One of the first things that drew me in to Boxing when I was younger was a heavyweight phenomenon known as “Iron” Mike Tyson. He also played a leading role in one of my most disappointed moments, when he was upset in Tokyo one night by huge underdog James “Buster” Douglas. One of my fondest memories as a young fan was 45-year-old George Foreman knocking out Michael Moore to become heavyweight champ. And to this day the most well known boxer and maybe athlete of all time is heavyweight Muhammad Ali.
[Check out our Muhammad Ali vs. Mike Tyson fantasy fight!]
Are you picking up on a common theme here?
All heavyweights.
What the hell has happened to the heavyweight division in boxing?!
The most recent cancellation of the Wladimir Klitschko/David Haye fight is the latest in a long list of disappointing events that have transpired amongst boxing and its big boys. There are somewhat compelling possibilities in the division still, but not many. That was really the only fight in the weight class that had fans talking. The top 2 heavyweights in the world are Wladimir and his older brother Vitali. Both are good fighters and both have titles. But both have come out and stated multiple times that they will not fight each other. So unless one, or both, retires or loses, there is no unification possible. I mean, really? Is this what it has come down to?
No offense meant to those in the top 10, but the weight class… well, it kind of sucks now to be honest. It just feels watered down. If you ask a casual fan to name 3 heavyweights in the world, they probably couldn’t. There’s no possibility for crossover success and HBO doesn’t even carry heavyweight fights anymore. There’s zero excitement and zero buzz.
As someone who covers the sport, I will always watch. Part of it is the job but mainly it’s because I’m a fan. One thing I’ve made sure of during my time as a member of the media is that no matter what game, sport, or event I’ve covered, I’ll always remember that I’m still a fan. I’ve always recognized that I wouldn’t have chosen my career path, if it weren’t for the things I saw and enjoyed when I was younger. And when your first and fondest memories are the buzz around fights involving Tyson or an inspirational win by an aging warrior like Foeman, it gets frustrating that frankly the division just isn’t as good as it used to be.
(Maybe they feel the same about the writers…?)
If you look at the lower divisions, you have great matchups, crossover possibilities, and a wealth of established and rising talent. But there used to be a time when “the heavyweight fight” was exciting and what mattered most to the sport. I think it speaks to the real issue and begs a question that’s pretty tough to answer logically: Let’s say you’re a big, athletic kid. If there are more lucrative and arguably safer options in the NFL or another sport where you can use that God given size to your advantage, why go into boxing and get punched for a living?
Given my physical stature, having to answer that question or make that choice has never been an issue. But no matter how much I diminish the current heavyweight landscape, as a writer and most importantly as someone who loves the sport as a fan, it would be impossible to diminish the respect I have for the big men that have made the choice to lace ‘em up and pursue their athletic dreams in the rough and unforgiving world of the sweet science.
