Nostalgia really. I remember getting up in the middle of the night to watch Leonard vs Hearns 2. I was a big Leonard fan then (and Hearns as well but more so Leonard) and was transfixed by the fight. It was still a very new division and you had 2 great fighters trying to unify in it. Really enjoyed the division ever since, then it became big with Eubank and Benn also which kept the interest
I think the division is in a healthy state at the moment. U.S- Ward is a very good unbeaten champion plus the Dirrell brothers U.K- Froch is world class & we have 2 good prospects in Groves & DeGale Europe- Kessler, Steiglitz & Abraham Canada- Bute Plently of decent fighters around with different styles & potentially interesting fights imo.
Do you think DeGale and Groves have done enough to be top 10 rated? In previous eras they wouldnt have made it there at this time in their careers, same with Oousthuizen
The only point Bailey has ever successfully made in any thread is that he is a biased immature moron.
Wow more boxing wisdom from ESBs whipping boy RobertV77 . Robert make us all laugh at you a bit more when you explain what DeGale, Oousthuizen and Groves have done to become top 10, :hi: This will be amusing
Also I think your focus on accomplishments within a division is a little dated: there are so many divisions nowadays and fighters jump up and down willy nilly - you can't completely exclude a fighter's accomplishments at other weights when determining the strength of the new division (though he shouldn't be immediately ranked either). In fact, weight divisions is fast becoming a pretty diffuse concept, what with all the catchweights and belts flying around. What matters are good fighters and matchups around a given weight.
I'm pretty sure all the eras has unworthy top10 at a moment. :yep If they are worthy or not we shall see when they mature and step up.
I named 3 in Groves, Oousthuizen and DeGale but numbers 6-10 are not good, G Johnson has lost more SMW fight than won, A Abraham has done nothing at SMW and been clearly beaten more than once
Im not talking about Elite resumes, not all top 10 fighters can have that in the same division, what I am noting is that from numbers 6-10 they havent done anything at SMW and if you say percieved ability, do you think A Abraham will progress as a SMW?
Yes and No. A Abraham was considered a dominant force at MW but cant seem to compete at the top at SMW. Though Abraham didnt really beat any top MWs his best win was probably Miranda. G Johnson was competitive at MW and world class at LHW but only a journeyman at SMW. You cant rate these guys as top SMWs for not being able to beat the top SMWs just because they do well in other divisions
Bute, Froch and later Ward were at a certain time prospects, top10 and probably considerated unworthy by some. Abraham is not at SMW anymore and never really was.