Is Eastern Europen Block of Heavyweights Overrated?

In the span of about a decade since the fall of the Iron Curtain, these Eastern European Block fighters have almost single handedly created the concept of a Black/American hope. Chambers is just the latest example.

 

I was thinking the same thing.

 

Yeah I know. They hype all the euro fighters. They still claim Chagaev is good. ANd he just stood there and got his ass kicked. Boystov is no better than Chagaev. To be honest I don't see any good euro heavys coming up. Tyson fury of england may be ok but we will have to see what happens when he gets hit on the chin. I've been hearing this **** from farmy and ivo since the golota days. They used to be golota nuthuggers before wladdy came along.

 

lol, look at the top 10 son and tell me Euros are not spanking that American ass. My, my, you Americans are sure getting snippy just because your latest black hope managed one win against a mediocre prospect.

 

The boxing gyms I used to train at, in and around my area are closing down left and right. One was replaced with a fight club (MMA gym), which just goes to show that the UFC is what the younger generation of american kids are into now. No longer do most kids dream of being Heavyweight boxing champ of the world. I think this may effect the future of american boxing imo.

As for eastern europeans being dominate. Yes, they now hold all the belts, but less than 4 years ago all Americans held the main 4 belts. Rahman (WBC), Brewster (WBO), Ruiz (WBA), Bryd (IBF). The division is just going through cycle, not a trend. Sam Peter held a belt inbetween that time, and so did Shannon Briggs, both of which got their belts by beating an eastern european.

 

not all americans feel this way nono:nono

nor are all americans stupid enuf to blame lack of hw dominance on a weak hw division (weakest argument ever...s-1 else wins...its coz the competition sucks)....

 

:dealexactly about the mma thing.


at my gym is about 40% boxing 60% mma.

when a new kid walks in the door, its almost always for mma now, with boxing only as a part of training for mma.

i spar more mma guys who want boxing experience to help with mma than i do actual boxers wanting to train for boxing.

 

OP is 100% right.

 

It's sad isn't it? I dont speak for the rest of the country, I could only speak for the city of Pittsburgh, which used to be a big boxing city at one time and only a few hours away from the boxing capital.

I no longer box in the gym, but I do spar with a couple friends that fight in Ohio for tournaments and actual pro matches. My one friend Bob Manchini, had a couple matches on youtube a few months back, not sure if their still up there or not, but if you want to take a look there under that name. I guess it's just sad to go into bars and see that they no longer carry PPV boxing matches, but there will be a sign on the door that says "Lezner vs Mir, the rematch you all been waiting for, 5 dollars cover", when just 5 years ago it was Holyfield and Tyson whose posters were on the wall and even though I wasn't 21 at the time, I was still able to watch the fights because my dad knew the bar owner. When Tyson fought, people watched at the bar, and it was packed for both Williams and McBride fights.

 

Boxing gyms in Cleveland are closing left and right, and places where the city used to fund training (Alta House in Little Italy is the prime example, used to train there a bit) are getting their funds cut. Sad thing is, this is (or used to be anyways) a good fight town.

 

i live in ft worth tx now. San Antonio was a halfway decent boxing city (some mexicans still love their boxing), but fort worth is dominated by MMA fans. same thing here about the bars. i remember trying to find a place showing the pavlik/taylor 2 fight, one major bar was showing ufc that night on like 5 big screens, and in a backroom with the pooltables, one smaller crt screen showing pavlik fight. sigh.

 

Thats not far from me at all, Clevland is similar to Pittsburgh in alot of ways. I dont like it one bit, I dont completely hate MMA, I just feel like it's ruining the popularity of the sport I love. I don't know what the future holds, but if boxing gyms keep closing in boxing city's, I have a feeling that will see less and less talented American fighters as well I'm afraid.

 

I think it is officially fair to say that the color of there skin and location where they are from is what causes some people to hate.

They didnt give a **** about Eddie 4 days ago now 1 win and that somehow exposes every Eastern Euro fighter.

**** this place getting dumb.

 

What in the holy **** are you talking about son?

One guy loses and that is suddenly a reflection on all of the Eastern European heavyweights? Alexander Dimitrenko competes for himself, Alexander Dimitrenko. This is an individual sport.

The fact a great percentage of the top 20 is made up of Eastern Europeans would suggest they are not overrated. You can draw your own conclusions on how good they are compared to past eras, but the fact is they are some of the best we got.