If The Cruiserweight Division Was Gone...

Maybe. It would certainly make the heavyweights more interesting again.

Eliminate all in-between divisions and go back to one champion per division and watch the sport blossom.

 

Boxing should definitely go back to eight weight divisions maximum, and bring weigh-ins back to the day of the fight.

The cruiserweight division just gave guys like Michael Moorer a bigger excuse to eat KFC all day.

 

The cruiserweight division has always been ultimately a ******* division for those either too lazy to make 175, or simply not good enough to snatch a claim to the heavyweight title.

It would take far less than three decades for a sub 200 pounder to snag a claim to the big prize, as the Spinks brothers and RJJ have previously demonstrated.

Reinstalling the 15 round distance would expedite this process, and you'd see the highest weights of the largest top heavyweights drop precipitously.

 

Well, I agree that you'd absolutely see the lard asses like Sam Peter and Kirk Johnson disapear from the scene, but I think the super heavyweights who are fit like Lennox Lewis, Wladmir Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko and a few others, are basically here to stay. Traditionally, people in most sports don't get smaller as time goes on.. They get bigger. And when I say bigger, I'm not just referring to the over blown whales, but the stronger and more athletic variety. Roy Jones did manage to capture a fragment against a very weak titlist, and Spinks beating a ring worn Holmes for a peice as well, but I don't think that we're ever going to see such an individual holding the lineal crown ever again.

 

I'd like to see the cruiserweight division drop back down to 190.

That said, a lot of fighters moving up a divison these days feel they have to go right to the limit - Adamek is an exception because he can carry the weight properly, Enzo Maccarinelli is only naturally about 192-195lbs, yet is always just under 200, whilst Cunningham is usually way under the limit.

By dropping the limit to 190, the larger light heavies will be more tempted to move up, and the bigger cruisers will have to move up to heavy. This will increase the standard of the heavyweight division with more athletic fighters entering the division, and will force the fat guys to get fitter to stand a chance.

I'd certainly make Eddie Chambers a firm favourite over a Chris Arreola, so long as he comes in under 210.

 

If the 15 round limit had remained in place, I believe that those fit super heavyweights would have likely remained below 230 pounds, and carried significantly less bulk. Holyfield kept getting bigger and bigger after the championship distance was abolished.

In some sports, this was cyclical before modern rule changes and the advent of growth enhancing substances. (In the National Football League, if the hashmarks were moved as close together as they were in the early 1970s, the more aerobically demanding running game would again eclipse the passing attack in prominence, and linemen over 300 pounds would again go the way of the dinosaurs.)

In peak condition, I think Toney was absolutely capable of not only doing this, but he actually might have been able to defend it successfully a few times while staying below 200 pounds. I hadn't considered Toney when I posted before, but I doubt he would have been weakened with his weight in the 190s.

 

I'd probably bet agains it. There's absolutely nothing stopping someone from fighting at HW at 201 lbs, but nobody ever does. Chambers is the only contender in some time to even be close. The other candidate is Byrd. But both carry extra weight for some reason. Haye won't be fighting at 205.

I just think even w/o CW, fighters would choose to carry > 200 lbs.

You'd basically be betting on a Roy Jones calibre fighter to show up at 275-200 in the next 30 years. It's not 0%, but I'd bet against it.

Edit: Hmm... Toney... fair point. We did have 2 fighters of that caliber at 175-200... Maybe not such a bad bet after all.

 

To be honest, it's doubtful.

A 200 pounder is always going to be at a significant disadvantage when going up against 220-230 pounders in shape. (Not that there are that many in great shape today, but still.)

There is a reason guys like Spinks and Evander had to put on size. As great as they were, they simply lacked the necessary strength to trouble big men.
Evander did great for a guy weighing under 210 for a while, and he beat some real quality heavyweights, but eventually even he had to put on a little more size to really compete with Bowe, a naturally bigger, stronger guy.

Obvoiusly there is a point of diminishing returns; putting on size for the sake of it can hurt you (like it did Shannon Briggs) but to compete today I'd say you'd have to be pretty exceptional to weigh under 210 and still fight on even terms with the big boys.

 

Yep. To be sub 215 nowadays and be the man, you'd have to have some serious skills.

 

No.

 

There have been heavyweights that could have been a whole lot better had they chiseled down as close to 200 as they could without given up strength.James Toney for one ( I think he was 208 for Holyfield and no reason to get fatter, Toney is 5"9) The Klitschko's are 2 of the biggest Champions in the division at 6'7 and 6'8 aproximately and they weigh in at 238-250 and they are muscular guys. I dont think a natural light heavyweight could move up to Heavy successfully but there are some exceptional smaller heavys who have either freakish power or exceptional skills and would do very well. However this is the exception and not the rule. Men have gotten bigger but there still have been only 3 exceptionally good big men Lewis and the Klitschko's. I think if the mentality is to be in great condition we would have quality fights. I also think it is the time to bring back the 15 rd. fights and heavyweights should be disqualified if they come into the ring less than conditioned. Is the 15rd fight dangerous, no, in the days of ultimate fightinmg and MMA we should not be concerned with a 15rd boxing match for the championship. Fighter who do not come into the ring in shape will ultimately pay the price and fighters that come into the ring in shape would reap the rewards in a battle of attrition. This is the way boxing was supposed to be.

 

I wouldn't notice it's absence like I would if they took away my favorite "junior" division, the juniorwelters.

 

cruiserweight is the most meaningful junior division.

the brits where using a plus 174 division for years. even tho it didnt have a belt it was recognised.

people are forgettign that 30 - 50 lbs is a massive advantage. this isnt sofa fat. there is no spare tires. toney arreola maybe be pudgy for proffesional athletes but they already have big physiques.

a strict 195lb cruiserwieght for me makes alot of sense.

 

Ali & Foreman at 215 -218 lbs bounced the sub 200 lb'ers all round the ring.

They were at their respective peaks as heavyweights.