Heavyweight boxing is attracting A-level athletes, time for UFC HW to step up

[Vojislav]

This whole thing about athletic big men not wanting to get into combat sports is outdated and applies to potential American HWs only where there is NFL and basketball.

I noticed that there is some myth here that HW boxing is also in shambles which couldn't be further from the truth.

Boxing HW division is full of young talented fighters slowly reaching their prime. Boxing is getting athletic big men from all over the world lately, because heavyweight boxing offers prestige and paydays. Something that the UFC should copy at least for HW division.

In the UFC, the norm is 6'3'' tall guys in their late 30s while boxing HW division is full of 6'6'' and taller REAL (super-)heavyweights either in their prime or reaching their prime.

Anthony Joshua 28 years old 6'6'' Britain
Tyson Fury 29 years old, 6'9'' Britain
Deontay Wilder 32 years old, 6'7'' USA

I'm not going to spam videos and pictures here, if you want just check out the great up and coming boxing HW talent, these are the 2016 Olympic medalists (the bronze medal is shared):

Tony Yoka 25 years old, 6'7'' France
Joe Joyce 32 years old, 6'6'' Britain
Filip Hrgović 25 years old, 6'6'' Croatia
Ivan Dychko 27 years old, 6'9'' Kazakhstan

All of them turned pro.

Also check out Daniel Dubois, 6'5'' 20 year old British HW, he's hyped quite a lot.

These are just the big guys, then you also have smaller but talented HWs like Joseph Parker (26), former K1 kickboxer Big Baby Jarrell Miller (29) and the Pole Adam Kownacki (28), all of them in top 15 and legit fighters already.

The above shows that there are plenty of legit athletic big men interested in combat sports. Those guys could as well be in MMA right now if the UFC wasn't grossly neglecting the HW division.

Why can't the UFC get HW athletes like this?

If the pay is the problem then the UFC should double or triple the pay of HW athletes compared to fighters in other divisions. They should try to make everybody know that HW is much more prestigious than other weight classes. The brief Ngannou hype showed that people are dying to see real big heavyweights. The UFC would get the investment back real soon if they built up the HW division properly. They also have the whole "the real baddest man on the planet" angle to exploit. Yet for some unknown reason the UFC totally neglects the heavyweights and these great combat sport athletes go to boxing instead

 

[ThunderStruck]

So being tall makes you an A level athlete now? Fury is a C level athlete at the very best. Wilder maybe B. Joshua is the only A level athlete out of those.

 

[Lay N Pray 101]

This whole thing about athletic big men not wanting to get into combat sports is outdated and applies to potential American HWs only where there is NFL and basketball.

I noticed that there is some myth here that HW boxing is also in shambles which couldn't be further from the truth.

Boxing HW division is full of young talented fighters slowly reaching their prime. Boxing is getting athletic big men from all over the world lately, because heavyweight boxing offers prestige and paydays. Something that the UFC should copy at least for HW division.

In the UFC, the norm is 6'3'' tall guys in their late 30s while boxing HW division is full of 6'6'' and taller men either in their prime or reaching their prime.

Anthony Joshua 28 years old 6'6'' Britain
Tyson Fury 29 years old, 6'9'' Britain
Deontay Wilder 32 years old, 6'7'' USA

I'm not going to spam videos and pictures here, if you want just check out the great up and coming boxing HW talent, these are the 2016 Olympic medalists (the bronze medal is shared):

Tony Yoka 25 years old, 6'7'' France
Joe Joyce 32 years old, 6'6'' Britain
Filip Hrgović 25 years old, 6'6'' Croatia
Ivan Dychko 27 years old, 6'9'' Kazakhstan

All of them turned pro.

Also check out Daniel Dubois, 6'5'' 20 year old British HW, he's hyped quite a lot.

These are just the big guys, then you also have smaller but talented HWs like Joseph Parker (26), former K1 kickboxer Big Baby Jarrell Miller (29) and the Pole Adam Kownacki (28), all of them in top 15.

The above shows that there are plenty of legit athletic big men interested in combat sports. Those guys could as well be in MMA right now if the UFC wasn't grossly neglecting the HW division.

Why can't the UFC get HW athletes like this?

If the pay is the problem then the UFC should double or triple the pay of HW athletes compared to fighters in other divisions. They should try to make everybody know that HW is much more prestigious than other weight classes. The brief Ngannou hype showed that people are dying to see real big heavyweights. The UFC would get the investment back real soon if they built up the HW division properly. They also have the whole "the real baddest man on the planet" angle to exploit.

Boxing Purses >>>> MMA Purses

 

[Which Doctor]

Boxing attracted Conor; that's what you're saying, right?

 

[Vojislav]

So being tall makes you an A level athlete now? Fury is a C level athlete at the very best. Wilder maybe B. Joshua is the only A level athlete out of those.

Fury is an A-level athlete. Look at the speed and cardio he has for a man of his size. And that's despite drinking and partying.

 

[ThunderStruck]

Fury is an A-level athlete. Look at the speed and cardio he has for a man of his size. And that's despite drinking and partying.

Ive always found his coordination piss poor and only attributed his success to his size. Really not impressed. C level at best.

 

[Vojislav]

Ive always found his coordination piss poor and only attributed his success to his size. Really not impressed. C level at best.

Even living this unhealthy lifestyle he still has insane cardio and cardio > everything in combat sports.

 

[ThunderStruck]

Even living this unhealthy lifestyle he still has insane cardio and cardio > everything in combat sports.

Lol ok now youre just trolling. You got me there mate.

 

[Vojislav]

Lol ok now youre just trolling. You got me there mate.

It's not trolling, Fury has great cardio for such a big man. He lives an unhealthy lifestyle and doesn't give a fuck and still performs at the highest level.

 

[ostlerrage]

a level boxer though. I see you love muscles.. prolly hate fedor

So being tall makes you an A level athlete now? Fury is a C level athlete at the very best. Wilder maybe B. Joshua is the only A level athlete out of those.

 

[ostlerrage]

why the hell would you enter the ufc hw division only to have to cut weight. what bullshit.

 

[ThunderStruck]

It's not trolling, Fury has great cardio for such a big man. He lives an unhealthy lifestyle and doesn't give a fuck and still performs at the highest level.

Highest level of HW boxing. The competition is so weak there.

Just look at his legs. Theyre shaped like that :

o
|O|
\ /
/ \

This guy is definitely NOT athletic. Who cares about cardio if you're slow, uncoordinated and borderline fat. Cardio alone doesn't makes you an A level athlete. Oh and stop it with this unhealthy lifestyle bullshit. Thats not the reason why he's so clumsy and uncoordinated.

 

[ThunderStruck]

a level boxer though. I see you love muscles.. prolly hate fedor

Fedor is my 2nd fav fighter. This guy was definitely an athlete. He could move fast and fluidly, unlike clumsy ass Tyson Fury. Nice try though.

 

[Dr. Will]

If you're big and athletic, it's impossible for you to be anything less than Top 10 at HW in boxing. You will get some fine paychecks.

 

[CastletonSnob]

Imagine how Rob Gronkowski would have done if he boxed since he was a kid, with his height, reach, and athleticism. I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to win a HW title.

 

[Prefect]

So being tall makes you an A level athlete now? Fury is a C level athlete at the very best. Wilder maybe B. Joshua is the only A level athlete out of those.

Fury is very fluid and coordinated for someone his size. More fluid than Lennox. How many other heavyweights show as much head movement as in the fight against Vlad? Fury could clean out the division with a paunchy belly, not that he should. If he is in shape to have enough gas, he is a nightmare for anyone in the division. Listen to him talk about boxing, too. He is much smarter about boxing than people give him credit

 

[aries]

Highest level of HW boxing. The competition is so weak there.

Just look at his legs. Theyre shaped like that :

o
|O|
\ /
/ \

This guy is definitely NOT athletic. Who cares about cardio if you're slow, uncoordinated and borderline fat. Cardio alone doesn't makes you an A level athlete. Oh and stop it with this unhealthy lifestyle bullshit. Thats not the reason why he's so clumsy and uncoordinated.

He can't be that clumsy and uncoordinated if he managed to dance circles around one of the best HW's of the modern era for 12 rounds. Just because he looks like a fat slob and doesn't have beach muscles doesn't mean that he's unathletic.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

I agree with the title. Not entirely with the rest. Fedor had the best hips of any Heavyweight I've ever seen in MMA history. It allowed him to armbar a larger stronger opponent with ease from positions they didn't realize he could even get to from the bottom. He was also fast and powerful for a small Heavyweight. Fury is light on his feet, which allows for better mobility, and he used this to full effect against Wlad.

 

[JayE]

Ive always found his coordination piss poor and only attributed his success to his size. Really not impressed. C level at best.

Fury doesn't look athletic, but he does have good coordination and is quick for his size.

 

[GloryOfIran]

ASian best are in wrestling and weight lifting. EUropean HW A levels all play hockey and handball. British in rugby. Australians in arfb. Africa I have no idea but they actually produce good boxers so maybe them you are right.