HW progress and the expanding talent pool

The average heavyweight today is 6'4 and 235 pounds. Yes Eastern Europe was only allowed to start competing in the 90s and they quickly took over the division. It will be even better when Cuba allows pro boxing, and Asia becomes richer and more people compete over there. There are already 3 Chinese heavyweights in the top 100. I think one of them is looking pretty decent.

 

Yes they will say it is the worst era ever, even though it is doing better in Asia than ever, and there is over 4 billion people living over there. It's just like when people said the Klitschko's era was weak even though they sold out 85,000 football stadiums(Lewis vs Tyson only sold 15,327 and was half full), and tens of millions watching on TV.

 

What people don't appreciate in evaluating the heavyweight division today is that, just a couple of decades ago, every single Cruiserweight fighter would also be part of the division. And look at the quality and depth there.

At no other point besides recent history was there enough 200 pound and over fighters to support 2 divisions over 200 pounds. Many Cruiserweights today are bigger than past Heavyweights. Also, past Heavyweights fought many of their fights against fighters who'd be modern Cruiserweights today. For example, relatively few of Joe Frazier's opponents would be Heavyweights in the modern game today.

If the talent pool at HW seems thin to some, think of how barren past eras would've been if only guys 200 pounds or higher (not accounting for those who cut to make Cruiserweight but are actually a natural 205-210) were considered Heavies.

 

I agree that the talent pool in boxing in general is bigger now since boxing is more global and there are more people like you said, however with the HW division we have a weird instance where the talent pool is just big enough to produce 5-10 quality super-HWs that keep the top cruiserweights (who are more talented) away.

But if you take the whole talent pool of what used to be heavyweight size (basically big CWs + HWs) then the talent pool is indeed larger than ever. It's just that there is basically a new weight class creating in front of our eyes with the super heavyweights.

 

The talent is the same. The USA isn't use to having so few stars. So many American's will just assume the current
talent is poor. However today's talent is on par with the talent of past decades it just become more competitive. Thus
making it more diffucult for any nation like the USA to dominate boxing like before.

 

The problem I have with this attitude from america if that no other country in the world has that attitude when it comes to sports

Example in the last 10 year england have fell behind at soccer, they didn't say 'oh its a terrible era for talent anyway' they recoginsed they had fallen behind and weren't producing the talent other countries were or just weren't able too

I mean what message does that send to a country when you are doing worse than ever before at a sport, and you then call it the worst era ever for that sport talent wise, but you still can't compete in that terrible era

 

G Murphy sorry to correct you sir but i did not say " It was the worst era ever for sport talent wise " . I said '' Today's talent is on par with talent of past decades it just become more competitive. "
Have a good day / night .

 

If you were a big bodied athlete in the USA would it not make more since to play basketball, gridiron, or even baseball ahead of boxing?

In each of the other alternatives there are far more athletes making big money than there are in boxing and you get hit in the head a whole lot less too.

 

I was actually agree with you jup, but just elaborating on the negative a silly way some american boxing fans view this change

 

You could say the same about Europe with rugby union and rugby leagu . Aussie rules, even goalies and a lot of soccer players are 6 foot plus

Could you also turn that around and say the only reason america are doing well in the welterweight division and around their is the rest of the world is busy playing soccer?