Heavies Fighting Heavies

[marbleheadmaui]

I got to thinking about the Klitschkos fighting ranked guys and then what everyone else is doing.

In the last three years (why three years [burp] why NOT?)

Wlad has fought five ranked guys and Hasim Rahman.

Vitali has fought four.

Outside of them? I'm trying to think of fights where one Ring ranked heavy fought another in the last 3 years?

Arreola-Adamek
Chambers-Dimitrenko
13-Valuev
Peter-Helenius

I mean seriously? IS THAT IT IN THREE FREAKING YEARS? FOUR FIGHTS BETWEEN CONTENDERS? (Please tell me I've forgotten 6-7 fights)

No WONDER they stink!

Here's a comparison. In 1973 ALONE heavyweight ranked contenders fought each other as follows

Ali-Bugner
Ali-Norton
Ali-Norton II
Frazier-Bugner
Shavers-Ellis
Shavers-Young
Shavers-Quarry
Quarry-Lyle
Wepner-Terrell

In addition to that in 1973 Foreman took the crown from Frazier and Ali fought 175 champ Bob Foster.

If the current group of contenders are going to improve enough to challenge the Ukranians? They need to go after one another. I mean how can they possibly compete when the Ukranians are fighting ranked guys far more often than the ranked guys are fighting one another?