By Gerardo Granados: The question isn’t new and also it´s been a while since the heavyweight division lost the preference of boxing fans worldwide. Could it be possible to renew the interest of fans? Would it be a good business and would boxing organizations be interested?

It´s very doubtful that a new Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson will be discovered by a boxing promoter any time soon, so it is necessary to find a way to make the heavies interesting again. Besides it would be fair for the “small” heavyweights to compete between them instead of giving more than 30 pounds advantage.

When there were only 8 weight divisions the gap of weight seemed to be fair but then the “Light, junior or super” divisions were created and the championship belts doubled in number, maybe it was a good business not only for promoters but also for the prize fighters. Currently the heavyweight division is weight unlimited so the big boys as the Klitschko Brothers have an edge on size and weight over not so big heavies; you can watch heavyweight fighters over 222 pounds that look fat, not like the Klitschko Brothers who weight an average of solid 245 pounds. There are not many +200 pounds fighters with athletic build as David Haye who weighs an average 213 pounds who also has speed and mobility.

But, would it be a good business for the Boxing organizations to modify the heavyweight division range from +200 up to 222 pounds – Heavyweight and from +222 up to unlimited – Super Heavyweight. By doing so the Klitschko Brothers would be promoted as Super Heavyweight Champions leaving vacant the heavyweight crowns. Contenders as David Haye, Tomasz Amadek, Dennis Boystov or WBA champion Alexander Povetkin are similar size and a fight between them would be competitive and it would be up to their boxing skills to win and not just up to their size. The big heavies as Kubrat Pulev, Tyson Fury, Odlanier Solis, Robert Helenius, Chris Arreola, Ruslan Chagaev could train hard to trim down to 222 or fight on the new Super Heavyweight Division.

It seems that thru time the top heavyweight champions have become bigger weighting while prime an average of: 212 pounds Max Baer, 187 pounds Floyd Patterson, 202 pounds Joe Louis, 186 pounds Rocky Marciano, 212 pounds Sonny Liston, 210 pounds Muhammad Ali, 224 pounds George Foreman, 217 pounds Larry Holmes, 219 pounds Mike Tyson, 213 pounds Evander Holyfield, 242 pounds Riddick Bowe, 245 pounds Lennox Lewis, 243 pounds Wladimir Klitschko and 247 pounds Vitali Klitschko.

Undoubtedly Rocky Marciano (5´11” height, 67” reach, and average 186 pounds) would not hesitate to engage Wladimir Klitschko (6´6” height, 81” reach, average 243 pounds) but, would it be a fair match up? Floyd Patterson (6´0” height, 71” reach, average 187 pounds) vs. Lenox Lewis (6´5” height, 84” reach, average 245 pounds) would not have a fair weight gap. Mike Tyson had devastating punching power but he was only 5´10” height, 71” reach and weighed 219 pounds so he would give the edge to most of the big heavies.

Maybe it would be a good business for promoters and television, maybe boxing fans would be interested to watch, but would prizefighters be interested? I believe it would be good to watch athletic build heavies engage each others instead of slow overweight big boys. Does the reader believe it could be a good business?