Let's say he wins both these fights next year. What would you want him to do next? Move up or retire?
The WBO interim champ whether that be Callum Smith or someone who beat Callum Smith. That would be the last LHW belt unaccounted for. After those 3 fights if he wins them all a 4th guy should be lined up by then. As things such a fight would not be until late 2027. Cruiserweight is a tweener division where Jake Paul can get a title shot. A long time LHW champ like Bivol going up to CW would be exactly why CW shouldn't exist. If CW didn't exist if Bivol went up it would be to HW where Jai would probably already be.
Only 2 CWs becoming the singular number 1 HW is not reason for the class to exist. In the early decades of CW the division was treated more like BW and not many fighters who could be top HWs or LHWs were there. And how many good CWs have made the jump at all how many at CW dominate enough to justify the move? Its an institutional barrier to smaller fighters fighting at HW.
A huge amount. CW champs who failed to become #1 at HW: Haye Adamek Ramirez (who was knocked out by journeymen) Huck Nelson (who was beat by journeymen at HW) Qawi Ocasio De Leon Gassiev and many many more. It’s by far the most difficult jump in boxing already. Abolishing it would be criminal. That list includes some of the finest CWs ever
By the way, based on bivol’s in ring weight data, the gap between him and usyk is 44 pounds, larger than the size gap between fury and usyk
And I don't think that was that big a deal. Weight classes being seperated by 6-7 pounds have heavily skewed peoples handicapping of weight. Not that I think Bivol could win a belt at HW but I also don't think he'll beat Benavidez.
2 guys in 35 years becoming literal number HW 1 doesn't mean there should be a seperate weight class. Theres been like what 12 number 1s in that span? You're conflating "failing" at HW with not being the singular best fighter in the weight class. Haye was a champion. Gassiev and Hunter have won most of their fights. Huck won all of his fights thus far. Qawi was one of the shortest 175 champs. Ocasio was a HW going down to CW not the other way around. Leon Spinks same deal. A lot of the top guys at 175 who would be jumping to HW just don't go the division was split. RJJ and Toney came from as far south as MW and back before you needed to be a champion to campaign at HW that was way more common. Sure only a few more LHWs became literal number 1 at HW but quite a few became champion and many had great HW careers.
If he beats Beterbiev a 3rd time and takes out Benavidez then just retire. 35yrs old nothing left to prove
