the heavyweight division is starting to come alive again

[JAB5239]

It has been alive. It is just on the other side of the world where the top guys are from.

Doesn't matter what side of the world its on. When guys fight only 2 or 3 times a year and avoid the other top fighters its a symptom of a weak division.

[dmaclv]

Arreola-Stiverne will be a good fight with solid action from two plodding overweight guys.
Mitchell-Banks II will be solid fight like the first if not better
Thompson-Price II will be an entertaining fight same outcome in both the aforementioned rematches in my opinion
Harrison-Wilder if you like seeing Audley get KTFO you will see it again a la Haye, Price...so forth
Klitschko-Pianeta snore fest don't care Klitschko late KO la la la blah blah

[Mato o Muero]

Every single one of the contenders you have listed is a complete joke except for Wilder. He is a monster.

[croz]

It's better than the Valuev-Ruiz era that's for sure. There was practically zero enthusiasm for their fights, now look how often we talk about the division. Haye is one of our most talked about boxers, HW fights on NBC, the euro HWs, prospects to watch, even Banks vs Seth and Price vs Thompson 2 gets people talking. Also, I'd rather have a giant athletic HW named Wach than an old, slow and plodding Neanderthal named Valuev. Also, there's no John Rui.

I find it hilarious when people curse at me for comparing Wach to Ernie Shavers as if Shavers was actually a gifted boxer. Ernie Shavers and Wach aren't much different, two big punchers with solid chins who borth started late and have pretty sloppy tech. Only in Wach's case he's a ****ing giant and started boxing years before Shavers ever did. All it takes is a good promoter to make a guy like that look great. The difference is Shavers had a good promoter while Wach doesn't. There are few truly good promoters in the world.

That's the main reason people think the way they do about the division. They need promoters hyping the **** out of them and creating characters. If Shavers fought today with the promoters of today, people would be shaking their head wondering who this bum is purely because there are few talented promoters capable of building fighters up. Just look at the UFC, they take in nobodies and hype the **** out of them for title shots.

Nick Diaz is a former UFC reject who only got called back because the division is so weak, but the UFC promote the hell out of him to make the people think he's something he's not. This is what boxing promoters lack. They are incapable of creating characters and only rely on nationality to build fighters.

UFC:
Lived with his dad until 28 and doesn't train = He's Nick Diaz, the pot smoking bad ass who breaks the rules

Boxing:
A former gang member redeemed and now running for president = he's Filipino ... so other Filipinos should buy his fights because he's Filipino ... oh we'll also throw in a Mexican ... you Filipinos hate Mexicans right?

UFC:

NFL reject who started MMA at age 23 = Jon Jones THE NEW BREED of athletic real american fighter, a man of god with a hidden bad boy streak

Boxing:
Left to fend for their family after their father died cleaning up the Chernobyl disaster, one is a former kickboxing champion and presidential candidate, the other is the hardest puncher in boxing history, both carrying medical degrees these 6"7 giants rule the HW division with an Iron Fist = two Pollacks, HBO should cut them because they aren't american enough.

[katjack]

I look at the rankings and I still see nothing to get excited about. There will be a time when the division is hot but right now it is as weak as it ever was.

[Jam Jars]

It's better than the Valuev-Ruiz era that's for sure. There was practically zero enthusiasm for their fights, now look how often we talk about the division. Haye is one of our most talked about boxers, HW fights on NBC, the euro HWs, prospects to watch, even Banks vs Seth and Price vs Thompson 2 gets people talking. Also, I'd rather have a giant athletic HW named Wach than an old, slow and plodding Neanderthal named Valuev. Also, there's no John Rui.

I find it hilarious when people curse at me for comparing Wach to Ernie Shavers as if Shavers was actually a gifted boxer. Ernie Shavers and Wach aren't much different, two big punchers with solid chins who borth started late and have pretty sloppy tech. Only in Wach's case he's a ****ing giant and started boxing years before Shavers ever did. All it takes is a good promoter to make a guy like that look great. The difference is Shavers had a good promoter while Wach doesn't. There are few truly good promoters in the world.

That's the main reason people think the way they do about the division. They need promoters hyping the **** out of them and creating characters. If Shavers fought today with the promoters of today, people would be shaking their head wondering who this bum is purely because there are few talented promoters capable of building fighters up. Just look at the UFC, they take in nobodies and hype the **** out of them for title shots.

Nick Diaz is a former UFC reject who only got called back because the division is so weak, but the UFC promote the hell out of him to make the people think he's something he's not. This is what boxing promoters lack. They are incapable of creating characters and only rely on nationality to build fighters.

UFC:
Lived with his dad until 28 and doesn't train = He's Nick Diaz, the pot smoking bad ass who breaks the rules

Boxing:
A former gang member redeemed and now running for president = he's Filipino ... so other Filipinos should buy his fights because he's Filipino ... oh we'll also throw in a Mexican ... you Filipinos hate Mexicans right?

UFC:

NFL reject who started MMA at age 23 = Jon Jones THE NEW BREED of athletic real american fighter, a man of god with a hidden bad boy streak

Boxing:
Left to fend for their family after their father died cleaning up the Chernobyl disaster, one is a former kickboxing champion and presidential candidate, the other is the hardest puncher in boxing history, both carrying medical degrees these 6"7 giants rule the HW division with an Iron Fist = two Pollacks, HBO should cut them because they aren't american enough.

[croz]

take off the nostalgia goggles and name one thing Shavers had that Wach doesn't. Can you? Cos I can name things that Wach has and Shavers doesn't. Shaver's logic was "I hit like a brick so I'm gonna throw that brick at you."

[Jam Jars]

take off the nostalgia goggles and name one thing Shavers had that Wach doesn't. Can you? Cos I can name things that Wach has and Shavers doesn't. Shaver's logic was "I hit like a brick so I'm gonna throw that brick at you."

Shavers had greater power, speed, stamina, footspeed, head movement. Just all around better at everything than Wach.

[croz]

Shavers had greater power, speed, stamina, footspeed, head movement. Just all around better at everything than Wach.

Power is relative. Wach has some pretty incredible power too. But yet we could give that one as he is often given the title of hardest hitting boxer ... which is very likely the work of a very clever promoter more than anything. Shaver's record is shameless, opponents with 54 losses, 20 losses 1 win, that sort of thing. Very easy to look tough with that kind of record. Remember Wach weighs 250lbs at 6"8 while Shavers was 210 at 6 foot. Wach has a **** load of punching weight Shavers never had.

Speed? Shavers wasn't that fast, and Wach is something like 6"8 260lbs so he's not exactly expected to be quick, though he does well for his size. I don't think there's much difference in their speed but if Shaver's has an advantage in speed it's because he's smaller. Like saying a cruiserweight is better than a HW because they're faster.

Head movement? Shavers self confessed that his only logic was to get close to his opponent and punch, often throwing his head forward. He was not an educated fighter, same for footwork.

Stamina? Are you joking? Ernie Shavers had horrible stamina. Have you even watched Shaver's fight because that's a ridiculous thing to suggest. Ernie Shavers had stamina so bad it's legendary.

I'll also add that Shavers had a suspect chin, while Wach took monstrous blows from one of the hardest hitting boxers in history for 12 rounds and didn't even flinch. Shavers would have been mauled in that fight.

[Greg House]

It's better than the Valuev-Ruiz era that's for sure. There was practically zero enthusiasm for their fights, now look how often we talk about the division. Haye is one of our most talked about boxers, HW fights on NBC, the euro HWs, prospects to watch, even Banks vs Seth and Price vs Thompson 2 gets people talking. Also, I'd rather have a giant athletic HW named Wach than an old, slow and plodding Neanderthal named Valuev. Also, there's no John Rui.

I find it hilarious when people curse at me for comparing Wach to Ernie Shavers as if Shavers was actually a gifted boxer. Ernie Shavers and Wach aren't much different, two big punchers with solid chins who borth started late and have pretty sloppy tech. Only in Wach's case he's a ****ing giant and started boxing years before Shavers ever did. All it takes is a good promoter to make a guy like that look great. The difference is Shavers had a good promoter while Wach doesn't. There are few truly good promoters in the world.

That's the main reason people think the way they do about the division. They need promoters hyping the **** out of them and creating characters. If Shavers fought today with the promoters of today, people would be shaking their head wondering who this bum is purely because there are few talented promoters capable of building fighters up. Just look at the UFC, they take in nobodies and hype the **** out of them for title shots.

Nick Diaz is a former UFC reject who only got called back because the division is so weak, but the UFC promote the hell out of him to make the people think he's something he's not. This is what boxing promoters lack. They are incapable of creating characters and only rely on nationality to build fighters.

UFC:
Lived with his dad until 28 and doesn't train = He's Nick Diaz, the pot smoking bad ass who breaks the rules

Boxing:
A former gang member redeemed and now running for president = he's Filipino ... so other Filipinos should buy his fights because he's Filipino ... oh we'll also throw in a Mexican ... you Filipinos hate Mexicans right?

UFC:

NFL reject who started MMA at age 23 = Jon Jones THE NEW BREED of athletic real american fighter, a man of god with a hidden bad boy streak

Boxing:
Left to fend for their family after their father died cleaning up the Chernobyl disaster, one is a former kickboxing champion and presidential candidate, the other is the hardest puncher in boxing history, both carrying medical degrees these 6"7 giants rule the HW division with an Iron Fist = two Pollacks, HBO should cut them because they aren't american enough.

Interesting post, eye-opener.