For Boxing
fans when the Cruiserweight division is discussed it is only natural to discuss
the division during perhaps the period of time where it got the most
recognition and exposure. The 1980s where the Cruiserweight division was part
of the rise of future Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield. Prior to having four
separate reigns as a World Heavyweight champion, Holyfield began his career as
a Cruiserweight and on July 12, 1986 he would win his first world title defeating
WBA Cruiserweight world champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi by fifteen round split
decision.
Many
observers, this one included consider that fight to be perhaps the greatest
fight in the history of the Cruiserweight division. Following his victory in
what was a grueling battle, Holyfield would successfully defend his title four
times including a fourth round knockout over Qawi in their rematch in December
1987 and successfully unifying the WBA and IBF Cruiserweight world
championships along the way. This would lead Holyfield to his battle against
WBC champion Carlos De Leon for the Undisputed Cruiserweight world championship
in April 1988. Holyfield would stop De Leon in eight rounds to become the
Undisputed Cruiserweight champion of the world.
Following
this win however, Holyfield would move up to the Heavyweight division. As
Holyfield departed the Cruiserweight division it seemed that the focus of the
sport in the United States would largely be elsewhere and as a result the
division has never really seemed to get the kind of exposure that it once did
when Evander Holyfield was it’s central figure.
Over the
years there have been a few memorable fights that brought attention to the
Cruiserweights for brief periods of time. Some fans may remember James Toney’s clash
in 2003 with Cruiserweight champion Vassily Jirov, which earned acclaim among
both Boxing fans and experts alike as one of the best fights of that year and a
bout that earned the 2003 Fight Of The Year award from the Boxing Writers Association
Of America.
Some may
also remember the back and forth battle between longtime Cruiserweight champion
Jean-Marc Mormeck and O’Neill Bell in their first encounter in January 2006 or
the memorable first battle between Steve Cunningham Tomasz Adamek in 2008. Two
fights that much like Toney-Jirov were very competitive and were successful in
putting the spotlight on the division here in America. Despite the success
those fights were able to have in bringing attention to the Cruiserweight
division, the division has continued to struggle for mainstream exposure here
in the United States.
The
division however, has been able to garner more of a spotlight internationally
as fighters such as Mormeck, Cunningham, Marco Huck, Denis Lebedev, and others
have been able to establish themselves as stars of the division. One problem
the division has had is that much as Evander Holyfield did in the 1980s, some
fighters who have been able to have success in the Cruiserweight division in
winning world championships have set their sights on attempting to move up in
weight to the Heavyweight division to attempt to win a world title as Holyfield
was first able to do when he knocked out James “Buster” Douglas for the Unified
WBC/WBA/IBF Heavyweight world championship in October 1990. To date only David
Haye, who won the unified WBC/WBA Cruiserweight world championship from
Jean-Marc Mormeck in November 2007 was able to move up in weight and
successfully capture a Heavyweight world championship when he defeated Nikolai Valuev
for the WBA Heavyweight world championship in November 2009.
An
argument could be made that one reason the division has struggled for long-term
exposure is because there is more appeal for fighters who reach the top of the
Cruiserweight division to attempt to move up in weight to seek not only world
championships, but potentially more lucrative opportunities in the Heavyweight
division. James Toney, David Haye, Jean-Marc Mormeck, Steve Cunningham, Tomasz
Adamek, and even current Cruiserweight world champion Marco Huck, a fighter
widely considered to be the best Cruiserweight in the world all migrated at one
time or another to the Heavyweight division.
In the
case of Marco Huck however, although he attempted to move up in weight in
losing a hard fought twelve round majority decision to top contender Alexander
Povetkin, in a fight to determine interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s
Heavyweight ratings in February 2012, he has remained in the Cruiserweight
division having successfully defended the WBO world championship thirteen times
since winning the championship in August 2009. Huck, who tied the record for
most successful championship defenses set by former WBO world champion Johnny
Nelson, who successfully defended his title thirteen times from March 1999
until September 2006.
Huck will
attempt to surpass Nelson when he defends his world championship against
undefeated number one contender Krzysztof Glowacki on August 14th. It will not
only mark Huck’s attempted fourteenth title defense, but it will also be his
debut in the United States as the fight will take place at the Prudential
Center in Newark, New Jersey on a card televised as part of the Premier Boxing
Champions series broadcast by Spike TV.
The Premier
Boxing Champions series, a series that is televised across several different
networks on both broadcast and cable television has quickly risen in popularity
as it has staged several competitive bouts since its inception earlier this
year. One such bout that recently took place was a Cruiserweight fight to
determine interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Cruiserweight ratings
between top contender BJ Flores and former WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion
Beibut Shumenov on July 25th.
In what
was a competitive fight Shumenov was able to score a twelve round unanimous
decision over Flores in an encounter that could have gone either way. Now only
a few weeks later there will be another top level Cruiserweight bout that will
be presented to the American public. It is also worth noting that the division
is a growing division as along with Huck, WBC champion Grigory Drozd, WBA
champion Denis Lebedev, and IBF champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez currently sit
atop the division.
The
division also has several top contenders in addition to Shumenov and Flores
including Ilunga Makabu, Lateef
Kayode, Tony Bellew, Ola Afolabi, and Dmitry
Kudryasho just to name a few who could all find themselves in the Cruiserweight
championship picture. The Cruiserweights also has an interesting storyline as
future Hall of Famer Roy Jones has continued his career in the division and is
continuing to attempt to position himself for a possible world title shot down
the line. Jones has won his last seven bouts since being stopped by Denis
Lebedev in May 2011. In an interesting move Jones has three upcoming fights
scheduled in a relatively short period of time for a fighter in the modern era
of the sport. Jones is scheduled to face journeyman contender Billy Bailey on
August 15th, veteran contender Danny Santiago on August 29th, and veteran
contender Tony Moran on September 12th.
Although
some would say that Jones is a fighter who is past his prime, it is
nevertheless an interesting storyline of a fighter attempting to work his way
back into world title contention after winning world championships in the
Middleweight, Super-Middleweight, Light-Heavyweight, and Heavyweight divisions.
Whether or
not the latest exposure that the Cruiserweight division is receiving in the
United States results in the division getting the type of exposure it received
in the 1980s as part of the rise of Evander Holyfield remains to be seen. If
however, the division continues to be showcased on American television and on
the Premier Boxing Champions series, which has received significant attention
since its inception and who this week added Fox Sports to the list of networks
carrying the series, the better for the long-term growth of not only the sport
overall, but just maybe the growth and exposure for the Cruiserweight division
here in America as well. In a sport that is constantly subject to criticism and
ridicule for its flaws, it is time that the positives of the sport get the
attention it deserves.
Why not
the Cruiserweight division?
“And That’s
The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing
Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment