How deep is thisWW division?

[Taeth]

I am just looking at it, and I am truly amazed by the amount of talented fighters in it

Mayweather, Cotto, Margarito,Mosley, Quintana, Paul Williams, Oscar Dela Hoya(if he can get down to it), Clottey, Berto, Collazo, Judah, Hatton when he's at 147. these are the ones that come to mind, but my question is

I know there have been times in the 90's and early 80's where the division has been packed full of talent, but surely at the moment this division must compare if not compete with those two eras in total number of talented fighters.

[p4pking]

I'd say in terms of talent at the very top level it's hard to beat Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Benitez all in the same division. Perhaps today's division matches up well in terms of depth, or perhaps on a top 10 basis(doubtful)... But the top 5 in that era were really hard to beat.

[Macho]

I'd say in terms of talent at the very top level it's hard to beat Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Benitez all in the same division. Perhaps today's division matches up well in terms of depth, or perhaps on a top 10 basis(doubtful)... But the top 5 in that era were really hard to beat.

I agree ,

[HattonTheHammer]

its easily the most competitive division out there with only the lightweight division to compete with it.

Youve got established stars, experienced pros after glory and your up and coming prospects all fighting at 147.

Very strong division that only gets surpassed by the 1980 WW`s that preceeded them!!

[Kev]

its easily the most competitive division out there with only the lightweight division to compete with it.

Youve got established stars, experienced pros after glory and your up and coming prospects all fighting at 147.

Very strong division that only gets surpassed by the 1980 WW`s that preceeded them!!

I don't think the lightweight division is quite as hot as people make out.

If Pacquaio stays there for a while and Marquez and Guzman move up it will indeed be a hot division but none of the current champs are particularly inspiring.

For me it's the super middleweight division which is boxing's best after welterweight.

[HattonTheHammer]

its easily the most competitive division out there with only the lightweight division to compete with it.

Youve got established stars, experienced pros after glory and your up and coming prospects all fighting at 147.

Very strong division that only gets surpassed by the 1980 WW`s that preceeded them!!

I don't think the lightweight division is quite as hot as people make out.

If Pacquaio stays there for a while and Marquez and Guzman move up it will indeed be a hot division but none of the current champs are particularly inspiring.

For me it's the super middleweight division which is boxing's best after welterweight.

SM doesnt pull up any trees for me

If pavlik moves there and calzaghe and dawon move back there you may just have the makings of a very good division.

Bute is a good fighter but is so far untested, taylor should be more effective at that weight than 160, kessler would appear to me the man to beat but is just coming off a loss.

too many ifs and buts if you ask me.

Lightweight has a strong 8-10 potential world class fighters that could probably all beat eachother on their day!!!

[Spicoli]

No doubt stacked right now....Oscar will not be back at Welter,And I can see Williams easily going up in weight regardless of what happens in Quintana rematch.I almost hesitate to Include Mayweather Lol as he has not shown an urgency to meet & wipe the floor with his fellow Division mates .

Late/mid 80's early 90's were deep,Starling,Breland,Simon Brown,Honeyghan,Blocker,Mcgirt,Curry,etc.........r eally with but a few glitch's,The Welter's over many, many decades has been solid & competitive division.

[Kev]

its easily the most competitive division out there with only the lightweight division to compete with it.

Youve got established stars, experienced pros after glory and your up and coming prospects all fighting at 147.

Very strong division that only gets surpassed by the 1980 WW`s that preceeded them!!

I don't think the lightweight division is quite as hot as people make out.

If Pacquaio stays there for a while and Marquez and Guzman move up it will indeed be a hot division but none of the current champs are particularly inspiring.

For me it's the super middleweight division which is boxing's best after welterweight.

SM doesnt pull up any trees for me

If pavlik moves there and calzaghe and dawon move back there you may just have the makings of a very good division.

Bute is a good fighter but is so far untested, taylor should be more effective at that weight than 160, kessler would appear to me the man to beat but is just coming off a loss.

too many ifs and buts if you ask me.

Lightweight has a strong 8-10 potential world class fighters that could probably all beat eachother on their day!!!

There's far more to the super middles than you listed though.

You've also got Carl Froch, Librado Andrade, Edison Miranda, Andre Dirrell, Andre Ward, Anthony Mundine, Jeff Lacy, Allan Green, Jean Pascal, Jaidon Codrington plus the possibilities of fights with Calzaghe, Jones Jr and Pavlik

In terms of entertainment and potential crazy fights it's arguably the most stacked division in boxing. Just think of all the great matchups that could be made from those above.


Contrast that with lightweigh, which whilst one of the stronger divisions has a bunch of weak champions, Casamayor not much left, Diaz probably gone in a month, Pacquiao will probably not stay there. Then you've only got Nate Campbell who was a nobody in the division just a few months ago, an old former title challenger who at 36 was bordering on journeyman status.

Katsidis and Khan are exciting but the division as a whole doesn't have anything like the depth that super middle has.

[Taeth]

You know whats sad, but I think is true is that the heavyweight division is becoming pretty solid, not great, but solid

W.Klitschko, Povetchkin, Chambers, Brock, Solis, Haye, Ibrigamov, V.Klitschko, S. Peter, Chagaev, Valuev, Chazz Witherspoon, Chris Arreola

Its mainly prospects, but there are a few solid guys up top, a good solid champ in Wlad, and many olympic level prospects.

I wasn't trying to compare the top talent right to in the 80's only Mayweather would get my vote at having a chance to beat Leonard, DUran, Hearns, etc. Though I would be interested to see Hearns handle Cotto on the inside even though he would blow COtto out before he would get the chance.

[HattonTheHammer]

You know whats sad, but I think is true is that the heavyweight division is becoming pretty solid, not great, but solid

W.Klitschko, Povetchkin, Chambers, Brock, Solis, Haye, Ibrigamov, V.Klitschko, S. Peter, Chagaev, Valuev, Chazz Witherspoon, Chris Arreola

Its mainly prospects, but there are a few solid guys up top, a good solid champ in Wlad, and many olympic level prospects.

I wasn't trying to compare the top talent right to in the 80's only Mayweather would get my vote at having a chance to beat Leonard, DUran, Hearns, etc. Though I would be interested to see Hearns handle Cotto on the inside even though he would blow COtto out before he would get the chance.

cotto would beat hearns, though i agree hagler would tear floyd a new one.

I see what you say about the heavys though - more prospects coming through now than in a good 4-5 years.

Povetkin and haye are solid gold world champion bets. Then youve got witherspoon, arreola from that list that both have the potential to become stars eventually.

Mind you i once predicted chris Byrd was the future of heavyweight division - so take my advice at your peril!!!

[Kev]

You know whats sad, but I think is true is that the heavyweight division is becoming pretty solid, not great, but solid

W.Klitschko, Povetchkin, Chambers, Brock, Solis, Haye, Ibrigamov, V.Klitschko, S. Peter, Chagaev, Valuev, Chazz Witherspoon, Chris Arreola

Its mainly prospects, but there are a few solid guys up top, a good solid champ in Wlad, and many olympic level prospects.

I wasn't trying to compare the top talent right to in the 80's only Mayweather would get my vote at having a chance to beat Leonard, DUran, Hearns, etc. Though I would be interested to see Hearns handle Cotto on the inside even though he would blow COtto out before he would get the chance.

There's nothing sad about the heavyweight division becoming solid, that would be a great thing.

I think actually you are pretty much correct. There is generally speaking as much talent near the top of the heavyweight division as there has ever been, what we are missing are the 3 or 4 really big stars.

Guys like Ibragimov, Klitshko, Thompson, Povetkin,, Peter etc would have made it to the top 10 or close to the top 10 in pretty much any era, they just probably wouldn't have ever held belts, although Wlad I think possibly may have won a belt in the Lewis/ Tyson era, certainly he's a dangerous fighter.

I think what has affected the heavyweights negatively in recent years is twofold. Firstly the new breed of heavyweights arn't particularly exciting to watch. They are generally, slow and methodical with not too much explosiveness.

Secondly they are predominantly European which automatically means America (the current home of boxing) understandably isn't interested much so the general impression in boxing is one of heavyweight decline.

[CutMeMick]

The WW Div. has been the best thus far.

But followed VERY closely I'd say the Light Flyweight Div.

Calderon, Cazares, Solis, Sosa, Asloum, Roman Gonzalez, Giovani Segura.