Boxing's problem currently is not that there are too few, but actually TOO MANY names to have a clear cut list of crossover superstars. Too many divisions, too many titles, too many great stories to follow, it's simply too much in an age where the average guy or girl picks up bits and pieces of everything - entertainment, sports, culture. Boxing is still divided into regions, but with internet, especially community internet, video sharing and streeams, the boxing world became much smaller, much more international, much easier to reach - also much less US dominated. I have no doubts that over the world, boxing is doing better ratings than in any other era when television/mass communication was present. But as Emanuel Steward pointed out in a great interview with our "On The Ropes" hosts, it is changing, and already somewhat changed compared to what it was like 20, 40 etc. years ago. Regardless of differences in regions, markets, cultures etc, if you have a decent internet connection with some smarts to reach out for live/recorded fights from all over the world, you have a ticket to a truly Golden Age of professional boxing, but you also have to go hardcore to keep up with everything. This is a simple list of possible and borderline HOFs among active boxers today: Ivan Calderon Pongsaklek Wonjongkam Jorge Arce - borderline Vic Darchinyan - borderline Veeraphol Sahaprom - borderline Rafael Marquez Israel Vazquez - borderline Juan Manuel Marquez Joel Casamayor - borderline Marco Antonio Barrera Erik Morales Ricky Hatton Manny Pacquiao Jose Luis Castillo - borderline Floyd Mayweather Jr. Shane Mosley Winky Wright Bernard Hopkins Roy Jones Jr. James Toney Evander Holyfield The Klitschko brothers - borderline Many are either doing good or show some true potential out there: Nonito Donaire Fernando Montiel (3-division champ!) Hozumi Hasegawa Chris John Yuri Gamboa JuanMa Lopez Guillermo Rigondeaux Chris John Tim Bradley Devon Alexander Miguel Cotto Kelly Pavlik Paul Williams Andre Ward Chad Dawson Tomasz Adamek David Haye True that the % of all limelight boxing gets in the historical market, the US, is lower than before (mainly because it has serious COMPETITION in other sports and entertainment opportunities let's say for a Saturday evening), but the overall worldwide popularity hasn't dropped one bit, just the "center of the weight" changed somewhat, and it takes sometimes to adjust to the 21th century and the truly international form. It is as deep as ever!
Most of the hall of famers on your list are near or at the very end of their careers, with a few exceptions. I think the overall pound for pound list is relatively weak at the moment. I also think there are only a couple possible true superfights that can be made at the moment. So, while there are a lot of excellent fighters out there and quality fights to be made, I wouldn't call it a Golden Age.
This Era of boxing isn't that great compared to the last. All you did was add a bunch of fighters from the last era who are still fighting today, but nowhere near where they were back then. In the 90's and Early 2000s, boxing was stacked with talent. Today you have fighters like Williams on top, whose most significant accomlishment is winning the WBO strap, losing it immediately after, and then winning it again, only to vacate it. meh :roll: And that's after being pro over 10 YEARS! You know what fighters like De La Hoya, Trinidad, Mosley, Roy Jones, Mayweather had accomplished by their 10th year???
