The new Era

[margaret thatcher]

so what's your cutoff for how far a non-brit or american could make it in the division?

I don't know...Vlad?

I've already explained why Wlad made it. He and Vitali were backed heavily by ZDF in Germany. Had they not been they'd just be two dudes a few hardcores had heard of. ZDF jacking on boxing has ruined things for the Euros. the Germans were discerning enough to accept them but only on terrestrial television, they won't buy PPV, it's not in their nature (i.e. they aren't idiots with money).

Usyk is obviously the man now in terms of ability but not marketability. Eddie and AJ dropped a bollock taking that fight. I don't believe a PPV show featuring Usyk as headliner would be a success (relative to e.g. Fury v Whyte) without a charismatic Brit/American opponent.

so what's your cutoff for how high a non-brit/non-american can make it then? you said superstardom's required to be a top hw, but then basically say that usyk doesn't have that......even though he's a top hw

[GreenLightning]

do you need super stardom to become a top heavyweight?

I think it comes in the reverse order, if you aren't a superstar you aren't a worthy heavyweight champ because worthy heavyweight champs can capture the imagination type thing.

[Spud]

Central Asia/Caucasus' are taking over

Zhan Kossobutskiy, Ivan Dychko, Bakhodir Jalolov, Arslanbek Makhmudov and Kamshybek Kunkabayev.

I predict Jalalov will come out on top.

Who will pay to watch any of them on PPV? People from their own region aren't dumb enough to buy PPV and those in the West don't know these guys.

The last point is a good one … which is why I think Team Usyk have been clever how they have promoted him.

[fanman]

Fury has potential to be a longtime champion and to whoop a row of comers.

Too true. He'll be emeritus champ and come back every year or two, to regain the throne.