If Wladimir retired from boxing tomorrow, how bad will the state of the HWs be?

wow. Pretty amazing that CT was able to edit my post last year.

 

I feel that if Wlad is the Division at this time ( whatever time is it where you post from) then all other fighters can retire and Klitschko could spend the rest of his entire career, proclaiming himself as the one and only Heavyweight out there. What a pathetic form of making known your idea that Wlad is the Undisputed Heavyweight Champ - he is not simply due to the fact that he needs to fight and prove his so-called superiorty. It's a very funny and comfortable exercize to see Wlad waiting for some ridiculous IBF tournament winner and proclaim him as this and that... I want to see Wlad in there with Peter or Maskaev, Chagaev or Sultan or Thompson and then we'll see where does he stand, if he wants to retire, his absence won't be felt obviously for we have very short memory of safety-first short-lived titlists these days of major and distressful chaos.

 

See, what I mean? You don't say Wladimir is undisputed but you don't understand WTH anyone would want to see him fight WBC interim Champ Peter cos you're sure it would be win numba 2 for Wlad and more convincingly so, Chagaev and Maskaev don't even have a prayer, let alone a chance, even if the first is arguable... So I conclude for ya - Wlad is unbeatable and he is the reason the 200 plus-pounders are active. You know what, rampage0017, you don't buy the gibberish you are blasting out so why would I? Put Wlad in there with the aforementioned or else defend the IBF title against Brocks and Byrds but don't spend your precious time tryin to prove what he wanna/would-be...

 

I'd buy that. I think the correct assessment of the division is that American Heavyweight boxing is at an all time low. One can only take so much McCline, Barrett, Toney, TOS, Golota (Polish he may be, but he is a Chicago fighter) and Brock before it all becomes redundant. If Don King would finally do us all a favor and retire, it would do a lot for the sport in that Americans wouldn't have to watch the same tomato cans recycled on FNF and ShoBox over and over and over again. Hell, I'd watch just about any of the Eastern European heavies long before the usual suspects that are broadcast ad infinitum in the States.

Of course, Klit could do his part as well and try to unite the titles which seems long if not impossible in coming instead of slugging through the usual assortment of low quality American heavies. In fact, it wouldn't suprise me to see a rematch with one of said tomato cans listed above in his immediate future.

 

Povetkin would beat Byrd this year and would beat Brock/Chambers next year to win the IBF belt. The HW division would be his property.

 

I think that the impact of Wlad leaving the sport would depend on how the organizations responded to it. If promotors and governing bodies alike cooperate in establishing a unification as well as trying to really bring up some of the more worthy prospects, then it might not be such a bad thing.

 

Couldn't get any worse.

 

true, Wlad is the man right now, but he aint making anybody watch the heavywieght division anymore than they usually would. Holyfiled at 45 brings more attention to the sport, sad as that sounds. The heavywieght title holders have no personality, Wlad is to preppy and not raw enough for me.

And for whoever said the division doesnt have American champs anymore, look at a ring magizine and tell me who the 4 champs were 2 years ago, Ruiz, Rahman, Brewster, and Bryd. I think that answers that question, and the only one out of the 4 that were enertaining was Brewster.

 

The division would be alright, but it would be lacking the dominant force. I guess Chagaev, Peter, Ibragimov, Maskaev, and Povetkin would carry the load and battle for supremacy.