Is America Really Declining Boxing Wise!!

You have got to be extremely narrowminded yourself if you cannot see the obvious difference in skill level. You seem to be preoccupied with nationalism and sensationalism which is the crux of your flawed logic.

Read my post again. I am talking about the level of skill and professionalism that transcended these boxers. Ruslan Chagaev is called the "White Tyson", but there isn't a single European heavyweight that remotely resembles the skill, power, and tenacity of a Mike Tyson or Joe Frazier (and that includes Sultan). What you have is a bunch of average Eastern Europeans overflowing in a weak division....how else would the Oleg Maskaevs, Nicolai Valuev, and Sergei Liakhoviches become heavyweight champions of the world? The dominant fighters of the 70's, 80's, and the 90's would keep these guys at the club level instead of championship level. The best European Heavyweight, Wladimir Klitchsko, is a Lennox Lewis copy (thanks to Emmanuel) with an even worse chin and questionable heart.

It will be a long time before heavyweight boxing has a "savior", regardless of nationality.

And south of the heavyweight division, I would hardly call Eastern Europeans / Cubans dominating. Again, it comes down to quantity vs quality....don't confuse the two.

 

Lennox Lewis ended the American domination at heavyweight that spanned for just about the entire 20th century. The lower divisions are great and all, but here in America, its the heavyweights that grab the headlines. Once Lewis took over, the American sports media basically tuned out boxing. For the longest time, the promoters denied Lewis his shot and the US sports media cast doubt and refused to ackowledge his talent, even after he won belt all the way up until he beat a washed up Tyson FCS! That should tell you all you need to know. In US sportswriters minds, there was nothing left to brag about, so there was nothing left to talk about. Out of spite and the lack of a dominant American HW, Don King has intentionally left the HW divisioned fractured and without a true lineal champ, which in turn has hurt all of boxing.

 

You make some good points about lack of love for Lennox in the US and the sports writer "having nothing to talk about" when he was the dominant force in the division. Becuase he wasn't American, he didn't get the credit he deserved (sounds familiar) its basically a case of "cutting off your nose, to spite your face" as the saying goes, because now US HW's are just cannon fodder for some average boxers who ain't half as good as the Lewis's, Holyfield's and Tyson's of this world.

 

Lennox Lewis is a legend, but Wlad Klitchsko will be forgotten in the blink of an eye, please don't compare the two.

 

Great post, exactly how I feel. One quick look at the Heavyweight division, and you will see why many regard it as the worst division currently in boxing, the talent/skill level is at minimum, you have severely fat, glass chinned, and very inactive Heavyweights leading the charge today. Fighters of yester year would have a field day with some of these guys. Yes, it is dominated by Eastern Europeans, but that still doesnt take away from the fact there skill level is extremely limmited, and really wouldnt measure up against the much better Heavyweights of the 90's.

 

I think that was my point. Wladimir is a poor man's Lennox Lewis.

 

Exactly. I find it disturbing that the potential "savior" of American Heavyweight boxing is considered Chris Arreola, a 258lb fat ass. The upside to this incredibly weak division, is that eventually there will be someone who will rise to the task (regardless of nationality) and showcase the kind of ability, heart, power/speed/skill, and toughness we have seen in the past. Who knows...that might even be David Haye, although I wouldn't bank on his chin

 

It's definetly the right time for Haye, not saying he is a great fighter, but its a weak division and he might actually be able to do something.

 

Arreola is about as talented at Boxing, as Paris Hilton is at acting. You brought up Haye, the guy is a pretty good boxer, with a weak chin, in the 90's he would of been a big target painted on him, but in todays landscape, he has about as good as chance as anyone, of being champ, we currently have a glass chinned fighter sitting atop the Heavyweight division (Wlad).

It's hard to say what the future will hold for Heavyweight boxing, but as a huge fan of boxing I would hate to see the once great division get any worse.

 

The guy has a ton of heart and top notch power, he lost the boxing match against Wlad that night in September of 05, but he proved he's not an easy fighter to beat, he made Wlad look like a *****, making him clinch 97 times, go into panic attacks, and turn his back often, as well flooring him 3 times, he showed me and many other how scared Wlad fights when the going gets tough.

Sam Peter is hardly the most skilled, but he does have alot of redeeming qualities many boxing fans appreciate.

 

I would say the hw americans are, other then that i dont think so.i think the usa has and will always have the very besy of fighters period.just play the name game and see what you come up with.

 

wladimir forgotten in a blink of an eye? no