The usually maligned 2000s heavyweight division is lastly up for examine and survey. Recall that the Nineteen Eighties heavyweight division is called the Misplaced Era and was seen as a step-down in high quality from the Golden Age Nineteen Seventies. The emergence of the 2000s, 20 years later, might trigger you to suppose over once more the way you’d classify the 80s.
The last decade opened off the heels of the Silver Age crowning an undisputed heavyweight champion, the primary since 1992. Lennox Lewis cast his identify as the very best of the heavyweights however must cope with the rising crop of kids who had been trying to make their identify in a brand new decade. The 2 with the very best expectations had been, paradoxically sufficient, blood brothers.
The Klitschko Brothers (or KlitschBros), Wladimir and Vitali, had been tremendous heavyweights within the dimension and vein of the champion Lennox Lewis and his would-be rival Riddick Bowe. Wlad was upset again within the 90s, however has since returned to type with a win streak. Vitali entered the 2000s because the WBO titleist with some defenses underneath his belt.
How about the remainder? So far as children go we’ve acquired Shannon Briggs, John Ruiz, David Tua, Chris Byrd, Hasim Rahman, Andrew Golota, and extra to emerge with time. Older faces like Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield remained with extra to emerge in their very own proper (whether or not you possibly can consider that or not).
Michael Moorer and Ray Mercer had been two names from the 90s that might return to the warzone of the marquee division. Then there’s decrease weight class fighters who ascended to take their shot at heavyweight. It’s been some time since Michael Spinks proved it was attainable and there are extra wanting to take action within the 2000s. So the roster appears high quality and the title scene seems unified; what may go so mistaken to color this because the controversial worst time in heavyweight historical past?
To open the present, John Ruiz’s declare at a WBA title shot led to the stripping of Lennox Lewis and the turmoil would solely improve from there. The remaining items of Lewis’s title could be snatched from him over the rest of his reign. These particular person items (the lineage, RING recognition, WBC, and IBF titles) would endure their very own complicated routes, bouncing from identify to call in sizzling potato conditions you need to be accustomed to from the 80s. Then there’s the newly important WBO title; it wasn’t any totally different. Making issues infinitely worse was that the splintered title scene didn’t see lots of the fights that made sense come to fruition.
Struggle followers need to see the very best combat the very best however this crop appeared allergic to this. Essentially the most well-known instance was the declaration that the KlitschBros would by no means combat due to a promise they made to their mom. Actually, that is the one acceptable clause from this decade as to why two fighters wouldn’t face each other. The remaining haven’t any excuse. Nonetheless, are you able to think about in the event that they DID combat? Who would you soak up a battle between peak types of Vitali and Wladimir?
There’s some shocks, some heartbreak, and a slew of disappointment in the event you’re anticipating the very best of occasions like within the 70s or 90s. Perhaps, simply perhaps, this decade is a hidden gem in its personal proper? I go away that particular person query to you. Nonetheless, the journeys of Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko, and extra are price telling; I don’t consider you’ll be dissatisfied on this revisiting of a now 20 12 months previous decade we will mirror on in its entirety. We’ve got a brand new lens now, not tainted by being prisoners of the second. Was it good, was it unhealthy? That’s your selection.
This can be a timeline of the 2000s heavyweight boxing division; the story of two brothers stitching collectively their legacies in a questionable period whereas by no means having to carry a fist at each other. It’s definitely an fascinating journey, contemplating how a lot confusion there was across the title scene. I’ve cleared that up for you right here, no extra questions. From my coronary heart to yours; this has been TheCharlesJackson, creator of the Boxing Encyclopedia. Keep frosty, God bless, and don’t neglect to subscribe on YouTube!
