Weakest Era for Heavyweights

I mean the belt he has isn’t legitimate in any way so he can’t be used as a barometer for how good/bad the division currently is. At best Trevor Bryan is a fringe top 20 HW.

 

Are you perhaps missing the common factor there?

 

Probably the era between the decline of bare knuckle boxing, and the ascension of Queensbury boxing.

 

Dominance.

That's why people call the Klitchko reign poor as well.

 

I think that apart from the really early days, this current era is pretty poor. AJ and Fury are the pick of the bunch and the quality falls steeply after that. A bunch of old men, one trick ponies in the main.

 

1900's

 

If Sam Peter when old and washed up is ranked #3 and Chris Arreola is top 10 for SIX consecutive years , thats a pretty good indicator of a weak division.

In fact that era of HWs was not just weak , it was the thinnest talent pool not just in boxing , but of any sporting endevour you could think of.

Thankfully the good era we're in now has restored dignity and honor to the golden division of boxing

 

Bryan doesn't hold any belt. He isn't even a top 20 ranker.

 

Bit of a circular argument.

If you dominate am era, you take away its champions, and make it look weaker than it is.

If you take away Louis or Holmes, then the people who held the title in their places, would have a standing similar to a short tenure 30s or 50s champion.

 

Its not.

Even the second tier guys are fighting PPV headliners. People tune in and are willing to pay because its exciting.
There wouldn't be any interest in the division if it was mediocre.

Klitschko defended his titles TWICE on Eurosport. Thats how little interest there was in the division back then.. The HW crown being broadcast on Europost was an embarrassment to what was once the greatest prize in sport.
Things are different now

 

2005-08 was the absolute doldrums and we've (unfortunately!) got plenty of film to back that up!

Lewis now gone, Vitali likewise for the time being, Wladimir yet to really find his feet or win over the doubters. A conveyor belt of short-reigning, average alphabet titlists with none of them ever threatening to really put their marker down to lay claim to being the division's true king. Maskaev, Peter, Liakhovich, Ibragimov, Briggs, Valuev, Chagaev, Ruiz, Rahman, Brewster etc...A fat and pushing forty Toney was still able to give Peter (first fight, anyway) and Rahman pretty much all they could handle, and as for some of the other title fights we were treated to during those years...Skelton against Chagaev might just have been the worst of the lot, but it has some serious competition.

 

Joe Louis’ era is very overrated

 

I agree