HW prospects..

[El Kabong]

Wlad knows the US is a key market which is why he wants to fight in the US again. Once he does (likely vs Mitchell or Arreola) he will want to win over fans. Wlad is not satisfied having fought Sultan Ibragimov in New York be a lasting image of who he is, what he has accomplished. It took Lennox Lewis time to become accepted by the fans in the United States, Wlad will get there, he knows he has to.

[TitoFan]

Wlad knows the US is a key market which is why he wants to fight in the US again. Once he does (likely vs Mitchell or Arreola) he will want to win over fans. Wlad is not satisfied having fought Sultan Ibragimov in New York be a lasting image of who he is, what he has accomplished. It took Lennox Lewis time to become accepted by the fans in the United States, Wlad will get there, he knows he has to.

For the sake of heavyweight boxing's image in the United States, and maybe the immediate future of the state of the division in the States....... I hope you're right.

[El Kabong]

For the sake of heavyweight boxing's image in the United States, and maybe the immediate future of the state of the division in the States....... I hope you're right.

Well there are always fights that COULD cure that....Arreola-Stiverne for one, but I think that's not going to happen now. I do believe Arreola will put in a solid effort vs Wladimir if/when that fight happens. Seth Mitchell also seems to me like a guy who will put forth some effort and try to win the belts rather than just sit back and take an ass whupping.

The division is more than just the Klitschko's, and by alienating the entire division HBO has really shot itself in the foot. If you're not going to show Klitschko fights due to where they happen & what time they happen, fine, but if the next Evander Holyfield or Mike Tyson is currently fighting in the US and is not getting covered....well that's just fucking stupid.

There are 2 ways a division can go in boxing....you can have complete and utter dominance or you can have constant turnover and rivalries. people can get bored of both.

[TitoFan]

For the sake of heavyweight boxing's image in the United States, and maybe the immediate future of the state of the division in the States....... I hope you're right.

Well there are always fights that COULD cure that....Arreola-Stiverne for one, but I think that's not going to happen now. I do believe Arreola will put in a solid effort vs Wladimir if/when that fight happens. Seth Mitchell also seems to me like a guy who will put forth some effort and try to win the belts rather than just sit back and take an ass whupping.

The division is more than just the Klitschko's, and by alienating the entire division HBO has really shot itself in the foot. If you're not going to show Klitschko fights due to where they happen & what time they happen, fine, but if the next Evander Holyfield or Mike Tyson is currently fighting in the US and is not getting covered....well that's just fucking stupid.

There are 2 ways a division can go in boxing....you can have complete and utter dominance or you can have constant turnover and rivalries. people can get bored of both.

Funny thing about today's crop of HW's is: they can look great fighting each other..... and then turn around and look like deer caught in headlights against Wlad. This frustrates the living shit out of me. But yeah.... HBO/Showtime could try and feature some of these other heavyweights against each other, and maybe some good, competitive fights would pop out. Viewers would eventually come around. (It would help if they're not fat-asses like James Toney or Solis).

Still, the division will really benefit when someone finally steps up to the plate and takes a few good swings at Wlad, instead of performing "David Haye impressions."

[TitoFan]

No denying Wladimir Klitschko is already heavyweight royalty - ESPN



Here you go, Lyle. I know you'll like this article by Dan Rafael. He and I agree on one thing.... Wlad could be busier. Let's hope he picks up the pace and, in doing so, finds someone who will push him and make for an entertaining and competitive fight. Tony "Where's the Nearest Exit" Thompson certainly didn't fit that description.

[THE PHILOSOPHER]

Thankyou el kabong, very kind. Good post also.

[THE PHILOSOPHER]

No denying Wladimir Klitschko is already heavyweight royalty - ESPN



Here you go, Lyle. I know you'll like this article by Dan Rafael. He and I agree on one thing.... Wlad could be busier. Let's hope he picks up the pace and, in doing so, finds someone who will push him and make for an entertaining and competitive fight. Tony "Where's the Nearest Exit" Thompson certainly didn't fit that description.

Dan rafael is a terrible boxing scribe, ridiculed worldwide.

[El Kabong]

I agree with Rafael on things here and there and he does have a favorable view of Wladimir, but Wlad already fights pretty often usually 2 times a year and he's running out of opponents. Wlad has 13 successful title defenses (or there abouts) so far and to get 25 would only be difficult in terms of finding guys ready & willing to fight him. Rafael writes like if Wlad wanted to he could break that record tomorrow.

[TitoFan]

No denying Wladimir Klitschko is already heavyweight royalty - ESPN



Here you go, Lyle. I know you'll like this article by Dan Rafael. He and I agree on one thing.... Wlad could be busier. Let's hope he picks up the pace and, in doing so, finds someone who will push him and make for an entertaining and competitive fight. Tony "Where's the Nearest Exit" Thompson certainly didn't fit that description.

Dan rafael is a terrible boxing scribe, ridiculed worldwide.

And yet ESPN keeps him on. There must be a shortage of good boxing writers, I guess.