I thought the Super Heavyweight devision was being abolished prior to this years Olympics, seeing the recent WABA's this obviously isn't the case.
Anybody got the details on how/why the IOC changed their minds. I know Harrison was campaigning for the change, but I never thought they would.
I believe that the depth in this devision is so poor, that yes the devision should be abolished.
SuperHeavies.
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TerribleTerry
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 5272
- Joined: 29 Aug 2003, 12:30
The abolishment of Super Heavies was mooted but it would lead to the exclusion of all fighters over 15 stone!! Simply ludicrous.
I believe the crux of the problem was the IOC insisted that fewer boxers qualify/participate in the next Olympics. Initially abolishing Super Heavies was seen as a way of acheiving this!! Absolute lunacy.
There has since been a rethink and there has been a rejigging of weight classes around light middle/middleweight. Someone with a greater knowledge of the amateur game will no doubt give you a proper explanation.
I believe the crux of the problem was the IOC insisted that fewer boxers qualify/participate in the next Olympics. Initially abolishing Super Heavies was seen as a way of acheiving this!! Absolute lunacy.
There has since been a rethink and there has been a rejigging of weight classes around light middle/middleweight. Someone with a greater knowledge of the amateur game will no doubt give you a proper explanation.
Yeah, they eventually just decided in all their wisdom to scrap the light-middle division (71kilos) and raise the welter limit from 67kg's to 69kg's and light-welter from 63.5kg's to 64kg's! 
This forced the hand of the likes of Paul Smith, ABA champ at 71kg's, he was too big for 69 and too small for middleweight (75kilos)
The five kilo jump from light-welter to welter is a huge amount but from welter to middleweight it's a whopping six kilos!
This forced the hand of the likes of Paul Smith, ABA champ at 71kg's, he was too big for 69 and too small for middleweight (75kilos)
The five kilo jump from light-welter to welter is a huge amount but from welter to middleweight it's a whopping six kilos!