When and why was the cruiserweight class established?

1979. I believe the first title fight was Marvin Camel vs. Mate Parlov.

It was created to cover the huge span between light-heavy and heavy. The 185 pound guys no longer needed to take on the 220 guys. A good idea it wa.

 

It was indeed the Camel-Parlov fight, but the real answer on why it was created was simply greed. Just another sanctioning fee our alphabet friends could extract from another championship fight. Just like the creation of Jr. Fly, Strawweight, Super Fly, Super Bantam and Super Middle. In retrospect, I feel the creation of the cruisers created the behemoth heavyweight. I recall back in the day Ron Lyle was called the Denver giant. He was like 216-220. Just a little guy by todays standards. But those heavys back then knew they had to be in shape to compete. With the invention of the cruisers, the cushion was gone and we get the 260 pounders of today huffing and puffing their way through fights. Hey, that's me on my soapbox for today.

 

Ron Lyle was big in a metaphorical sense though, not giant in physical size, but he was colossal.

 

In retrospect, it was not such a good idea. It never produced the excitement that many thought it would. At least not in my opinion. As Scartissue pointed out, it opened the door to a freak show.

 

I don't see how it created the super heavyweight division.

Yes 200-205 lb. small heavyweights may work to get down to the Cruiserweight limit.

But guys bigger than that were always going to fight in the Heavyweight division.

I think what it did create, at first, were natural light heavyweights figting at less than prime shape, weighing in well below the Cruiserweight limit. Camel, Parlov, Burnett and De Leon fit this category.

Small heavyweights like Spinks and Occasio joined in.

I think it was needed as the average heavyweight was bigger in 1980 then historically.

I agree some weight divsions like 108, 115 could be done away with.

What is more disconcerting, and, ultimately harmfull than the creation of more weight divisions, is the plethora of sanctioning bodies in each division.

 

Maybe at the time. It's been pretty darn good for the last 10 years. It's certainly more exciting than the heavyweight division, although Wladimir finally losing has spiced things up a bit.

 

The cruiserweight division, in other forms, goes back to the 19th century.

Recently, I, and a group of investors, submitted to the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO a comprehensive plan for developing junior-cruiser and super-cruiser divisions. My powerpoint presentations were well received by all camps. We all look forward to more competitive matches in these new and exciting divisions.

 

It was overdue, like the Super Heavyweight Division will be.

The guys that went to waste as a result of there being such a large chasm between heavy and lightheavy.

 

I disagree that this was a bad idea like all the other weights added. I don't like the weights separated by 4 lbs. cruiser covers a big gap between 175 and what heavyweights weigh today

I disagree that it lead to an era of lazy or overweight heavies, what would having a 200 lb weight class do to motivate a guy to not be in shape? Are you saying without cruiser Arreola would have trained harder?

I don't think a super heavy class should exist. Cruiser was a weight people passed through before moving up. Who would fight at heavy weight if you could be king at super heavy? It would probably do wonders for cruiser and lead to more guys sticking around

All said what heavies that were fat out if shape over 250 or 260 held a belt or competed for one recently?

 

Did people look down on the division at its inception? I looked into this once and was surprised that so many smallish heavyweights who fought in the 190-205 range stayed up at heavyweight instead of moving down to cruiser. It seems like most of the early cruisers were guys who got tired of cutting weight to make 175.

 

Yes. There was always more money to be made at Heavyweight. Also a new division doesn't have the valuable traditition. The basic logic being that if you are the Heavyweight King you are the baddest man in the world.

Think of the fighters that moved up that could of been dominant or at least a bigger force ala Ezzard Charles.

 

Ezzard passed through the middleweight division which he no doubt could have won through the light heavies and into the heavyweight while only weighing a few pounds over 180lb
Even at cruiser he would still be giving weight away.

 

I guess something had to be done, but it has not exactly been a successful division, and it must therefore be considered one of marginal necessity.

To add even more divisions above 175, would positively fly in the face of reason.

 

Is this an effort to preserve Heavyweight as the biggest divsision?

What would the weight restrictions be for "junior cruiser" and "super cruiser"

If you are trying to avoid creating a Super Heavyweight division, I think the best solution is maybe create one division, at most.

You could keep "cruiserweight" at 175-200 lbs

All sanctioning bodies will need to call it "Cruiserweight" to preserve the integrity of the new "Junior Heavyweight" division outlined below.

a "Junior Heavyweight" division could be created for 200-220 lbs.

"Heavyweight" would be changed to anything over 220 lbs.

Thus Heavyweight is preserved as the largest weight class and will not be degraded by the "Super" designation.

A "junior cruiserweight" and "super cruiserweight " divisions would sound worse and you would have 3 divisions with the term "cruiserweight"

Under my idea, "cruiserweight" would only be used once. I think that is better for the sport. And, only one new weight division would be added and Heavweight would be preserved as the elite, top weight division.

I think it is important to keep Heavyweight as the biggest division. If you create a superheavyweight division and have an upper limit to "heavyweight, it may confuse a lot of people.