The heavyweight division needs excitement

[aburwell89]

Sometime within the next 5 years or so, someone needs to come along and bring the heavyweight division to the forefront of boxing again. Whether it's a dancing motor mouth like Ali, a monster like Foreman, or a furious pitbull like Tyson, something has to happen to revive the division.

Sure, hardcore boxing fans probably don't have too many problems with the way boxing is right now ( I know I don't ), but that market alone can't bring the sport to the level its capable of being on. I remember being a little kid, which wasn't too long ago, where ESPN was giving consistant coverage on everything going down in the world of boxing. There was personality and star power, and it attracted people.

Now? I can't even remember the last time I saw something boxing related on ESPN from the heavyweight division.

I don't know, maybe I'm asking too much or longing for something to happen in my lifetime that just isn't possible anymore.

Your thoughts?

[hitmanhatton]

DAVID HAYE!!!!!!!!

the way i see it he will rule the division withing the next 3-4 years he seems to be stupidly fast (fore a hw) and apart from wlad the only fighter that carries the weight off that well with out gassing out after 4 rounds ala peter , briggs etc

and i know that its all down to how he can take the punches back but the way i see it he can work his way round this, for example with a big puncher like peter if he can be careful and make peter miss which shouldnt be that hard he tire him out quite quickly and then launch off his own firepower ,

regardless of who he beats or doesnt he will add excitment

[leftylee]

DAVID HAYE!!!!!!!!

the way i see it he will rule the division withing the next 3-4 years he seems to be stupidly fast (fore a hw) and apart from wlad the only fighter that carries the weight off that well with out gassing out after 4 rounds ala peter , briggs etc

and i know that its all down to how he can take the punches back but the way i see it he can work his way round this, for example with a big puncher like peter if he can be careful and make peter miss which shouldnt be that hard he tire him out quite quickly and then launch off his own firepower ,

regardless of who he beats or doesnt he will add excitment

I agree Haye will bring excitement coz when he fights the bout ain't going to the judges scorecards.

[fugaziuk]

agreed haye is gonna bring that excitement to the hw division

[TheChosenOne]

wlad is the best hw out there today,

if jones had of stayed at hw he could have brought some excitement back.

we need another lewis or tyson to bring back the magic

[SalTheButcher]

agreed haye is gonna bring that excitement to the hw division

indeed he will


it will be incredibly exciting when he gets KTFO by klitschko

[aburwell89]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

[Youngblood]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

[jmbtandy]

David has the punch and the attitude to make a difference to the HW, however as soon as one of the big guys land a shot on that chin of his it will be good night, David is a great guy and great for the sport, but if he does get in the ring with Klitschko he better make sure he lands the big shot first.

The problem with Heavyweights these days is they are so big, back in the days of Lewis, Ali, etc those guys were more like cruiserweights, they had the punch power but also the movement to make a fight look good, these days you have big plodders like Valuev and then the smaller guys just have to try and work around those long arms. Unless someone with a chin and the power of Tyson comes along again the heavyweights will never be the same again.

The lower divisions will always set up better fights

[aburwell89]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

[jmbtandy]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

[aburwell89]

David has the punch and the attitude to make a difference to the HW, however as soon as one of the big guys land a shot on that chin of his it will be good night, David is a great guy and great for the sport, but if he does get in the ring with Klitschko he better make sure he lands the big shot first.

The problem with Heavyweights these days is they are so big, back in the days of Lewis, Ali, etc those guys were more like cruiserweights, they had the punch power but also the movement to make a fight look good, these days you have big plodders like Valuev and then the smaller guys just have to try and work around those long arms. Unless someone with a chin and the power of Tyson comes along again the heavyweights will never be the same again.

The lower divisions will always set up better fights

You know, it's funny. Every time I watch these big plodding heavyweights with debatable punching power and foot work that would make baby Jesus cry, I think to myself: " One day, maybe soon, someone's going to come along and knock all of these big chumps flat on their ass ".

It's going to happen, it's just a matter of time.

[jmbtandy]

David has the punch and the attitude to make a difference to the HW, however as soon as one of the big guys land a shot on that chin of his it will be good night, David is a great guy and great for the sport, but if he does get in the ring with Klitschko he better make sure he lands the big shot first.

The problem with Heavyweights these days is they are so big, back in the days of Lewis, Ali, etc those guys were more like cruiserweights, they had the punch power but also the movement to make a fight look good, these days you have big plodders like Valuev and then the smaller guys just have to try and work around those long arms. Unless someone with a chin and the power of Tyson comes along again the heavyweights will never be the same again.

The lower divisions will always set up better fights

You know, it's funny. Every time I watch these big plodding heavyweights with debatable punching power and foot work that would make baby Jesus cry, I think to myself: " One day, maybe soon, someone's going to come along and knock all of these big chumps flat on their ass ".

It's going to happen, it's just a matter of time.

You are hoping like everyone else, know where you are coming from

[aburwell89]

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

I think you're missing the point. People want superstars. Haye, despite all of his talents as a fighter, is not a superstar. What makes a superstar depends entirely on how they approach it. Ali built up hype by running his mouth and being funny while doing it, Tyson built up hype as his career progressed by acting invincible and crazy. Shit, even guys like Foreman who in my opinion had the personality of a rock in his early years had star power because of how he conducted himself.

Do you have to be a superstar to be a great fighter? No, but it's that " it " factor that packs arenas and gets people excited.

[jmbtandy]

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

I think you're missing the point. People want superstars. Haye, despite all of his talents as a fighter, is not a superstar. What makes a superstar depends entirely on how they approach it. Ali built up hype by running his mouth and being funny while doing it, Tyson built up hype as his career progressed by acting invincible and crazy. Shit, even guys like Foreman who in my opinion had the personality of a rock in his early years had star power because of how he conducted himself.

Do you have to be a superstar to be a great fighter? No, but it's that " it " factor that packs arenas and gets people excited.

Funny but I am pretty sure the O2 was packed out, and an army went over to France to see him beat Mormeck, and the fight with Maccarinelli got lots and lots of Hype, what was it 3 or 4 pages in the ring magazine, not bad for an English fight, so hey he must be doing something right, and I can't believe you mentioned George Foreman, surely he is generating the same type of entertainment as Haye, punching power, didn't you just contradict yourself mentioning him