Boxing's balance of power shifts
@ 2006-08-13 - 23:07:37Last night the former Soviet Union developed a monopoly on Heavyweight boxing. Oleg Maskaev knocked out Hasim Rahman the only American World title claimant. This may be the end of an era, heavyweight boxing has been dominated by the USA since the heyday of John L Sullivan in the 1880s. Black American domination of the World heavyweight title dates back to Joe Louis' defeat of Jim Braddock back in 1937. The influx of Soviet talent in the past ten years may have brought this hegemony to an end. Now for the first time, the best American heavyweights are also rans with no new blood coming through.
The discipline required to be a world class boxer is no longer attractive to young Americans, black or white. Overall prosperity and a variety of less intense but equally lucrative options are available in sports such as baseball, football and basketball. Earning a million bucks a year as a ball player is a lot more attractive than fighting for a living, and a lot less dangerous.
The question now is whether Eastern Europe's stay at the pinnacle is a long term shift. With four champs it looks like they will be around for a while. Of the four champs I can't pick out anyone with the potential to become the undisputed champ yet. Maybe one of them will emerge as the division's dominant force by the end of this. I hope so, my money's on Liakhovich.
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My son goes to boxing class. He is going to enter first tournament next month.
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