soviet domination of HW division continues

I personally don't care where the fighters come from, as long as the division gets better both in talent and organization. It won't make a ****'s difference if everyone in the top 50 is from Russia, if there's no accepted champion.

Wladimir had a chance to become a great HW, but it's probably getting lost now because of weak competition. Perhaps the Russians are taking over, but they aren't where they need to be yet, as their No. 1 talent continues to languish in a sea of mediocrity.

This thread is pretty nasty, anyway.

 

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Come back after Chambers-Povetkin..if Povetkin wins you'll have a reason to spout ignorant nationalistic fervor until then your an idiot:good

 

They have great amatuer pedigree and many are great athletes to begin with. There is even a ukrainian who starts for the San Diego Chargers on the defensive line. His name is Igor Olshansky. Another lineman who is even better is from the Dominican Republic - Luis Castillo. These two both went to high school in america. As economic conditions get better and they have more options you'll also see the soviets start to drop out of boxing too. Right now they are dominating the HW division. Wlad is an awesome fighter.

 

When you say Soviets are dominating, thats not a 100% fact. Yes, all 4 champs are Soviets, but 2 years ago it was all american champs, so would it be safe to say Americans dominated the division a little over 2 years ago? To me dominace means reigning over a division for a long period of time, 2 years is hardly a long time.

 

There's a former UNLV basketball player by the name of Kaspars Kambala who has recently took up boxing. He is currently being trained by Richard Steele. Now forgive me for being American, but is Latvia considered a part of the Eastern Russian Bloc cause that's where he's from?

I hope he becomes good cause he wasn't cuttin' it as a professional basketball player in Europe.

 

I will answer your question, I feel Thompson or Chambers got a shot, even Ruiz and Mccline stand a chance at getting another shot at the title in the future.

Now answer my question, how is the Soviets dominating? Most of them have limmited skills with staying power, aside from Wlad, maybe. Liakhovich lost his title to Briggs in late 06, Peter will more and likely beat Maskaev in March. I see the so called Soviet domination more of a cycle than anything, especially since it's only been a little over 2 years since all title holders were American.

 

Yeah, Peter gave Wlad one for the rode in that pic.:yep I hear what your saying, but I think way to early to say that the Soviets are dominating, 2 years is hardly a long time, anyone that watches boxing know things go in cycles, one minute your the best fighter out there, and the next minute your on the canvas being counted out. Aside from Wlad every other title holder seems very beatable, and while Peter might not be American, he sure isnt Eastern European either. I just think the whole Soviet dominance thing is a little premature, if it's still the same 3+ years from now, I might end up agreeing with you.:yep

 

Maybe but I don't see the correlation of hitting a jumpshot and having the ability to take a left hook to the jaw. Look at Derric Rossy wasn't he an All-American or All Conference Defensive End and got dominated by a much smaller and light hitting Eddie Chambers.

 

There's posing an honest question and there's baiting folks? You are doing the latter.

It doesn't matter, though -- it's obvious American boxing has slipped, particularly at the heavier weights. You haven't brought any new insight to the table.

 

Latvia is one of the Baltic states along with Lithuania and Estonia. There is an entertaining indie movie out now called "The Singing Revolution" about the history of Estonia and their independence today. Latvians are not exactly slavic. They are probably a mix of some slavic and scandanavian blood. They have a reputation of being cool and unemotional like people from Sweden or Noway. They have a large russian speaking minority in Latvia. The Latvians are now distancing themselves from their soviet dominated past making english the second language after Latvian. Riga is the capital and Latvian girls look great.

 

Thanks mate for that piece of history...and if your going to say Latvian girls are hot we all want to see pics to back it up:yep