I always say the heavyweight division is boxing. A division where the champion was always the face, nowadays though it’s difficult to determine who is the legitimate champion because of various alphabet soup organizations and what is known as boxing politics.
Recently the heavyweight champion was dominated by a champion from the Ukraine. Vladimir Klitschko held the reign with multiple titles from 2000-2015. He holds the record as the longest reigning heavyweight champion, at times sharing some of those titles with his older brother Vitali.
The heavyweight championship is so prestigious, historic with champions and rematches. Though no longer the face because a unified champion is difficult to arrange and thanks again to boxing politics of the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, sanctioning organizations of alphabet soup based out of the United States.
Yet these alphabet soup organizations dictate mandatory challenges to their titles. They are at times a nightmare for the promoters and fighters. They command and own the title belts, even purse bids. It’s as I say boxing politics.
But the division has been on a comeback trail because of a personality who can punch. Tyson Fury, a 26-year old giant at 6’9” and 262 pounds, with charisma from the UK, is humorous and more suited for WWE wrestling. AKA “The Gypsy King,” Fury (34-1,1, 24 KO’s) and Deontay Wilder staged a trilogy for the titles that are memorable.
In their first fight on December 1, 2018, Wilder retrained the WBC portion of the title, a 12-round split decision in Los Angeles that was memorable because Fury resembled the WWE character “Undertaker” and rose off the mat after going down in the final round from a vicious right-left hook. Two more times they met, and Fury would win, though the division was still not unified.
Then the heavyweight division had a revival of sorts, though not like it was when the Hall of Famer Muhammad Ali went to war with Joe Frazier and Larry Holmes. Mike Tyson was a different personality and with controversy. Fury is different as much as he is a character because he can punch and entertain.
So here we are, Saturday night in Saudi Arabia where the Kings and Princes are taking over boxing, their governing body of promoters have delivered major fights because the promoters see millions waved in their face.
Fury is no different when it comes to money. He made a lot during his few title reigns and with the Wilder trilogy. Fury will earn more in his return bout with Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 13 KO’s) a Ukranian who can also punch hard. The fight will be streamed live on DAZN PPV and PPV.Com. Promoter Turki Alalshikh says the PPV will cost $28.95. He also said a virtual judge will be the fourth, whatever that means?
It’s almost absurd to believe a virtual judge would rule a controversial round or two. Years ago championship fights used to be 15-rounds, some went longer to decide a winner.
In May, they went the 12-round distance, a split decision for Usyk, who left Saudi Arabia with all the title belts in what was billed as the first unification of the division since the reign of Hall of Famer Lennox Lewis, the British boxing king.
Lewis and Fury were supposed to fight for the titles, of course boxing politics did not let it happen, a fight that would have drawn over 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in the UK.
Usyk, at 37-years of age had a rematch with Joshua and got the split decision, the second fight retaining the IBF title. You see where this is going? No title is safe with the alphabet soup in control. Fury was dethroned of all four titles in May, and Usyk was supposedly undisputed.
Undisputed, though for a brief time because the IBF had another plan. The story goes, Usyk made a deal to relinquish his undisputed status so Joshua and Danile Dubois, another Brit could fight for that portion of the heavyweight title, still, though boxing politics got involved.
Usyk said it was a gift to relinquish, claiming “I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you.”
Regardless, it meant the heavyweight title once again was not unified in the four-belt championship era. Then again tell me what division in this great sport can claim to have a sense of unity with determining who is the champion?
That my friends is a recurring issue with boxing, even those who follow this around the clock have difficulty identifying who is the champion? This was not an issue years ago when Ali and the other greats made the heavyweight division a face of the sport.
Until boxing gets it right, an illustrious sport continues to lose interest, even with a headline fight of Usyk-Fury for the heavyweight title that ends an exciting year. Three-quarters of the titles will be determined and not for all the marbles.
Oh, the fight has interest. Fury is seeking to avenge a loss for the first time, in itself is hard to believe. He says this will be different, more punching and less clowning around from the first one. Usyk will come at Fury and has a devastating punch that could put the big man down.
But this is for the heavyweight titles. That’s important despite not having the magnitude of unification because of logistics or boxing politics and until boxing gets it right that title of long term unification is a delusion because we will never know what goes on behind the scenes.
The latest odds:
Usyk -160 favorite
Fury- +125 underdog
I have no pick as to who wins. I just want like every boxing fan desires to see a unified heavyweight champion.
Rich Mancuso: X (Twitter) @Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
Rich Mancuso hosts Keep It In The Ring every Thursday evening live 8pmET @YouTube @Rich Mancuso. Boxing, wrestling, MMA analysis and chat. Comment and subscribe.