Is Today's Heavyweight Division The WORST Ever?

[Gorilla Dogs]

its not as bad as ppl think it is. there are great guys like

Wlad Klistchko
Vitali Klitschko
David Haye
Tomasz Adamek
Chris Arreola
Sam Peter
Ruslan Chugayev
Alexander Povetkin
Nikolai Valuev


not so bad....

[Steak]

Igor Vysotsky fought Stevenson 2x. Beat him both times and KO'd him once, dropping him multiple times before the KO



Gorstkov, Vysotsky, Zaev all would have been at the top of the 70's HW division.

if the Soviets could have turned pro, I have no doubt whatsoever that there would have been some of them in the top ten.

but I certainly dont think they would have been able to beat a prime Foreman/Ali/Frazier.

Lev Mukhin was one of the best Soviet HWs, and he was TKOed in one round by Pete Rademacher, who lost to Floyd Patterson(in his pro debut actually)

[Sugar Sting Ray]

if the Soviets could have turned pro, I have no doubt whatsoever that there would have been some of them in the top ten.

but I certainly dont think they would have been able to beat a prime Foreman/Ali/Frazier.

Lev Mukhin was one of the best Soviet HWs, and he was TKOed in one round by Pete Rademacher, who lost to Floyd Patterson(in his pro debut actually)

The Soviets - and all boxers from the Communist block in general - were very un-creative fighters and pretty much fought the same way with no personal flair. They were like robots who had good fundamentals that was geared towards amateur fighting.

The great Americans Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Shavers were very individualized. That's why they would easily beat the Communists. Cookie cutter don't work.

[Steak]

The Soviets - and all boxers from the Communist block in general - were very un-creative fighters and pretty much fought the same way with no personal flair. They were like robots who had good fundamentals that was geared towards amateur fighting.

The great Americans Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Shavers were very individualized. That's why they would easily beat the Communists. Cookie cutter don't work.

the bolded fighters would have beaten the majority of HW fighters in any era, so I dont think thats a very fair statement.

[DET. IRONSIDE]

Dempsey
Louis
Marciano
Holmes
Tyson

Those were all US champs though. The US was providing the best boxing talent in the world and the HW division was its finest product.

It entertained and was solid. The US hasn't produced quality heavyweights like its producing JWW or WW champs.

Its wrong when all knowledge, all the coaching is right there in America and its not showing because the right size of boxer isn't coming out.

[Mikhnienko]

if the Soviets could have turned pro, I have no doubt whatsoever that there would have been some of them in the top ten.

but I certainly dont think they would have been able to beat a prime Foreman/Ali/Frazier.

Lev Mukhin was one of the best Soviet HWs, and he was TKOed in one round by Pete Rademacher, who lost to Floyd Patterson(in his pro debut actually)

Vyacheslav Lemeshev beat Michael Spinks and KO'd Marvin Johnson....

The Soviets - and all boxers from the Communist block in general - were very un-creative fighters and pretty much fought the same way with no personal flair. They were like robots who had good fundamentals that was geared towards amateur fighting.

The great Americans Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Shavers were very individualized. That's why they would easily beat the Communists. Cookie cutter don't work.

Because you've seen all of them....

[Iceta Lives]

Igor Vysotsky fought Stevenson 2x. Beat him both times and KO'd him once, dropping him multiple times before the KO



Gorstkov, Vysotsky, Zaev all would have been at the top of the 70's HW division.

I hadn't known Stevenson lost in the amateurs. Maybe I'm wrong then. Lol. But even so, Ali and Frazier were both gold medalists. I really did think Stevenson won every fight he had in the amatuers but thanks for correcting me if I'm wrong. Didn't research it.

[TheGreatA]

There was hardly any hidden Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko around those days. The Soviet boxers for the most part were smaller than their American or Cuban counter-parts.

Perhaps Stevenson and Vysotsky would have been top men in the late 70's, when the old stars were fading and the new group of boxers didn't quite live up to them. But Stevenson declined a million dollar payday against an old Ali, for understandable reasons since he did not want to leave his country. Vysotsky described Ali's speed as "unbelievable" after a sparring session, and that was against a 1978 Ali.

I wouldn't say that we missed out on any potential all-time great with Zaev.

[Steak]

Vyacheslav Lemeshev beat Michael Spinks and KO'd Marvin Johnson....



Because you've seen all of them....

Marvin Johnson had just turned 18 years old.

Im sure Lemeshev would have been a very good fighter, and would have loved him to be part of the stacked Light Heavyweight division if he turned pro, but Johnson was a teenager. not to mention that Johnson had actually beaten him previously.
I think it would be a stretch to suggest that as an 18 year old was even close to prime.
Would have liked to see them fight as pros when they were both prime, definitely.

I dont know when Spinks and Lemeshev fought, but Spinks was 2 years younger than Johnson, so...

I mean you do have to take age into account, which is one reason why amateur credentials can be misleading sometimes.

[Mikhnienko]

There was hardly any hidden Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko around those days. The Soviet boxers for the most part were smaller than their American or Cuban counter-parts.

Perhaps Stevenson and Vysotsky would have been top men in the late 70's, when the old stars were fading and the new group of boxers didn't quite live up to them. But Stevenson declined a million dollar payday against an old Ali, for understandable reasons since he did not want to leave his country. Vysotsky described Ali's speed as "unbelievable" after a sparring session, and that was against a 1978 Ali.

I wouldn't say that we missed out on any potential all-time great with Zaev.

Igor who was a two fisted KO puncher was just throwing pitty pat shots just touching Ali, treating it like the exibition it was. Also Vysotsky's career was just about done by 1978 too.

Zaev seemed to be trying and going pretty hard though lol