Is the heavyweight division worse now than it was in the 80's before Tyson?

Question

Remember how dreadful the heavyweight division was pre-Tyson and post Holmes? When we had fighters like Tony Tubbs, Tim Witherspoon, Pinklon Thomas, Greg Page and Trevor Berbick giving us some of the dullest fights ever when they fought each other? is the division better today than it was then? what's your opinion?

Answer 1

The guys in the 80s were all-time greats compared to the schmucks now.
The heavyweight division is so bad now that former MIDDLEWEIGHTS like Roy Jones, James Toney and a 41 year old Bernard Hopkins (yes, he's considering it) are using the division as their own personal belt hunting ground.

Answer 2

To me, he will alway be hard to categorize. A champ at 19, but a division that was not full of stellar competition. The thing that makes him look great is that he dispatches of competition quickly early in his career. Many people think of him as a marauder and completely overlook the skill he actually possessed. He had good movement, defense, quickness and ring generalship. Most people just noticed the KO's...but totally ignore the methodology. Very masterful. I actually look at his loss to Buster Douglas different than most. Tyson showed toughness. It took a lot of effort on Douglas' part to get him out of there. The guy didn't train and by then was pretty much the lunatic we all know now, and look at the effort it took to beat a distracted Tyson. Additionally, most people think that fighters suddenly stopped fearing Tyson and that's what leads to Tyson looking pretty average. The real reason is that he started fighting flat footed and relied completely on power. He was too short to compete at heavyweight without using the movement and skill level he obviously possessed in the 80's. How good could he have been if Cus had lived 15 more years? Likely one of the best. Unfortunately for Tyson.......he couldn't keep it together long enough to call him one of the greats. He didn't give us enough to make that judgement. He certainly had the potential to be one of the best......that's why many people favor him in all these hypothethical match-up posted here.

Answer 3

Heavyweight boxing is miserable now. Its a division that does nothing for the sport. When a overweight middleweight, James Toney can go with the best in the division then you know it lacks excitement, power, durability, skill, and conditioning. The heavyweight back then were in much better shape. The fight had action into the late rounds if they lasted that long. Now the heavyweights fight like they making out in the ring, all they do is hug and lay on each other till the final bell. No undisputed champ, and each of the four belts belong to a Russian. That will tell you all!

Answer 4

There's still a heavyweight division?

Answer 5

Amen Brad Morris. That's one of many reasons boxing has lost it's luster. Boxing is healthy when the Heavyweight division is healthy.

Answer 6

This is the worst it's been. EVER. I've lost interest in heavyweight boxing for years now thanks mainly to John Ruiz. Lower division is much better especially the superfeatherweight division.

Answer 7

Boxing is deader than dead. No one has cared about boxing since the 80's. I bet the average sports fan couldn't tell you who the heavyweight champ is.

Answer 8

No. American heavweight boxing is on a decline, not world wide heavyweight boxing. Just because american heavyweights such as Toney, Briggs, Rahman suck bigtime does not mean the sport is on a decline worldwide. Boxing is alive and well in teh former USSR

Answer 9

This depends how you look at it (i presume your american)if so it is a disaster but if your a fan of boxing generally it could possibly be better . A better way possibly of asking is do you recognise these people? because i agree they dont seem to have as much character

Answer 10

Yes..I think so.