MID-September '06 In This Corner Column

Has America's Boxing Heavyweight's Disappeared?

SINCE THE BEGINNING of time, when the Romans enjoyed watching the gladiators battle it out between each other, to boxing's beginning in Queensboro England in the early 1900s, boxing has had its glorious moments and its controversial setbacks. Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight who became champion when he knocked out Canadian Tommy Burns in 1908 in Sydney Australia, is one of the champions who made boxing what it is today. Of course in those days two fighters would go over 20 rounds. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a strong champion since Lennox Lewis became champion in 1999.

Referring back to boxing in the 1930s and '40s, one would remember Joe Louis who dominated the sport and Rocky Marciano who was unbeaten in the '50s. Muhammad Ali's entry to the ring as Cassius Clay in the '60s led to his epic rivalry with Joe Frazier in the '70s—Ali regained the title with a shocking knock out of George Foreman in 1974 before giving way to Larry Holmes. Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield took charge in the '80s and '90s.

Now the Soviet Union has a presence with Oleg Maskaev (right, HBO Boxing) as the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the world. Knocking out Hasim Rahman (left, HBO Boxing) for Maskaev was a tremendous surprise to boxing fans throughout the world. There is also the IBF Champion Wladimir Klitschko from Ukraine and WBO Champion Sergei Liakhovich from Belarus. At this point America doesn't have a home-born heavyweight champion. Has the American boxing heavyweight disappeared? Although Maskaev is a citizen of the United States, he was not born

here and that has left many boxing fans disappointed. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, followed shortly thereafter by the breakup of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, boxing opened up to what it is today. With this came the initial wave of freedom, embracing Eastern Europeans to American and other western nations of boxing and other pro sports. Throughout the world in every sport people are catching up. For example, NBA is supposed to have the best basketball players in the world (but the USA didn't win Olympic Gold). America's pastime is baseball and we didn't win the World Baseball Classic. So it's moving past boxing into other sports.

So what does the future hold for America's boxing heavyweight? It hasn't helped that at one time there was an overabundance of former heavyweights, which has diminished while the Soviet amateurs are popping up in the pro rings. Looking at the overall picture, Rahman had almost no amateur experience when he began his pro career in 1994 at age 22.

"When I started promoting boxing four years ago with Muhammad Ali, almost all the heavyweights were American," states promoter Bob Arum. "The reason was an NFL lineman was making about $5,000 a year, and basketball players weren't paid hardly anything." Arum went on to say, "If Muhammad Ali were around today he'd be a tight end on a high school football team and (not) in a sweaty gym looking to win an Olympic Medal. Many of our home grown big guys are going to basketball and football and they aren't thinking about boxing. Therefore the talent pool is almost empty." According to Don Campbell, national director of coaching for USA boxing, "It's hard to tell if any current US amateur heavyweight will emerge as professional world champs. The amateurs and pros are totally different." Another point Campbell also made was the lack of funding for coaching boxers to the next level as they do in Europe.

No Motivation

During the 1968 Olympics George Foreman was the last US fighter to win the World Heavyweight title after winning Olympic Gold as an amateur heavyweight. "Boxing is generally the standard barrier for hunger when it comes to athletics, and it's arrived on the Russian shores," states Foreman. He continues, "When I was in the Olympics, the only hope of making it was to become Heavyweight Champion of the World. But we don't have the hunger here anymore. The Russians now have it."

When one considers Hasim Rahman's win over Lennox Lewis in April 2001, then losing back to Lewis in a rematch, it makes you wonder just how talented a fighter he is. In addition, Rahman was given the belt after Klitschko retired in November of last year. Whatever direction the heavyweight division takes according to promoter Don King there will eventually only be one undisputed heavyweight champion. Question is, will it be a born-bred American or will it be someone who is a citizen of another country?