Thread: Why are so many Heavyweights so old?

Heres a decent link.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=10050&more=1

Its actually quite scary when if you really think about. When is the young talent gonna arrive?

Obviously i can't answer that but i have my theorys as to why not.

There just isnt enough 6ft 5ins+, 250lbs+ fighters in the world regarded as prospects.

I imagine many heavyweights are so old because its easy to gain weight once you hit 30!


Metabolism slowdown!!!

First, heavyweights are older just because it takes longer for these guys to "grow into their bodies" if you will. You just don't see as many young star heavyweights as you do in other weight classes. Tyson was the exception, not the rule. Same with Ali. Sometimes it takes several years for heavyweights to put everything together.

As for the lack of American heavyweights, the answer is simple. If you're a great athlete and you're over 200 pounds, why would you want to be a boxer and be forced to deal with crooked promoters and get punched in the head, when you can join a unionized sport like the NFL?

Everybody's looking for the next Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Norton and they're all out there. They're just named Ray Lewis, Michael Vick, Terrell Owens, LaDanian Tomlinson, etc. 50 years ago, those guys would have been fighters.
And Allen Iverson would be challenging Floyd for the welterweight crown. Times change.

Yeah America is an obvious one but the rest of the world (the east block ) is pulling together slowly, just not with the kind of positive impact i though it could have.

Maybe there needs to be somewhat of a geographical shift in regards to leading promoters and fight venues where the heavies are concerned.

Well the simple answer is that the young guys who are heavyweight size are playing basketball and football.

It's the "snowball effect." Probably can be blamed on George Foreman. The guy won the championship on his comeback when he was what..... 45, 46 years old? Now ALL past heavyweights want to come back and fight into their 50's. Why not?

First, there's the money issue. Who doesn't want to earn a few hundred thousand for retirement?

Then, there's the competition. What past heavyweight champion wouldn't drool at the mouth at the prospect of winning a championship from a John Ruiz, a Valuev or a Briggs?

Finally, it's the physical shape factor. It's not like these guys have to bust their a$$ to get in shape. All they have to do is take a look at James Toney, the poster boy for obese heavyweights.

And with heavyweights, all it takes is one lucky punch and PRESTO!....... an instant championship.

Hmmm

One more thing I'll add is that heavyweights can hang around longer because they don't have to worry about making weight.

A lot of the reason that fighters in the other weight classes hit the end of the road in their early 30s is because of having to make weight all the time. We always focus on how many "wars" a fighter has been in, but just as important is how many times they've had to kill themselves to make weight. Guys like Morales, Gatti, Castillo, Corrales, Hatton, they balloon in weight and then have to starve themselves to get back down. That takes a huge toll over the years, and that's why none of those guys will be around at the age of 37 or 38. A heavyweight has to stay in shape to be a contender, but they don't have to starve themselves down to unnatural weights.

In the lower weight divisions a fighter relies on speed and reflexes , when they start to go with age it shows against the backdrop of young smaller fighterslike a neon sign.. However in the heavyweight division it is more of a methodical pace , young or old. so you can age better in that division. the slip of reflexes and assets like that are not as detrimental as long as you can punch , you can hang around and still be competitive for a longer period of time !

they are all in shape even criss byrd had to go down in weight

Simple...they are all so crap that they believe if they hang around long enough, they will get a second shot at a World title!


...and they do!

Originally Posted by SweetPea

One more thing I'll add is that heavyweights can hang around longer because they don't have to worry about making weight.

Very true. Infact, if anything, more heavys are more and more heavies seem to be more concerned with bulking up than slimming down... I might go as far to say that these days theres a huge void from 200lbs up to as much as 230lbs fighters.

To me that is just a big problem.

Pea, you have a pretty clear opinion on things, what is your opinion of introducing a new weight class, with a limit of say 220-225 (15st 7ish - 16st ish)?

I know the phrase "super-cruiser" weight is just disgusting but bare with me on this one

Originally Posted by Jimboogie

Pea, you have a pretty clear opinion on things, what is your opinion of introducing a new weight class, with a limit of say 220-225 (15st 7ish - 16st ish)?

Well, on one hand, I wouldn't be against it, because it's asking a lot for a fighter who is in the 205-220 lbs range to compete with guys who are 250+. A fighter in the low 200s is going to have be really, really good to compete with guys the size of Wlad or Sam Peter.

On the other hand, I don't think a new division does anything to improve the heavyweight division. It's really just creating a second cruiserweight division, and I don't think a 225-limit weight class is going to get much more attention than the cruiserweight division currently gets.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I wouldn't be against the creation of a new division, but I don't think it would be anything to get excited over either.

Yeah i suppose.

Thing is, i always feel that there a many fighters out there, who currnetly fight at around 230 and more when they really don't need to (well, obviously they do, but you see my point).

Of course, this is just me being hopefull, but my opinion is that fighting at a lighter weight (not hatton style) would be better performance wise, hence hopefully we'd be treated to better fights.

Your right about general interest in regards to a super-cruiser division though.

But maybe it would serve better in the long run. Better for the Cruiserweights that currently are rooted in that division for fear of getting blasted away upon promotion. Better for those budding young althetes that weigh 210 and would prefer not to be hit in the mush by a guy who is 6ft 7 and weight in excess of 240lbs.

Although with UFC on its way up i can see how commercialy, this would be a bad move.... Which only winds me up even more.

Phh, i dunno?