Has heavyweight boxing lost it's crown?

Bill Hicks

Just thinking about heavyweight boxing particularly the heyday of Ali, Frazier, Tyson etc. Is it me or has heavyweight boxing lost its crown as the premier one on one combat sport? I don't see it having the same exposure on TV as it did in the 70's/80's with it being shown on national TV with Harry Carpenter and the fame and glory being heaped on the champions. To be honest I don't even know who the current world champion is, either WBA or WBC.
Just wondering.

qwerty321

Welterweight is probably one of the more central divisions in boxing at the moment. One thing that doesn't help in boxing generally is the amount of sanctioning bodies and titles. Then they have interim titles all just to make money!

Heavyweight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wladimir Klitschko is currently the WBA, IBF and WBO champion. The WBC is currently vacant after his brother, Vitali, vacated it to concentrate on politics in the Ukraine.

Sonic67

Boxing used to be on the main channels, then it became a Sky/PPV thing and so only those paying out the money will be following it.

WeegyAVLover

I think it does not help that the Heavyweight boxers these days are just so slow and lethargic that the action you used to see in an Ali v XYZ just does not happen any more.  I am not saying they are not fit, they are, but compared to other weights it is just so boring.

Everything up to and including the Super Middleweight are competitive and some cracking fights, go on all the time. Sadly as Sonic said I, along with many others, do not get to see them now that Sky/PPV have taken them away from mainstream telly.

I miss the late 80s, early 90s of Bruno's glass-jaw-nearly-title nights as well as the Eubank, Watson, Benn, Collins fights... They were just awesome and I am not even that big a boxing person, but they were great sporting occasions. With the exception of Watson and McClelland's last fights, very sad.

Bill Hicks

I watched the 89 title fight between Bruno & Tyson this afternoon on YouTube. Bruno did well to last 4 rounds against Tyson. Also watched highlights of Ali's fights. What an example he was not only to the sport. but to us all. Bring back boxing to the BBC.

Tetlee

For me Tyson and Lewis were the last of the great heavyweights. There have been some good ones since, and taking nothing away from the Klitschko's but it's been a horrible division for years now and doesn't seem to be improving. To make matters worse so many heavyweights enter the ring in such poor shape it's a bad reflection on the sport. Joshua looks like a great prospect, but with so many overweight plodders today I find it difficult to imagine enough proper opponents to allow him to truly shine.

Welterweight is where it's at, well most other divisions outside of heavyweight are pretty talent packed these days to be fair, just sadly nothing shown in terrestrial to gain exposure.

Froch v Groves at Wembley next month is a huge event for this country, of course Sky PPV.

I don't think BBC will ever have boxing back. I do miss the old days of Friday Night Fight Night and boxing screening in the pubs of a weekend.

WeegyAVLover

Yeah I feel sorry the Klitschko's as they are decent fighters with no one to challenge them in any serious way.  Joshua is a good prospect as is the US Deontay Wilder.  But other than those guys I am not sure who else is out there.

I know David Haye and Chisora are there but I do not think Chisora should be anywhere near a boxing ring and David Haye got shown to be nowhere near good enough to beat Wladimir and spitting on Vitali was disgraceful and disrespectful.


Froch v Groves is one of those British boxing matches that could be class, just hope the bout matches the hype after the last fight.... Tetlee, hope it is a good one.

copple80

I think Anthony Joshua looks like decent prospect for the future. His conditioning and power are awesome, although he hasn't fought anyone particularly challenging yet.

DrWise

lost its crown ages ago, when lewis retired
tyson was ended by don king and when cus'd'amato passed away
klitchskos haven't had decent opposition for a long time

jdevil

Really don't rate klitchskos to be honest, his fight was David Haye was a joke, all the build him and he stood there with light jabs for 10 rounds.

Tyson during his peak years would have sent both klitchsko brothers back to Ukraine before they even got started.

With the rise of UFC I think box has lost it's spark over the last few years.