Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

I posted this same question in the general boxing forum, and I am curious as to how this poll will go in the European forum, because the vast majority of posters in the general boxing forum are British or American and, of course, seem not to be enjoying an era where most HW contenders are European. I wanted to see how the poll goes in the European forum. So here it is.

I'm an American, and in my opinion, the HW division has never been stronger than it is today. It's a result of better medicine, nutrition, advances in the science of boxing, better training. The world produces giants today, and the Iron Curtain is down, adding millions of people to the pool of potential fighters.

So, of course, I get tired of hearing today's HW division fighters continuously maligned, and the same old chant "The HW division has gone to hell".

I've been watching boxing steady since 1959, when I was 15. I remember the thrilling trilogy of fights between Ingemar Johansson and Floyd Patterson. But I don't think those two light cruiserweights could compete as heavyweights today.

By the same token, I hate to see posters on this forum bad-mouthing the old time greats. I love watching the videos of Ali and Foreman, Marciano and Baer, Galento and Louis, Walcott, Moore and Schmelling, Patterson and Johansson. Just hearing their names brings a good feeling to me. They are my old friends.

I am posting this new thread and hoping that it can be objective, but also respectful. Anyone who climbs through those ropes and tries his best deserves respect, whether it was 2011 or 1911. :good

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

I say it's in poor shape, sure, there are talented fighters, like Chambers, Chisora, Helenius, Povietkin, and so on, plus alot of young up and comers like Mitchell, Szpilka, Wilder, and Glazkov, but at the moment the titleholders are the K bros, and there is currently no boxer who stands a chance to beat either one, it would be much more interesting if the contenders first fought eachother, insted of trying to talk thier way into a titlefight with either Bro, and a big pay-check thrown in

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

It could heat up real fast, but the fact is that right now it is pretty terrible. Vitaly and Wlad are fighting Chisora and Mormeck, respectively , and that says it all. Povetkin clearly wants no part of a Klit. Our boy Helenius fell off the wagon and needs to let his hand heel. Dimentrenko flat out sucks. Haye, Arreola, Chambers, Thomspon are all damaged goods. Rahmen is still relevent, for Christ's sake.

If Helenius and Povetkin get back on track and Pulev, Glazkov, Wach, Abdulsalamov, Mitchel, Fury, Perez, Ortiz and Boytsov continue to develope, the division could be interesting. It would get REAL interesting in Dinu and Wilder made a move in their careers too.

But somehow, I don't see it. It seems like everyone just wants to wait the Klits out, and that sucks.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

Outside the USA, the HW division is deeper and has more talent than ever before.

In the USA however, there are surprisingly few decent heavyweights and HW prospects.

The promoters are generally doing a poor job. There are dozens of interesting HW matchups that COULD be made but are not. Decent HWs like Pala, Boytsov, Glazkov and others are going through long periods of inactivity and when they finally do fight, it's often with a meaningless opponent.

If you look through the HW rankings, you'll notice most of the ranked contenders have never fought another currently ranked contender. The promoters need to SMARTEN UP and start making more meaningful machups.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

It sucks worse than ever, because Black guys do not control it...

{Extreme sarcasm}

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

It's not great, but it's not as bad as people say. I'll forever maintain that the early 80s, the late 50s and the early 40s were particularly weak eras. This era is similar to those. The era directly after Lewis' retirement is worse than now.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

I get the sarcastic point but do not agree.

It sucks worse than ever becasue these guys want no part of each other and no part of the Klits. If it were like the old days when they actually fought each other, it would be an awesome division.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

Wall falls down in Germany, "Wooosh! Boooom!" Down goes Americans! Crybaby American media say NFL!:|:| NBA!:|:|

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

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I totally get your point. For instance the first three guys that beat Timur Ibragimov got shots at Wlad, one pending (Mormeck). Perhaps Seth Mitchell will be next up after Mormeck. Especially now that he is HBO's new hope.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

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Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

Are you addressing me? because I am clearly stating that I think that there is a good talent pool, and that the problem is that no one wants to fight.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

Current HW is only as good as Klitschkos are:deal

They are defining it. Whenever a challenger appears they fight him. No excuses.
Besides bros HW is quite competitive.
I only wish top guys were fighting each other more often. We don't get much of those fights recently.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

You have made a critical distinction here. I just realized this thread confuses two entirely different questions about today's HW division.

1. How good are the fighters compared to other eras?

2. How well is the division functioning in its key role to provide entertainment for the fans?

Most posters are saying the fighters are good, but the management of the division is very unsatisfactory.

I wish I had set up the thread and the poll to separate out these two questions.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

Its a good thread, and you are right that there is a lot of talent.

But these guys don't have confidence in themselves to take their lumps and improve, and so, its not going to be like the 70's or 90's.

Re: Has the Heavyweight Division ever been this Good?
 

The next HW fight with some good names NOT including the K brothers is Chambers-Liakhovic, hope it's the begining of good fights finally being made at HW