It's not the lack of opponents in the HW division, it's the lack of fights

I still agree that the HW division is thinner in terms of talent than previously in the 90's. What I would disagree with is the gap in talent that people thinks exist and how some people believe that this is the worst era of HW history. That just isn't true. In reality, the division is filled with a lot of good guys all looking for their payday and loss against the Klitschkos. There is a fundamental problem among the guys in the division that is centered around the Klitschkos dominance in which their ultimate goal is to receive a huge pay day.

I think one of the problems is centered around the money that boxers receive. HW Boxing doesn't have that many star names to sell for a fight. Even if you get 2 top 10 contenders around it won't generate the same money as before. Thus, it's just bad business in terms of risk/reward. Boxers don't earn enough money and can earn enough by fighting bums/ old fighters/ C class guys. The Boxers have just learned that by beating easy opposition they can jump up and fight a Klitschko and get more money than they've ever seen. Yet, if they fought another top 10 guy in the division they earn a little more money but the risk isn't worth the loss and potentially losing their shot at the Klitschko. Economically it really makes sense to just avoid fights and build a good record.

It's not a good system and it is based off of the success of the Klitschkos. The Klitschkos sell fights regardless of the names but that's all we mostly get out of HW boxing. Klitschkos beating top guys because their record indicates it but we don't really see the absolutely proven best since no one is fighting each other! Resume wise it only hurts the Klitschkos because it looks like their feasting on bums but these may also be top guys who were just afraid to fight. It's a lose-lose for fans and people who rank top all time fighters.


How can this be changed? A lot of ways. First, force these guys into fights! If you want a shot at the Klitschko, you have to win a IBF/WBC eliminator. Have the commissions actually do something that controls the people that each Klitschko face by having tournaments where top guys have to fight each other. If you don't want to participate, then you don't get a shot. End of story. Keep beating your bums in your local hometown but until you step up you don't get ****. In making these tournies, they also have to be fair and include the actual top guys and not some random bums that found their way in.

Next, more star names easily help. Guys like Povetkin/Adamek can sell out easily in their areas. If these guys face top guys it'll lead to large pay days without Klitschkos. It also just leads to more star names itself. Anyone that beats either of these guys could sell out arenas themselves. The HW division needs guys who build their own local fanbase and fight top guys. Top fighters won't be afraid in losing their shot against the Klitschko if they can earn big money against other top guys A prime example of all of this is Chisora. When Wlad announced that he would fight him, even on ESB, everyone was like who the hell is this guy? Why does this matter? Nobody bought into the fight at all. Then, the fight is cancelled twice and Chisora goes into Helenius' territory and beats the guy down. Everyone then is pumped for the Vitali/Chisora match. The match had serious hype just because Chisora fought one top guy!

If you force the best to fight the best, you'll improve the division. The true best fighters will expand the population of boxing fans and make great amounts of money. The talent exist. Imagine if these guys fought each other for a shot at the Klitschkos:

Pulev
Povetkin
Haye
Chisora
Fury
Adamek
Price
Arreola
Solis
Boytsov

Out of these 10 guys who everyone would want to face each other, a total of 3 fights have happened. That is embarrassing. These guys should be all fighting each other. They are the top guys! If they all faced each other in a tournament style, it would heavily improve their resumes. The Klitschkos would benefit their resumes too. There would be more hype, more popularity, and better quality boxing! Instead, the division is thought of as "dead". It's dead not because of the talent, but because of the politics of boxing today.

 

I didn't want to even make it that long.

Just imagine if Fury beat everyone on that list and Wlad beat him. Then imagine if Wlad just beat him tomorrow. It'd go from one of the best wins ever to Wlad beating some tall unskilled bum.

 

You can tell how good boxers are by how easily they handle lesser competition. A problem with the sanctioning bodies is that they usually have lousy eliminators where at least one of the boxers isn't worthy of a shot. Ray Austin getting two in a row by the WBC being a prime example.