United States Heavyweight Boxing

Aside from the names on TV, I don't suspect many will know American Heavyweights.

Like I said, I got to thinking about a North American and US champ and started researching National and Regional titles.

Looks like the most credible US title is the USBA strap, which seems to change hands as frequently as my high school girlfriend after a 12 pack.

Mexico has the FEDBOXCAR, exclusively for Mexico.

Canada has a national title.

Britain has a title.

I would suspect most countries do, but casual fans don't pay much attention to them, except in Britain where winning a Lonsdale belt is a big deal.

These days it seems that most big fighters have a world title or nothing. Once I got to reading I was surprised that apparently, winning a National, Regional then Intercontinental title can actually get you a world title shot if you don't have a big promoter behind you to buy you a shot.

 

I hear ya. Evander needs to hang em up, but the truth is, he could probably beat most of the "up and comers" out there.

..and as long as he's still insisting on fighting....why keep the best from fighting the best? Well, unless you are Bob Arum of course.

After running through the scenario and studying those guys records, I think it would come down to Tony Thompson, Chris Arreola and Eddie Chambers.

Thompson is pushing 40. Arreola is the Mexican champ. Eddie is about to become the IBF mandatory for Wlad.

Bring in a couple up and comers to fight those three guys and end with a US champion to fight Dimi with the EU title or Chisora with the British title...

Hell, maybe Adamek for an Intercontinental title?

I would watch that. I think A LOT of people would watch that... especially if it were free for a season and you could end it with a PPV event. Throw in some 24/7 or Fightcamp 360 type coverage of the entrants...

That could make a lot of money, be great exposure for the sport and give Americans a recognizable face in the sport.

 

Thanks for adding something significant to the the thread. :good

 

I would disagree.

I would guess that Eddie Chambers wins the US tournament, and he's already beaten the EU Champion, Alexander Dimitrenko.

This content is protected

 

Read the OP. I'm talking about solidifying a US HW Champ to compete against other National and Regional champions.

At the moment, the HW World division is pretty locked up. Instead of waiting for bull**** fights and watching contenders fight bums, lets get some Regional and National champions fighting for Intercontinental straps.

A lot of good fights could be made at that level.

Povetkin vs. Adamek

Chambers vs. Arreola

Arreola vs. Helenius

Dimitrenko vs. Boystov

Chisora vs. Audley might sell in the UK?

Tua vs. any of the guys above

 

Looks like finally, we will have an IBF USBA Heavyweight Champ who is actually the best fighter in the country.

How shocking is that?!

Harris currently has the title (crazy, I know) and since Thompson, Harris and Chambers are all Americans, the winner of this eliminator will be the US Heavyweight Champ.

I'm hoping that the winner fights Helenius for the vacant IBF Intercon title while preparing for Wlad, and the winner of that fights Wlad in 2012. Those could be some good fights!

April 27, 2011

HARRIS-THOMPSON SET FOR IBF ELIMINATOR

Press Release: The journey taken by Maurice Harris finds the heavyweight only two fights away from fighting for a world title, as he prepares for a May 27th to participate in an IBF box-off against the same opponent he defeated a decade ago in Cedric Kushner's Thunderbox Heavyweight Tournament, Tony “The Tiger” Thompson, live on ESPN Friday Night Fights from Reno Events Center in Nevada.

Harris (24-14-2, 10 KOs) and Thompson are IBF rated #8 and #9, respectively, and the winner of their 12-round May 27th co-feature earns a final-eliminator showdown against Eddie Chambers (36-2, 18 KOs), who defeated Derric Rossy in the other IBF box-off this past February to become the IBF #1 contender.

“It feels good to finally be here,” Harris said from his training camp in New Jersey. “It’s been a long road and now I have a special opportunity against Tony Thompson, who is a great fighter but somebody I have to overcome. I don’t think I have an edge because I beat him in the ‘Thunderbox Tournament’ because that happened a long time ago (2002) and it was only a three-round fight. We were both younger then but we have to do it all over again.

“I’m fighting for something very important. I’m more focused today than I was when I fought Thompson. Age brings wisdom. Another fight against Thompson has always been there for us to clash. His name came up a few times and now it’s happening. He’s going to bring his ‘A’ game, I’m going to bring my ‘A’ game – may the best man win. I don’t want to get caught-up in the hype (future world title fight implications). I just want to remain focused on this fight.”

The 35-year-old Harris has some good wins but also lost to journeymen playing the role of a classic heavyweight underachiever for most of his up-and-down 18-year pro career. The reborn-Harris, however, is riding high on the crest of a wave that he hopes reaches its zenith with a world title belt wrapped around his waist.

After making his pro debut December 4, 1992, losing a four-round decision to Joe Kenna, Harris lost three of his first five fights and was 5-4-2 midway through 1994. Back-to-back losses via knockouts to world title challengers Vaughn Bean and Dale Brown followed, but Harris bounced back strong with a win by eight-round decision versus previously unbeaten David Izon18-0) to start 1996.

When Harris stopped Jimmy Thunder (32-7) in the seventh round of their 1997 fight, Maurice was chosen as the opponent come-backing former world champion Larry Holmes, who won a 10-round split decision that most observers felt Maurice should have been awarded.

The resilient Harris, however, reeled-off seven straight victories, including a 10-round decision against world title challenger Jeremy Williams in 1999 on only a five-day notice. Harris eventually gained the experience he lacked with no amateur background to speak of when he later sparred with world champions Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.

Harris lost to another world title challenger, Derrick Jefferson, in one of 1999’s best and most entertaining fights, but Maurice became more inactive from that point on, winning his only two fights in 2000, and losing his 2001 showdowns to former and future world champions, Chris Byrd and Henry Akinwande.

In 2002, Harris knocked out previously unbeaten and future world title-holder Sergei Liakhovich (16-0) in the ninth round, earning him a spot in that November’s “Thunderbox” tournament, in which he captured the $100,000 winner’s purse by out-pointing Gerald Nobles, Israel Garcia and Thompson in the finale, fighting three-round bouts on the same evening.

After being stopped in the 10th round by Fres Oquendo in his first fight after upsetting Liakhovich, Harris found himself frustrated and on the shelf by his promoter Don King, fighting only four times in six years, idle for all of 2008 and 2009, until Maurice signed a promotional contract in late 2009 with Boxing 360. His first fight with his new promoter was a win by 6-round unanimous decision January 29, 2010 against Billy Zumbrun (23-10-1) in Albuquerque.

Harris went on to win six and eight round decisions, respectively, against 7-foot Julius Long and Robert Harris, setting the stage for his August 6, 2010 USBA title shot against a Nagy Aguilera, who was 10 years younger than Maurice and had defeated former world champion Oleg Maskaev only a five months earlier. Harris out-boxed Aquilera (16-3) by scores of 117-111, 117-111 and 115-113 for a unanimous 10-round decision and the USBA crown.

“I’ve believed all these years that I would someday be fighting for the world heavyweight title,” Harris concluded. “It took me to meet Mario (Yagobi, CEO and Founder of Boxing 360), somebody who believed in me, to get me this opportunity. I’m not there, yet, but I’m only two fights away from my dream of fighting for the world title.”




http://www.boxingtalk.com/pag/article.php?aid=21619