Is the Heavyweight division dead!

[psychod1986]

The heavyweight division haven't been competitive in years an a lack competition,for quite some time.The best fight i have seen far was Tyson Fury win over Wladimir Klitschko & when Deontay Wilder beat Bermane Stiverne for his title.The only good prospects in the division are Deontay Wilder,Luis Ortiz,Tyson Furry,Alexander Povetkin,Wladimir Klitschko,& Bryant Jennings.

[asdfjkl]

Never heard of Parker? Joshua perhaps?

[psychod1986]

yeah i heard of them

[littlepug]

the 80s alphabet boys were more entertaining than todays sorry bunch

[psychod1986]

agreed i've heard of joshua & parker before!the point im trying to make is that,we as boxing fans are not seeing heavyweights with skills of Ali,Mike Tyson,Evander Holyfield,Larry Holmes,Riddick Bowe,Lennox Lewis,are Chris Byrd any more.Some of the heavyweights & rising prospects has average skills & below average skills.

[psychod1986]

I guarantee you,If u move up a light heavyweight to heavyweight with a little height advantage of 6'1"to6'3" & some reach an also a high knockout percentage.Some of them would have a better skill set an could be a better heavyweight,then some lower ranking heavyweights.

[Ilya Muromets]

"Is the Heavyweight division dead!" No. Next question.

[Impractical Poster]

Apparently, there are a lot less kids, in the US at least, that are entering the sport. If the trend continues, all the divisions will start to suffer.

Hopefully, it's just a temporary lull, and things will get back on track.

[Ilya Muromets]

Apparently, there are a lot less kids, in the US at least, that are entering the sport. If the trend continues, all the divisions will start to suffer.

Hopefully, it's just a temporary lull, and things will get back on track.

There are no boxing programs in the schools and colleges here. I think that the one exception is West Point military college. Maybe some of the other military colleges may have a boxing program too but I don't know about it. Boxing is much more international in scope now. The US no longer dominates it. That hardly means that the heavyweight division is "dead". In fact it is bigger and stronger and more international than it has ever been before.

[ImranSarwar]

The media is "dead" to the SPORT. A major reason there is on acount of the EXPANDING LIST OF GOVERANCE. We need to echelon the Sport into first echelon ("the majors") and "second echelon" (Value: Approx. FIVE USA STATES). Keep the "echelons" seperate. Mostly this will serve only to regulate the second echelon. Let the '1e' continue as is. Except, "sanction" the "mixers" (such as GGG). And, Cruiserweight weight limit of "200 LB" NO HELP. Cruiserweight need to be RESET. I see it coming to 195/190 champions choice; 190 for VAC.
$& as far as missing Joshua name that is HUGH MISS, MAN!
I take same stance as X2X. My cell 860-515-7680 UWBCAFO-I/since March 2007

[ImranSarwar]

Apparently, there are a lot less kids, in the US at least, that are entering the sport. If the trend continues, all the divisions will start to suffer.

Hopefully, it's just a temporary lull, and things will get back on track.

There are no boxing programs in the schools and colleges here. I think that the one exception is West Point military college. Maybe some of the other military colleges may have a boxing program too but I don't know about it. Boxing is much more international in scope now. The US no longer dominates it. That hardly means that the heavyweight division is "dead". In fact it is bigger and stronger and more international than it has ever been before.

Their in fact is Collegiate Boxing. Billy Padden was one of the a.t. greats of modern collegiate boxing and he is much about fb. (Was out of West Chester). I started Central CT. State U. program in 1980 (CCSC "name" at the time\\ Dr. F.Don James Schools "great" president then....& at change-over). To name some of the schools with programs: VMI (military), AIR FORCE, NAVY, Lock Haven PA., West Chester yet; Nev/Reno; Penn State, Xavier, LOOK UP THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOXING ASSN. The modern NCBA program brought up predominantly by the late Alan McChesney.

[ImranSarwar]

I feel a major "harm" done to the Sport was when they restructured the weight divisions away from all traditional. USA Boxing has never achieved same, since.

[keirw]

The heavyweight division haven't been competitive in years an a lack competition,for quite some time.The best fight i have seen far was Tyson Fury win over Wladimir Klitschko & when Deontay Wilder beat Bermane Stiverne for his title.The only good prospects in the division are Deontay Wilder,Luis Ortiz,Tyson Furry,Alexander Povetkin,Wladimir Klitschko,& Bryant Jennings.

Not sure I would class Klitscho, Fury or Povetkin as 'prospects'

[rm1]

the reason the heavyweight division is less skilled is that size counteracts talent a super heavy division over 17 stone would enable small skillfull heavies to compete.

[psychod1986]

Cuz i never said Klitscho,Fury, or Povetkin where prospects,there talentive elite fighters,i was saying that about other fighters in the division that are not in the top rankings.

[dempseyfire]

Apparently, there are a lot less kids, in the US at least, that are entering the sport. If the trend continues, all the divisions will start to suffer.

Hopefully, it's just a temporary lull, and things will get back on track.

That hardly means that the heavyweight division is "dead". In fact it is bigger and stronger and more international than it has ever been before.

Wrong. Boxing was a much bigger sport not just in the United States but internationally in the first half of the 20th century. Now it's a fringe sport in terms of participation and popularity. The one part of the world you could say there has been a slight increase in professional participation is Eastern Europe, and boxing is not very big over there. And that is more then dwarfed by the collapse of the sport in Western Europe (and there were a number of heavyweights who came from Europe's colonies pre WWII), the United States, and Latin America (Argentina used to be a huge boxing hub; it's suffered a steep decline there too).

Many people seem to be in denial about that on this forum.

[psychod1986]

yeah rm1 being a bigger size does counteracts talent but i don't think thats the case because i've seen bigger heavyweights with plenty skills for example Lennox Lewis,smaller heavy's can't compete thats bull,look at guys like David Haye,Holyfield,& Michael Spinks.In 1985 Michael Spinks moved up from 175 to heavyweight an he beat Larry Holmes twice,then two years later he knockout Gerry Cooney!

[psychod1986]

Rm1 also don't forget about when Roy Jones Jr was fighting at light heavyweight an he moved up to heavyweight just one fight & he defeated John Ruiz by decision for the WBA World Heavyweight Title in 2003!

[Ilya Muromets]

Their in fact is Collegiate Boxing. Billy Padden was one of the a.t. greats of modern collegiate boxing and he is much about fb. (Was out of West Chester). I started Central CT. State U. program in 1980 (CCSC "name" at the time\\ Dr. F.Don James Schools "great" president then....& at change-over). To name some of the schools with programs: VMI (military), AIR FORCE, NAVY, Lock Haven PA., West Chester yet; Nev/Reno; Penn State, Xavier, LOOK UP THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOXING ASSN. The modern NCBA program brought up predominantly by the late Alan McChesney.

Thanks for the info on college boxing. When I was in college I wanted to go out for boxing but the closest thing they - and most colleges and schools - had was wrestling.

[Ilya Muromets]

Wrong. Boxing was a much bigger sport not just in the United States but internationally in the first half of the 20th century. Now it's a fringe sport in terms of participation and popularity. The one part of the world you could say there has been a slight increase in professional participation is Eastern Europe, and boxing is not very big over there. And that is more then dwarfed by the collapse of the sport in Western Europe (and there were a number of heavyweights who came from Europe's colonies pre WWII), the United States, and Latin America (Argentina used to be a huge boxing hub; it's suffered a steep decline there too).

Many people seem to be in denial about that on this forum.

Wrong. There were no Russians or eastern Europeans or black Africans or Cuban expats competing then. Even the most populous country in the world, China, is starting to get into it now. As far as I know westerrn Europe and Latin America are still into boxing as much if not more than ever.

[Lackeos]

agreed i've heard of joshua & parker before!the point im trying to make is that,we as boxing fans are not seeing heavyweights with skills of Ali,Mike Tyson,Evander Holyfield,Larry Holmes,Riddick Bowe,Lennox Lewis,are Chris Byrd any more.Majority of the heavyweights & rising prospects has average skills & below average skills.

You saw fighters with the skill of Wladimir and Vitali, but you obviously weren't looking.

[Lackeos]

Wrong. Boxing was a much bigger sport not just in the United States but internationally in the first half of the 20th century. Now it's a fringe sport in terms of participation and popularity. The one part of the world you could say there has been a slight increase in professional participation is Eastern Europe, and boxing is not very big over there. And that is more then dwarfed by the collapse of the sport in Western Europe (and there were a number of heavyweights who came from Europe's colonies pre WWII), the United States, and Latin America (Argentina used to be a huge boxing hub; it's suffered a steep decline there too).

Many people seem to be in denial about that on this forum.

Wrong. There were no Russians or eastern Europeans or black Africans or Cuban expats competing then. Even the most populous country in the world, China, is starting to get into it now. As far as I know westerrn Europe and Latin America are still into boxing as much if not more than ever.

Man, once China starts taking boxing seriously for real, the sport is going to suck monkey balls. Such a huge talent pool, it's going to suck worse than it currently does; which it currently sucks way worse than in 1940 when the talent pool was just 30 American men who weren't busy fighting a world war.

[psychod1986]

Yeah saw the skills of Wladimir & Vitali but yeah can u really tell me that Klitschko brothers skills,would ever been better than Muhammad Ali skills are Lennox Lewis the same guy defeated Vitali.Also did u see Wladimir recent fight when he was defeated an outboxed by Tyson Fury?

[Grailer]

Apparently, there are a lot less kids, in the US at least, that are entering the sport. If the trend continues, all the divisions will start to suffer.

Hopefully, it's just a temporary lull, and things will get back on track.

UFC is where the money is in fighting

[leejonesjnr]

agreed i've heard of joshua & parker before!the point im trying to make is that,we as boxing fans are not seeing heavyweights with skills of Ali,Mike Tyson,Evander Holyfield,Larry Holmes,Riddick Bowe,Lennox Lewis,are Chris Byrd any more.Majority of the heavyweights & rising prospects has average skills & below average skills.

The majority have below average skills? Aaaahahaha