Desperation in the Heavyweight Division
October 30th, 2009
by Niko Tricarico: With his second round knockout of Shane Cameron earlier this month the Heavyweight division seems to have a veteran prospect in David Tua. A sporadic fighter since 2003, he has suddenly reemerged and immediately been deemed a threat and viable challenge for the Heavyweight Title. Throughout his career Tua has shown himself to be a hard headed, bone shattering puncher, but one who lacks the technical skills needed to beat elite fighters. However, one thing the current Heavyweight landscape has proven is that hopes and dreams supersede and subsequently cloud judgment and reality in regards to making legitimate challenges.
There was a buzz about Samuel Peter. Then he fought a Klitschko. There was a buzz about Sultan Ibragimov. Then he fought a Klitschko. In fact, for all the up and coming fighters who have the unfortunate task of reinvigorating the Heavyweight division the Klitschko brothers have dismantled and ultimately disrupted the forward progression of each and every one. In a country that values flash more than skill, we seem to devalue the dominance of the Klitschko’s and especially that of younger brother Vladimir. He is simply not an exciting fighter.
Ironically, what could be called the last electrifying Heavyweight title fight actually did involve a Klitschko when older brother Vitali engaged a seemingly undertrained Lenox Lewis in a bloody and brutal 6 round war of attrition. But that was five years ago in 2004. Now, fighters like Tua and David Haye have incredible opportunities in that the Heavyweight division has murmurs of life again. Tua’s name alone is reminiscent of the great fighters and fights of the 90’s which was a fraternity he was actually once a part of, while Haye, with his loud mouth and impressive power could be just what boxing needs to jump start public appeal in the higher weight classes. Though, what does it say about the division when such high aspirations are placed upon a 36 year old part time fighter and a Cruiserweight with a questionable chin and only 23 fights on his record?
So, in times of desperation, in efforts to inject excitement and enthusiasm and most of all interest into what is supposed to be the most heralded division in the sport, we turn to question marks to hold the reigns. Where is the next great Heavyweight Champ?
Most likely somewhere in the NFL.
11 Responses to “Desperation in the Heavyweight Division”
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The Heavy Weight Division has lost its soul..
The Klitchko brothers are tremendous deserving champion fighters but they lack fierce entertaining KO mongrelism!
I mean these guys can box and KO their opponents but their fight plan & style are too strategic which if you were a coach you’d want from your boxer but in saying so they make for a real boring fight.
We the public want to see an explosion in the opening rounds..hell bring back the 1st Round KOs!
Gone was the decade of Heavyweight brutality and the only fighter fighting today in my opinion that can restore that is the
‘Tuaminator’ David Tua
His return fight after a 2 year lay off was devastatingly amazing with a 2nd Round KO also two drop downs in the 1st against World Heavy Weight ranked WBO pan pacific.etc title holder & up and comer Shane’MountainWarrior’Cameron who is no push over and easy beat I tell you that.
Arreola vs Tua
will definitely be a fight the public will want to see as both fighters will go toe to toe and trade super blows which I believe will only ever end up in with one result and that’s the victor winning by KO.
Tua I know will be too tremendously strong for Arreola but Arreola has heart and will come raging to fight but my only concern is his corner getting in the way of the fight and throwing in the towel!!!
good said Doc. but then they forget what you said 2 sec. later and say that him or he will save the div. haye cant even wear Vitali’s jock strap let alone beet him or his brother in a fight.
lewis retired because he didnt
want to fight vitali again and his own trainer even said so, so keep on hope’n that your great hope will come along and beet the klits cuz it aint hap. any time soon or ever they are the best to EVER! step into the ring.
just a better breed of fighters with skill and power, to bad america the easturn european mad men rule the ring now and for some years to come just exept it now or wait till they smash the next 2 or 3 in line.
david tua & david haye
the 2 boxers who can clean up and save heavyweight boxing.
i want 2 see TUA vs AERIOLA, tua to win by ko
Thank god Tua is back. The HW division needs some life into it, and Tua brings that with awesome KO power.
david tua vs chris arreola would be nice!!!
that would be a sock em rock em robot fight i would love to see. its a must 2 keep the heavyweight divisions fans alive the heavyweight division has sucked since lennox left a lot of fans are switching to mma stuff because of the competition there. this fight has to happen!!!!! hbo work your magic!
The Americans don’t dominate this division therefore its weak!! Haye is the saviour of the Division some say!! To many titles so we don’t get to see true champions!! Lets spend all our time in the past debating who could beat who if they met now or at their peak. And so it goes on. Fact is we are in an era where the Europeans dominate and they have a completely different style. All anybody has to do is step into the ring and fight whoever is put in front of them. At the moment the Klitschkos reign supreme and will I believe unite the titles. At the moment I am loving the way Vitali is sweeping them all away and doing it fast. No time to get bored. Another one will bite the dust in December, then Haye will be dealt with win or lose against Valuev. At this rate Vitali will deal with everybody during 2010 retire and Wladimir can pick up the pieces. There simply is no one out there to touch Vitali. Join the queue everyone who is bored and have ago, all you have to do is get in the ring, and liven up the HW scene. I love it.
I don’t care which side of the Atlantic you’re on, the HW scene is dismal. The fact that the two best HWs are from Europe doesn’t change the fact that there is no third, fourth, or fifth best HW. After the Ks the division is a joke. If Haye wins convincingly we can look forward to one fight that may generate real interest, but that’s about it.
good point Andrew about the different opinion the Europeans might have…
It is certainly hard to determine the quality of either the dominant Klitschkos or their opposition when all their fights are so one-sided and uncompetitive. Either there really are very few good fighters in the heavyweight division, or the Ukranian brothers are really that good. Or, I guess it could be both!
I can only hope that when people refer to the slumping heavyweight division they categorise it by nationality eg american heavyweight , british heavyweight etc.
Fact is , if I was Ukranian, Russian or German I would think that the heavywweight division was coming along rather nicely !!!!!!!
I so badly want Haye to be next big thing just size and chin might let him down