How come the cruiserweight division doesn't get the same respect as a lot of other divisions?

I think there are three main reasons it doesn't draw much interest aka respect.

1. In the overall scheme of things it's a relatively new division.
2. Other than Usyk and Holyfield it hasn't produced much in the way of greatness in it's 43 year history.
3. It's often seen as a stepping stone to the heavyweight division by both fans and fighters.

 

The best usually try their hands at heavy, where the money is. Examples being how Roy Jones and Michael Moorer jumped it.

For me it is a good division, and I like that it is a training ground for future heavies.

 

I think there is this weird notion with a lot of people that Cruiser is just the ‘Minor Leagues’ of Heavyweight. Why they think that way… well there’s always that thought of cruiser weights moving up eventually obviously. And the division itself doesn’t really get the mainstream headlines that HW “Worlds Baddest Man!” gets.

I think cruiser is underrated and about 4-5 years ago… it was arguably the most stacked division in boxing! Usyk, Briedis, Gassiev, Kudryashov, Dorticos. ALL in their primes and at their physical best. Even Bellew still in the mix. He brought some fun. That World Boxing Super Series with those guys was one of THE BEST tournies of the last 20 years imo.

 

Because it was a relatively new division created in the 80s, so theres no real deep history there. And there was no marquee names or big money to be made at Cruiserweight. That's why fighters like M.Spinks, Jones, Moorer, skipped the division completely and campaigned at Heavyweight.

In recent years though with the Cruiserweight tournament, and fighters like Usyk, Breidis, Gassiev, etc. The division has become more respected I think.

 

Cw is infinitely better than watching guys who weigh less than anorexic chicks throw a thousand punches each and not leave a mark on either guys face.

 

The era just before housed some very decent fighters.
It's a good division, and guess what with 24lbs to weigh in, the scope for more talent is bigger. 176-200lbs, when men start getting truly big, but not giants.
It's a shame Gassiev is not proving cruiserweight level to the world at heavy.

Top Cruiserweights have power, timing and speed and hit some of these static heavyweights with ease.

 

I agree with all this, but i'd also add that at the moment it certainly doesn't help that there are no good Americans in the division, so America isn't gonna care about it.

 

Very good point and that situation may last awhile. There is no American of legit quality ranked very highly by any organization.

 

Well it isn't that way now that we had big tournaments at cruiser. Now it's more respected