkland, Spinks, Cintron, Angulo, Phillips, Pavlik, Sturm, Mundine, Geale, Winky Wright, N'Dam N'Jikam
Light Heavyweight - Abraham, Froch, Bute, Kessler, Bika, Dirrell, Ward, Taylor, Stieglitz, Allan Green, Andrande, Miranda, Dawson, Jones Jr., Hopkins, Cloud, Pascal, Diaconu, Tarver, Johnson, Henry, Cleverly
Heavyweight - Basically the same except add Cunningham and a couple others.

Looking at this and how many times old school fighters fought, I would say it was a lot harder back then. Because there's less titles and less glory to be spread around, you get better fights more frequently.

I can only dream.

Cong**** on a clever thread that I hasn't already been created 100 times over.

[Poet682006]

Being an "old-school 8" guy myself I think this is a great thread and something that can produce some very interesting discussions.

Poet

[dans]

Cong**** on a clever thread that I hasn't already been created 100 times over.

I figured 101 wouldn't hurt.

[dans]

Being an "old-school 8" guy myself I think this is a great thread and something that can produce some very interesting discussions.

Poet

Thanks poet, it's better than talking ppv numbers and drawing ability.

[DrewWoodside]

So much is made of fighters like De La Hoya, Mayweather, and Pacquiao. Guys that go up the scales and win multiple titles. But I got thinking about how much harder it would be if we only had the 8 traditional divisions. Here's what the boxing landscape would look like starting at Bantamweight (I skipped Flyweight, sorry). Just the top guys.

Batamweight - Hasegawa, Johnny Perez, Nonito Donaire, Darchinyan, Montiel, Agbeko
Featherweight - Caballero, Juanma, Vasquez, Rafa Marquez, Chris John, Elio Rojas, Luevano, Gamboa, Rocky Juarez
Lightweight - Robert Guerrero, Soto, Juan M. Marquez, Guzman, Reyes, Valero, Katsidis, Demarco
Welterweight - Pacquiao, Hatton, Bradley, Campbell, Juan Diaz, Maidana, Khan, Devon Alexander, Kendall Holt, Victor Ortiz, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Cotto, Margarito, Mosley, Berto, Clottey
Middleweight - P. Williams, S. Martinez, Kirkland, Spinks, Cintron, Angulo, Phillips, Pavlik, Sturm, Mundine, Geale, Winky Wright, N'Dam N'Jikam
Light Heavyweight - Abraham, Froch, Bute, Kessler, Bika, Dirrell, Ward, Taylor, Stieglitz, Allan Green, Andrande, Miranda, Dawson, Jones Jr., Hopkins, Cloud, Pascal, Diaconu, Tarver, Johnson, Henry, Cleverly
Heavyweight - Basically the same except add Cunningham and a couple others.

Looking at this and how many times old school fighters fought, I would say it was a lot harder back then. Because there's less titles and less glory to be spread around, you get better fights more frequently.

I can only dream.

At a glance here is my call on the champs for the original 8 divisions:

Bantamweight: Nonito Donaire
Featherweight: JML/ Caballero. Can't decide. They'd have to fight
Lightweight: JMM or Pacquiao if chose to campaign at the lower weight.
Welterweight: Mayweather Jr. seems like the obvious decision but the Mayweather of today might not fight the people necessary to earn the spot. Supposing Mayweather was still over selective about his opposition I would say Mosley is the most likely candidate for champ in this division.
Middleweight: Kelly Pavlik(beating Taylor twice and Miranda is better IMO than Winky off a long layoff and Andy Kolle)
Light Heavyweight: Chad Dawson
Heavyweight: Wladimir and Vitali both since they don't fight eachother.

[dans]

At a glance here is my call on the champs for the original 8 divisions:

Bantamweight: Nonito Donaire
Featherweight: JML/ Caballero. Can't decide. They'd have to fight
Lightweight: JMM or Pacquiao if chose to campaign at the lower weight.
Welterweight: Mayweather Jr. seems like the obvious decision but the Mayweather of today might not fight the people necessary to earn the spot. Supposing Mayweather was still over selective about his opposition I would say Mosley is the most likely candidate for champ in this division.
Middleweight: Kelly Pavlik
Light Heavyweight: Chad Dawson
Heavyweight: Wladimir and Vitali both since they don't fight eachother.

Looks about right. I think Mayweather would be the Welterweight king though. He would be forced to fight the best.

[xzworks]

wow...now that's hard to be on top///

[Poet682006]

Thanks poet, it's better than talking ppv numbers and drawing ability.

No **** right? Like who really cares who has more "bling-bling" than someone else?

Poet