A Weighty Issue

A Weighty Issue

By Jason Petock (Oct 2, 2006)

Not since the reign of the invincible and ferocious “Iron” Mike Tyson back in the early 80’s has there been more of a need for a prominent Heavyweight to appear that will be able to capture the hearts and minds of the American people like Tyson managed to do. Mike Tyson was destined for greatness and when he first broke into the boxing world under the tutelage of Cus D’ Amato he kicked the door in with thunderous intention and a pure desire for victory through aggression. Those unsurpassed days are but memories for us now, and the Heavyweight division appears in be in dire need of a serious transfusion of some new blood.

It could be stated that the possibility already exists that the Heavyweight division has found its new torch bearers in the form of the Eastern coalition that has already clearly taken over the big boy scene recently. Would it be asking a little too much to drag Lennox Lewis out of retirement to clean house at this point? A fan can dream can he not? Stranger things have happened.

We have gotten the chance to see somewhat random sprinklings of Heavyweight talent here and there. In all honesty though, it hasn’t been the stuff of legends and isn’t really something to shout from the rooftops about if you think about it. DaVarryl Williamson was serenading his opponents with his “Touch of Sleep” until Joe Mesi shut him down in a coming out party for the since fallen Buffalo franchise a few years back, and left Williamson going back to the drawing board.

Then Mesi got rattled and had a legitimate medical scare after battling a rugged, yet not actual Heavyweight in Vassily Jirov. “Baby” Joe was touted as the next big thing and he had all the right tools in his corner to seal the deal and secure the sale. He too went back to square one however.

First of all, Mesi had the strong backing of HBO who tend to make it a habit of making or breaking a fighters career through either inflated hype, legitimate acknowledgment (which is rare but does happen), and more often than not combative commentary aligned with excessive criticisms and negativity offered up by its colorful and introspective announcers. Once the network makes their initial investment they expect a large return obviously. Unfortunately for Mesi, his career took a hiatus and HBO was left holding the bag so to speak that when you opened it and looked inside held their greed and the idea of another broken prospect for large revenues in the process.

Not that there is anything wrong with what HBO is doing. They do provide sensational fights as well as lackluster ones, many times due to poor matchmaking, over promoted or under promoted billings, and in large part a general complacency on our parts as fans. The pay per view lust featuring mediocre offerings is what most of us really have a problem with but that’s another issue for another time entirely. Plus it’s common knowledge at this point.

What is going to happen to the Heavyweight division in the next couple of years? As Soviet Heavies ponder their strategic moves on the chess board, already putting us all in a virtual checkmate in the division, we sit idly by waiting for our own

Champion to surface from the rubble and remains of a weight class and Championship that we once held with an iron grip.

So do our attitudes suggest that the division and even the title (Or titles? There are so many of them of them these days who’s counting?) is devalued in a way and does not mean what it once did? Does it no longer hold the brilliance of a young Joe Louis avenging the pride of America against a misplaced poster boy for Nazi Germany through no choice of his own in Max Schmelling? Clearly not.

Gone are the days of the boisterous and outspoken Muhammad Ali who moved men and mountains with mere words and the flash of his fists.

What we are left with is a head full of lingering questions that have yet to be answered properly. Even with the division stacked to the brim with large and strong boxers who all have their eyes affixed on the prize; it still never seems like enough.

Maybe it’s all just me and my own obscured vision that has conditioned me as your typical American boxing fan. Or maybe it’s Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson, all in unison shaking their heads at what their home has become and where it is heading.