After watching Adamek-Estrada... Estrada came at career-low 237 against Adamek, and I was surprised to hear it as I haven't seen his earlier fights and he still looked somewhat fat. So... can you name 10 active heavys that are always in shape? Klitschkos, Holyfield, Haye, Adamek... well, maybe Ruiz (as much as I hate to admit it), but anyone else? It seems that what was exception in the past (Tubbs, sometimes Witherspoon, ...) is almost a rule today. No surprise HW is in decline.
In no order ( off the top of my head) 1. Wlad 2. Vitali 3. Haye 4. Adamek 5. Holyfield 6. Boytsov 7. Sosnowski 8. Dimitrenko 9. Tua? 10. Ruiz Struggle after that to be fair but theres still talent emerging and the division is far from dull
klitschkos are both prime athletes, as is haye and adamek... if only solis could get himself in shape
Klitschko 1, Klitschko 2, Haye, Adamek, Ruiz, Oliver McCall, Povetkin, Dimitrenko, Botystov and perhaps maybe Kevin Johnson
Wlad Klits, and Haye,, thats about all i can think of:huh Holyfield, has never come into a fight out of shape, with a gut, but at 48, he's gonna tire out anyways..
Its a disgrace that so many heavies wont bother to stay in shape. Has to be because theres a drought of talent in the division at the moment.
Well, if most of title fights are dull than the division have to be dull as well IMHO. As I asked about ten fighters that are in shape I have to say the list is more or less OK. Still, you have to take into account that 3 of those guys are retiring quickly (Holy, Ruiz and Vitaly), Tua status is not clear and Sosnowski, although my compatriot, is euro-level at best.
I think that one major factor in this is the disparity between the money in the HW division compared to what CW's are making many of these guys have the frame to fight at 200lbs but look for cash in the heavywieght division and not wanting to be a 'small heavyweight' opt to be a 'fat heavyweight'!
You know, honesty, its just my opinion but I think there is a quick fix to the heavies. Just get rid of the CW division. Make the heavyweights smaller again. Smaller faster and with more energy. Not just a bunch of fatasses. Like you said most of these guys are just blown up CW's anyway. And its not like anyone cares about the CW division.
It's weird first off that CW attracts so little attention. Should be one of the most exciting divisions, big guys who can bang but forced to keep in top shape. But ya i think as well the current super heavies that are ruling the division have an affect on it. They might be focusing on the weight a bit too much. Glad Chambers seems to be going the other guy and is bring himself down to his ideal weight.
Getting rid of the CWs will just put those guys into the division with the Klits destroying them with the reach and jab, what would it change? The CW should be changed to up to 220, or 230 and called the HW division. Then make a Super HW for the rest.