According to ESPN the Magazine, the Next Great American Heavyweight is . . .

potentially one of the following three ex-football players now fighting out of Lucky Street Gym in Hollywood, Fl:

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Quadtrine Hill - A 27 year-old ex-Miami Hurricane fullback whose college career didn't quite pan out how he'd hoped and went undrafted in the 2006 NFL Draft. He made it onto a few NFL teams as an undrafted free agent but was subsequently waived by each of them before even playing a single game from 2006 through 2007. Left with no other prospects, the 6' 2" 230 lb. Hill was scooped up by successful entrepreneur, Kris Lawrence, to head his crop of ex-football star heavyweights at Lucky Street Gym in Florida. Sticks and moves, likes to practice the art of hitting without getting hit.

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Carlton Baker - An ex-Memphis Tiger linebacker who never made it to the pros. He grew up rough and struggles with authority issues. Possesses good power and loves to hit. Also around 6' 2" 230 lbs., Baker possesses the confidence and desire or, better yet, desperation necessary to climb the ranks of the slipshod heavyweight division and he's eager to compete. If it were up to him he'd have already been fighting pro this year despite his limited experience.

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Clive Lowe - A 6' 3" 240 lb ex-Montana State Bobcat linebacker who doesn't necessarily possess the amount of confidence and awareness of the other two although against the current crop of American heavies he shows much promise. The 26 year-old likes to bang, so he's the anti-Kevin Johnson which is exactly what the current American heavyweight landscape needs. Seems happy to be able to compete and is less assured of his potential future status as a serious heavyweight contender. Steamrolled the competition all the way up to the final in a Florida Golden Gloves tournament where he met up with Quadtrine Hill who halted him in his tracks with a TKO victory.

All three are tentatively scheduled to make their pro debuts in February 2010. I plan to follow their careers. If they wind up making a splash in the HW division it would lend some credence to the theory that the best American heavyweights are indeed on the gridiron, hardwood, or diamond . . . especially since these are guys who couldn't make it to the upper echelons of their previous sport.

Let's all bow our heads and pray.
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Man, I'll admit I'm grasping at straws. I'm hoping for anything to revitalize the American HW scene. I know it's not easy to go from one sport to the next and repeat the success one had in the previous sport but I'll take anything, man. I know Jordan failed . . . but Sanders and Jackson excelled. It appears that the late converts to boxing don't possess the drive. Like a Kendall Gill, for example. The guy was a 6'5" Cruiserweight. I know he started boxing when most are preparing to retire but all the physical gifts were there. There's not many guys out there who could match up with an athletic, nimble 6'5" Cruiserweight. I'd just like to see one of these late converts really try to fulfill his potential, that's all. I'd be happy with that.

Too Tall never really tried . . . and he also never lost.

Hell, man, if I shouldn't put too much faith in them then who should I put faith in in this dismal American HW scene?

 

I don't think a lot of you guys are recognizing what these guys are up against. They're not up against the crop pf 70s-era American HWs. No American HW right now competes on a world class level. They're up against Kevin "I'm-too-scared-to-throw-a-punch/my-mouth-moves-faster-than-my-hands" Johnson, John "the bearhug" Ruiz, Chris "the buffet" Arreola, Tony "I-don't-even-deserve-a-nickname" Thompson, Eddie "I-was-born-a-cruiserweight" Chambers, and the rest of the unremarkable crew. These aren't exactly world-beaters here. An exceptional athlete could, in theory, surpass these individuals as they are nowhere near the apex of boxing. Hell, I'd be delighted if a pure athlete cleared these guys out just on pure athleticism alone. I'd be a little less depressed. I'm prayin' Arreola finds the will and desire to watch what he eats because he's the only hope we have left.