Comments Thread For: Thank You, Oleksandr Usyk, for Eviscerating the Bridgerweight Concept

[Boxfan83]

Yea but they'll still do it, it's $

[SteveM]

No strong opinions BUT we should all be pumped for June 1st.
- Wilder vs all of China - bombs away. Who is going to be knocked out?
- Likely another beautiful boxing display by Bivol
- Hrgo vs Dubois - Hrgo has fought a number of guys with good records, but not a lot of quality competition. Dubois has fought some stiff competition but there is obviously a blueprint to beat him. I imagine this will be a good test for us to see if Hrgo is actually any good.

PUMPED!

yep - this is STILL a great card - I can't wait to see Ball vvs Ford - that is

[SteveM]

You are right. The logic doesnt hold up when you look at it this way. Its kind of ridiculous that the author would take an extreme outlier and use it as a refutation of concept.
Im not sure why some are so opposed to an added weight class. Is it because of tradition that things must remain unchanged? Nothing about the records needs adjusting. I wont ever look back and see Marciano as a LtHvy or Bridgerweight. He fought as a HW he will remain one. Its just adding a new category going forward.
As for the name Bridgerweight, yeah thats Fng lame. I'd change that and Cruiserweight to Bruiserweight and Clobberweight.

The WBC will be in touch with you shortly with a check for your suggestion

[ValarMargulis]

I respectfully disagree with the article here. This is the type of thinking that stifles the evolution of boxing. If you look at other sports, athletes are getting stronger, faster, and bigger. Just look at basketball, for example: players are bigger, taller, and more skilled as time passes. The NBA has not intervened in this trend, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Consequently, the point guard position has seen taller and bigger players. Smaller, skilled players are often relegated to backup positions, or their draft stock plummets due to their size.

There are several reasons why the NBA can afford not to change the game. First, the game itself evolves and changes over time. Second, the game allows for evolution because changes are continually made to the rules and regulations through committee meetings with owners each year. Lastly, the bigger players in basketball do not have to hit anyone in the head.

The same principle applies to other sports. However, boxing seems to be the most resistant to change. Critics are less accepting, and promoters are not open to it. The only en****** really embracing change are the sanctioning bodies, but they do so for the wrong reasons—primarily for monetary advantages.

As far as changes go, am I open to a bridgerweight division? After considering all the arguments here, my opinion leans towards the former: the answer is not right now. One day, there will be heavyweights who are so agile, strong, and tall that they will make smaller heavyweights look very foolish. If a heavyweight weighing 260 pounds hits someone who is 210 pounds and causes serious injury, is that the time to change the weight classes? Should we wait until several lighter heavyweights are seriously hurt before making changes?

I'm all for good entertainment, but lives are on the line when anyone fights. We should be proactive, not reactive. Given the current politics of boxing, I doubt anything will change. After all, it's all about money. Money is prioritized first, and health always seems to come last.

[roademier]

Two things.
Not a fan of UFC but they only have 8 weight classes to boxings 17 or 18 with a difference of 60 pounds between light heavy and heavy. Is that too much gap?

and can someone give me their top ten in the Bridgerweight and also their top ten in their Super Heavy class with both Usyk and Wilder in the Bridger class since that is what they weigh in at.

Multiply that by 4 organizations ...

[Toffee]

Yeah Usyk is definitely an exception to the rule, it’s always going to take a special fighter to beat naturally bigger guys at the top level.

But it has happened throughout the history of boxing.

Generally, bigger is stronger, longer, but slower less coordinated and lesser stamina. Smaller is weaker, shorter but faster, more coordinated and better stamina.

Humans haven't increased height in the last decade or so - so why wasn't the heavyweight champion always 6ft 6in+ and 250 pounds+?

My take is bigger keeps on beating bigger until they just get too big. Then a smaller guy comes along and outboxes them and outworks them.

As for Bridgerweight. The only benefit I can see is that it might give a developing young boxer the chance to add size progressively and optimally. It's kind of weird to think that heavyweight fighters are generally heavyweights from a very young age. Maybe that's why the standard of opposition is typically so poor for such a long time in a heavyweight's career

[juggernaut666]

You are right. The logic doesnt hold up when you look at it this way. Its kind of ridiculous that the author would take an extreme outlier and use it as a refutation of concept.
Im not sure why some are so opposed to an added weight class. Is it because of tradition that things must remain unchanged? Nothing about the records needs adjusting. I wont ever look back and see Marciano as a LtHvy or Bridgerweight. He fought as a HW he will remain one. Its just adding a new category going forward.
As for the name Bridgerweight, yeah thats Fng lame. I'd change that and Cruiserweight to Bruiserweight and Clobberweight.

Logic isn’t supposed to hold up on here we’re on boxing scene .

The same guys complaining about it are probably trying to watch it to .

[Liondw]

Moorer was so wrong, totally incorrect, no offence.

We don't want any bridgerweight and super heavyweight division. A good or great smaller heavyweight has a few advantages over the bigger men and beats them sometimes.

As this article mentioned some examples. Look at Marciano, Louis, Frazier, Mike Tyson, Holyfield and Usyk. They beat bigger guys, again and again.

[Phase III]

It’s all about sanction fees ******. Corrupt sanctioning bodies namely the WBC being at the forefront of this sham. The WBC talks about their clean boxing program, yet Mauricio defends every cheater, Canelo, Benn, and Baumgardner to name a few. Total BS!

Usyk destroyed the WBC. Warren, Hearn, and the Saudi’s plans because they were all desperate for a Fury v AJ fight that went cup in smoke thanks to Usyk beating Fury and AJ twice.

[ifc]

something like that - the jump from 175 to 200 is too big

Bump cruiser up to 205 then add a 190 division and maybe get rid of some of those lower weight classes that are only a few pounds apart. Weight classes should have at least 8 to10 pounds between them.