Best and worst weight classes right now?

135 and 140 are the best divisions right now, 160 is the worst.

Cruiserweight is a honourable mention, there's nothing happening there.

The heavyweight division wins the most overrated award, so little movement (hopefully that is about to change) and the best fighter in the division is coming off one of the most embarrassing performances in boxing history.

 

That's actually why I said JWW to WW, JWW is stacked. Maybe not necessarily names but some real killers. I think you're wrong on Stanionis, I don't think he's money motivated, I think he's simply a hired gun and will gun at whoever they point him at. I'm real critical of Keith and I also consider him semi retired but saying he got laid out isn't accurate, let's remember he actually outlanded Pac in that fight, it was a close fight (despite revisionist history). Keith ain't beating Spence, Crawford, Boots or Vergil (I know he's gone), but he's still potentially hell for everyone else and any JWW's that may come up. Then Antuanne Russell is gonna be at WW sooner rather than later, Josh is still servicable. Jose, Matias............these guys are all gonna be flooding WW. I'm looking a bit to the future but that seems to be the next progression.

 

I'd hate to think JMW will wind up in the same state. There's immense potential in that division for the next four years if they can strip Charlo or at least force him to fight a contender in the division. I suspect the payday from a Crawford fight might be enough to motivate Jermell...but there are no guarantees. I'm not even sure that Crawford won't cash himself out against Canelo first.

 

They said the same thing when Tyson was in prison. HW today has more depth and international representation in the top 15-20 than most periods in the division’s history. It’s the corruption among the sanctioning bodies and bureaucracy that’s killing the sport, not a lack of capable fighters.

 

what are you talking about.

Usyk, Fury, Wilder, Joshua, Zhang are clearly much better than Alimkhanuly, Adames, Lara, Eubank Jr, Gualtieri (ggg is practially retired and sergiy's last fight was at 168)

 

International representation means nothing, if you're good enough to be in the top 10 you should be in the top 10, period, regardless of where you're from. If the 10 best fighters in a division come from one place, so be it, if they're all from different places , so be it, using international representation as a measure of the quality of a division is pointless

 

A larger prospective talent pool typically results in a superior crop of competitors.

 

That's what i'm saying everyone keeps saying this is the best Heavyweight era in years makes me shake my head in all honestly. Most of the top Heavyweights are in their late 30s some even in their 40s on the verge of retirement, plus their resumes are paper thin and they're inactive i don't see what's so great about it personally.

I agree with your statement about 115 that's been one of my most enjoyable weightclasses in recent years, i can't wait for Estarada vs Ioka i'm also curious to see where Estarada ranks in the top 10 Mexican boxers of all time when he retires.

 

I do think the HW division will still give us another couple years of solid action. Obviously, December 23rd is going to be a lot of fun, and then Fury vs Usyk in February, and hopefully AJ vs Wilder shortly after. And then AJ and Wilder will both try to make another run for a belt. Ngannou make give us another entertaining fight as well, and Zhang probably has a couple good fights left too.

What i'm worried about is what happens around 2026 and beyond in the HW division. None of the younger guys are very exciting.

 

Surprised no one named 154 class so far. It is weak as hell. There are not so many good boxers, and no one has really elite skills.

160 is sad now too. Eubank jr ranked #1 by boxrec (surely, he isn't the best MW, but in a strong division he'd never be close to top-5).

 

I agree but framing it as though international representation in and of itself is a marker of how strong the top 10 is irrelevant in the sense that the top 10 should be populated by the best 10 guys in the division regardless of where they're from in the first place, if the top 10 if a division are all from different places but not good fighters, it doesn't make a weak division stronger. A pedantic point but I'm an autistic man with a space cake