Does Boxing need a Super Heavyweight Division of 225 +

[SN!PER]

Valuev was unskilled, slow, and mediocre in all respects, yet he was also almost impossible to knockout due to his size, and won a lot of boring fights against opponents who had trouble reaching him.

At the moment there's nothing stopping an Andre the Giant from coming along and wearing down the smaller heavyweights until he gets a title shot. This would be an unfair advantage since he wouldn't need as much skill to win.

If they simply imposed an upper weight limit on HW division, it would also discipline Andy Ruiz Jr. and others because they would need to make weight to legally compete.

[juggernaut666]

Some of Klitschko's best wins have been against sub 225lb'ers.

David Haye was 213lb vs Klitschko
Ruslan Chagaev was 224lb
Ibragimov 219lb
Chris Byrd 213lb

Povetkin was only just above at 226lb.

Corrie Sanders weighed a pudgy 225lbs when he knocked out klitschko.

Pretty sure Deontay Wilder weighed in below 225 for his fight with Stiverne.

I think we need to get away from the idea that weight = quality in the HW division. Its an asset, just like speed, power, timing etc but it wont win you fights by itself.

Was Tyson better at HW as a 215lb'er (the weight he was vs Holmes) or at 230+ pounds later in his career?

So no. I think 200lb division limit is fine.

Using Tyson as example is non existing ,he was the best all around HW skilled fighter in history in his prime,he also never fought many guys 230 in the 80's with actual skill putting on 230 pounds in a 5'11 frame is also irrelevant when guys are 6'4 on average who are 230 plus fighters...and the other fighhters you mentioned were not close to making a competitive fight with Wlad .

[juggernaut666]

Chris Byrd and Eddie Chambers didn't have a problem. Steve Cunningham dropped Fury and beat Adamek. David Haye was like 215 220 or so and beating up big guys. Jennings is around 220, and he won't lose to Wlad because he's smaller.

Smaller heavies aren't losing because of size. They're losing because they aren't good enough.

Were they close to being champions ,if they fought in cruiser they may be they ,were simply out sized and the way the weight class is set up almost makes it impossible for them to become so.Not really many top 10 fighters below the 225 mark.

[Elroy1]

Yes it's basically overdue and obvious now that there needs to be a new division.

Either a SuperHW division, finally like amateur boxing set higher.

OR

Preserve the HW division as the limit weight division (might as well because we've already caused enough confusion with the introduction of cruiser about what it means to be "HW") and introduce a "SuperCruiser" division.

Honestly, I think from this vantage point, a "SuperCruiser division from 190-215 or 200-225 or whatever, is the way to go now.

It was a mistake in the first place to make the cruiser division. This is the only reason we compare cruisers like Louis and Ali etc to modern heavies in the first place.

There will always be the confusion when it comes to cross-era comparisons but I think preservation of the term HW for the unlimited class takes precedence.

Those who think there should be nothing done are idiots! b

[vorgaphe]

Yes it's basically overdue and obvious now that there needs to be a new division.

Either a SuperHW division, finally like amateur boxing set higher.

OR

Preserve the HW division as the limit weight division (might as well because we've already caused enough confusion with the introduction of cruiser about what it means to be "HW") and introduce a "SuperCruiser" division.

Honestly, I think from this vantage point, a "SuperCruiser division from 190-215 or 200-225 or whatever, is the way to go now.

It was a mistake in the first place to make the cruiser division. This is the only reason we compare cruisers like Louis and Ali etc to modern heavies in the first place.

There will always be the confusion when it comes to cross-era comparisons but I think preservation of the term HW for the unlimited class takes precedence.

Those who think there should be nothing done are idiots! b

I actually agree with you this time, Elroy. Heavyweights at the turn of the 20th century were comparatively much bigger than the general population. Now being 6'2 and 200lbs is really not that unusual.

More importantly though, it is now far more common to see these giant heavies well over 6'5. While other posters have correctly pointed out that size is no guarantee of success, it is an unfair advantage for this new breed of supersized heavyweights.

[Tom Cruise]

Using Tyson as example is non existing ,he was the best all around HW skilled fighter in history in his prime,he also never fought many guys 230 in the 80's with actual skill putting on 230 pounds in a 5'11 frame is also irrelevant when guys are 6'4 on average who are 230 plus fighters...and the other fighhters you mentioned were not close to making a competitive fight with Wlad .

They werent making a competitive fight with Vlad because he was more skilled than them. Also one of the fighters i mentioned was Corrie Sanders who very much gave Wlad a tough fight

The funny thing is Wlad actually often looks worse against smaller fighters than he does against bigger ones. Pulev, Wach, Thompson etc all suffered brutal beatdowns, whereas other smaller heavyweights were just outboxed.

Of the Super heavyweights that you've been talking about, who would make a competitive fight with Wlad? He'd beat them all, just the same as he does the smaller fighters if not worse, because he is better than them. Simple as that.

[Tom Cruise]

I actually agree with you this time, Elroy. Heavyweights at the turn of the 20th century were comparatively much bigger than the general population. Now being 6'2 and 200lbs is really not that unusual.

More importantly though, it is now far more common to see these giant heavies well over 6'5. While other posters have correctly pointed out that size is no guarantee of success, it is an unfair advantage for this new breed of supersized heavyweights.

Then why arent they showing it?

Povetkin and Wilder are no.1 and 2 ranked in the world and they are 225 (could stand to lose more tbh) and 219lbs respectively.

But no, obviously guys like Valuev (outboxed by a 80year old Holyfield lol) are the future of the heavyweight division

[Tom Cruise]

Valuev was unskilled, slow, and mediocre in all respects, yet he was also almost impossible to knockout due to his size, and won a lot of boring fights against opponents who had trouble reaching him.

At the moment there's nothing stopping an Andre the Giant from coming along and wearing down the smaller heavyweights until he gets a title shot. This would be an unfair advantage since he wouldn't need as much skill to win.

If they simply imposed an upper weight limit on HW division, it would also discipline Andy Ruiz Jr. and others because they would need to make weight to legally compete.

When was this any different? The ones who do that and lack top level skills eventually get found out.

[mick1303]

The margin from SMW to LHW is a measly 7 lbs. Compare this to cruisers - 25. This is unreasonable.
Cruisers shall return to 175-190 like they used to be. And one or even two divisions with upper limits shall be created above. Like 190-205 and 205-225. Fighters shall compete with opponents of their own size.

[Tom Cruise]

The margin from SMW to LHW is a measly 7 lbs. Compare this to cruisers - 25. This is unreasonable.
Cruisers shall return to 175-190 like they used to be. And one or even two divisions with upper limits shall be created above. Like 190-205 and 205-225. Fighters shall compete with opponents of their own size.

yay more division of talent