The beginning of a new age in Heavyweight Boxing

[SweetPea]

Will they reclaim their throne as the top division to watch?

Probably not. There has only been one time in history when the heavyweights were actually the best division to watch, and that was the 1970s, which was the Golden Age of heavyweights. Someone could also make an argument that the heavyweights were the best division in the early-mid 90s. Other than that, the smaller weight classes have always had the best fighters.

[El Kabong]

Probably not. There has only been one time in history when the heavyweights were actually the best division to watch, and that was the 1970s, which was the Golden Age of heavyweights. Someone could also make an argument that the heavyweights were the best division in the early-mid 90s. Other than that, the smaller weight classes have always had the best fighters.

There will be more intrest in who the winner of this upcoming fight is going to fight and there SHOULD be more attention paid by the media to this champion.

If it's Wladimir then all the better we have a big guy, a KO puncher, a good boxer, and a true WORLD CHAMPION...he is an easier sell and a better fighter...I doubt Sultan can win vs many fighters out there even if he does beat Wladimir.

[SweetPea]

There will be more intrest in who the winner of this upcoming fight is going to fight and there SHOULD be more attention paid by the media to this champion.

I don't disagree with this at all.

I was just saying that I don't see the heavyweights becoming the "top division to watch."

[Kirkland Laing]

Klitschko is a fraud and will be rightly ignored by the media. A guy who got KO'd in effectively a round by a journeyman and then wouldn't get back in the ring with him is a joke, not somebody we can take seriously. If he becomes lineal champ it just means he's the biggest joke in a joke division. In fact "joke division" may be rating the current heavyweight division too highly.

[Wayne]

As much as I'm looking forward to the two champs fighting Saturday I don't think this is going to bring much recognition to the division. I think it will do marginally better than Calzaghe-Kessler, arguably one of the most important (and best) fights of last year which did zilch in the ratings.

To the casual boxing fan, who is Sultan Ibragimov? He came out of nowhere and beat a placeholder for a belt and he doesn't look like anything. It's sad, but true that perception does matter. You could show me a picture of Ibragimov ten times and I could easily forget his face twelve times. He doesn't look menacing; he looks like some guy you might walk by in a mall.

Klitschko will be the one to carry this fight. With his height and intimidating physique he'll draw some people. But I think Americans, at least, are disinterested in two white, European fighters whose names they can't pronounce.

We liked Mike Tyson because he looked menacing, was menacing. We liked Ali for his big mouth. We liked George Foreman because he was a monster. I really don't know how much of a black/white thing it is but something with those fighters doesn't translate over to Saturday's combatants.

I hope like hell I'm wrong, but I don't think people in this country really care about a foreign, non-black heavyweight. Tyson was putting butts in seats to fight glorified club fighters- had this fight been in Germany I'd bet it would have sold out, but does anyone know how many seats are left at the Garden?

You can't have a comedy with two straight men.

[OumaFan]

I don't think Klitschko (or Sultan I guess) becoming lineal will generate all that much new attention on the heavyweights. Its gonna take an exciting fighter and for whatever reason people don't get all that excited about Wlad.

Even worse if Sultan somehow won it. A supremely non-intimidating looking fighter who sticks and moves for the most part. And Russian. That's bound to generate excitement.

[Mikkel_K]

To the casual boxing fan, who is Sultan Ibragimov? He came out of nowhere and beat a placeholder for a belt and he doesn't look like anything. It's sad, but true that perception does matter. You could show me a picture of Ibragimov ten times and I could easily forget his face twelve times. He doesn't look menacing; he looks like some guy you might walk by in a mall.

and

We liked Mike Tyson because he looked menacing, was menacing. We liked Ali for his big mouth. We liked George Foreman because he was a monster. I really don't know how much of a black/white thing it is but something with those fighters doesn't translate over to Saturday's combatants.

Good points. FWIW I (am in the minority) who actually believes guys like Valuev are great for the sport. Exactly due to these reasons - he may not be a great fighter, but he sure looks menacing, and he is instantly recognisable. Two very important ingredients in becoming 'the baddest man on the planet', which the Heavyweight Champion of the world should always be regarded as.

Now, of course there is the small problem that Valuev will get his head smashed in if he ever meets Wlad, but you probably still get what I'm getting at.

[El Kabong]

Why are you so keen to pretend that a fraudster is a credible heavyweight champion? Just because these guys wear boxing gloves and hit each other doesn't mean they're any good you know.

Wladimir has 49 wins 44 by KO...it takes talent to win 1 professional fight, especially by KO...to win this many it's more than LUCK or just that "the other guy sucked more"

You cannot as a true boxing fan and in all seriousness look at Wladimir Klitschko fight and tell me he doesn't have talent he has one of the best jabs in the HISTORY of the sport, he has every punch in his arsenal ALL with legitimate KO power with either hand! You figure all that with his physical size and strength paired with his hand eye coordination and knowledge of boxing he's a very very solid heavyweight ALL-TIME...he's good, he's not great but his career isn't over yet but he's a very good heavyweight and there is no doubting that.

Just because you get beat a time or two doesn't make you a chump or a fraud....the guy has had 52 fights he was bound to have an off night sometime.

[Kirkland Laing]

Wladimir has 49 wins 44 by KO...it takes talent to win 1 professional fight, especially by KO...to win this many it's more than LUCK or just that "the other guy sucked more"

You cannot as a true boxing fan and in all seriousness look at Wladimir Klitschko fight and tell me he doesn't have talent he has one of the best jabs in the HISTORY of the sport, he has every punch in his arsenal ALL with legitimate KO power with either hand! You figure all that with his physical size and strength paired with his hand eye coordination and knowledge of boxing he's a very very solid heavyweight ALL-TIME...he's good, he's not great but his career isn't over yet but he's a very good heavyweight and there is no doubting that.

Just because you get beat a time or two doesn't make you a chump or a fraud....the guy has had 52 fights he was bound to have an off night sometime.

He fought a bunch of tomato cans in front of home crowds in a country where the opponent needs a knockout to get a draw for a promoter who makes Frank Warren look like a relentless risk-taker.

Watch out or journeyman tomato can Corrie Sanders will come out of retirement and knock him out in a round again.

[El Kabong]

...you know people talked shit about Lennox Lewis losing to McCall and Rahman

People talked about Joe Louis losing to Schmelling



There is no need for Wlad to avenge the loss to Sanders until it is a HUGE money making fight and I believe he will and he'll beat the shit out of Sanders.

Corey swung for the fences because he knew he was either going to catch Wlad or Wlad was going to catch him....if Wlad stayed calm and boxed while Sanders was swinging like a wild man then Sanders would have run out of steam and Wlad would have implimented his strategy.

[Violent Demise]

I think "best" isn't a word that should be used to describe any of the current bunch. Least worst is probably the best way to put it.

So who you think is the least worst?

[Violent Demise]

Klitschko is a fraud and will be rightly ignored by the media. A guy who got KO'd in effectively a round by a journeyman and then wouldn't get back in the ring with him is a joke, not somebody we can take seriously. If he becomes lineal champ it just means he's the biggest joke in a joke division. In fact "joke division" may be rating the current heavyweight division too highly.

Who you think is the best heavyweight out there?

[Kirkland Laing]

Who you think is the best heavyweight out there?

I think "best" isn't a word that should be used to describe any of the current bunch. Least worst is probably the best way to put it.

[The Rookie Fan]

Probably not. There has only been one time in history when the heavyweights were actually the best division to watch, and that was the 1970s, which was the Golden Age of heavyweights. Someone could also make an argument that the heavyweights were the best division in the early-mid 90s. Other than that, the smaller weight classes have always had the best fighters.

I agree, but when I said the top division to watch I meant the biggest draw which the Heavies usually are. Maybe they won't claim the top spot right off the bat but I think it is a start.

[SweetPea]

I agree, but when I said the top division to watch I meant the biggest draw which the Heavies usually are. Maybe they won't claim the top spot right off the bat but I think it is a start.

Depends what part of the world we're talking about.

You're right, the heavyweights have traditionally been the biggest draw. However, in the US, the reason the heavys were a big draw is because the best heavys were American. I don't see that happening again, because the best American athletes are going to keep playing football and basketball, not boxing. The Alis, Fraziers and Foremans of this generation are playing in the NFL, and that won't change.

The heavys could definitely become the biggest division in Europe though, because that's where the best heavys are coming from.