Too much size discrepancy at heavyweight

I think a super heavy division is warranted. Sure a small guy can beat a big guy but at the top level the big guy has all the advantages. I think there's a lot of potentially great fighters who are completely alienated right now. Guys who are to big to be comfortable at cruiser and to small to compete with the best at heavy. A younger Sasha might have beat AJ last night regardless of size but if he was bigger or AJ smaller I don't see any way he would've lost.

 

Well if you weigh in under 225 you can probably make cruiserweight.

 

Besides Byrd and Holyfield they haven't really fought any good small guys. Vitali also wanted no part of any rematch with Byrd, but couldn't wait to fight the big, but mediocre Timo Hoffman rather than a guaranteed rematch for his belt. Also, Lennox was very lucky to get the draw in the first fight against Holyfield. Compubox had Lennox landed over 50% of his punches, which is laughable. Lennox barely edged the second fight, but this was also against an overweight and semi-shot Holyfield while Bowe beat a prime and in-shape Holyfield in 92.

I also remember Lennox dropping his IBF belt to avoid Byrd to instead fight the mediocre Kirk Johnson, who pulled out and was replaced by Vitali, a guy Byrd stopped before.

 

Good small guys aren't going to beat them outside of the occasional fluke. 2 losses in over 20 years. That's all the best super heavyweights have given up to smaller fighters.

You can type up book-length posts to try and handwave it away all you want, but the proof's in the pudding. The exceptions prove the rule.

 

Fluke? Vitali quit against Byrd and ducked out of a rematch. If his size and weight made him that much more superior he should've had Byrd knocked out in a couple of rounds, but instead struggled and quit by faking an injury. Also, Byrd was easily Wlad's best win.

 

If you've got a good chin and power then height means **** all.

 

Easiest way to think about it: would Ali, Tyson (insert any past great) beat a 6’7” 250lbs version of themselves more often than not?

 

big heavy weight hit harder

 

Maybe the age discrepancy limited Povetkin more than the weight discrepancy. After all, AP was doing pretty good until he started slowing down. A younger Povetkin or juiced up Povetkin might have been able to keep up a fast enough pace to win.

Joshua's size advantage can serve him against some opponents but not against all of them even if they are Povetkin's size. A certain skill level or power can equalize things.

 

Last time Wilder outweighed an opponent, was back in 2012.
People seem to forget that he is usually below or slightly above 220. He has never hit the 230 mark.

 

I'd like to see all the divisions spread out more and weigh ins in the changing room before a fight, with the wraps.
Should be the same wt% change between divisions. With HW being 225lb+.
Pov V AJ was the equivalent of a MW Vs LHW in terms of weight and volume.
No-one suggests Canelo Vs Kovalev is OK but that sort of thing happens at HW all the time.

 

But that's also the magic from the highest weight division. People act like it's something of the last couple of decades, but seem to forget about the likes of Louis, Ali, Foreman once ruling the division, often fighting sub 200lbs opposition, and in Louis' case even what nowadays would be a big Middleweight on fight night.

Super Heavyweight would suffer from a couple of huge issues... where do you put the cut-off weight?!
If it's 235/240, then it doesn't include Wilder and the likes of Joshua wouldn't have any issues making heavyweight.
If it's lower, like 225/230, smaller heavyweights would qualify again, and with the division shattered, they could look for where the weaker beltholders are at.

Not advisable

 

It's not 'magic' though is it, to have a Haye-Valuev freakshow.
Whether it happened in the past or not is of no concern to me.
Nor am I advocating an extra SHW division.
Plus I told you where the cut-off would/could be.

Did you even read the post?

 

well lets look at the top 15 in the division. AJ is 6'6, Wilder 6'7, Fury 6'9, Ortiz 6'4, Whyte 6'4, Breazeale 6'6, Pulev 6'4, Miller 6'4, Kownacki 6'3, Parker 6'4, Jennings 6'3, Chisora 6'4, Hughie Fury 6'6, Joyce 6'5, Hgrovic 6'6, Yoka 6'7, Dubois 6'5, Dycko 6'9, Kabayel 6'3. As you can see the division is rife with huge heavyweights. Guys like Povetkin and Takam are anomalies in this day and age. they have beaten guys significantly taller than them, if they cant beat the elite big men then too bad either carry on trying or give up and try make CW.