The much-maligned heavyweights have been doing a lot of heaving over the past few weeks. That doesn?t mean the big boys are beginning to pull themselves out of the pit they?ve dug for themselves since Lennox Lewis?s retirement six years ago. It only means they?ve been in the news, and not always in a good way.
Yesterday, David Haye gave his career the ?heave-ho? when he announced his retirement from boxing. He had always said he would hang up his gloves when he reached his 31st birthday, which fell on October 13. Yes, boxers always say they?re going to quit at a certain age. Then they develop a sudden case of ?amnesia pugilistica,? and their earlier vows are forgotten. Haye may decide to mount a comeback later on. Hopefully, he won?t.
For a few years, the Hayemaker?s gift of gab provided flash and dash in a division sorely lacking both qualities. But Haye?s sizzle fizzled in his non-effort against Wladimir Klitschko in July. A proposed match with Wlad?s big brother Vitali is not going to happen, and that?s a good thing for Haye.
One thing Haye did accomplish was to induce the retirements of two of the most unwatchable fighters in the division?s history: John Ruiz and Nikolay Valuev (Valuev hasn?t officially retired, but he also hasn?t fought since Haye outpointed him in 2009). That feat doesn?t quite make up for Haye?s poor performance against Wladimir. It counts for something, though.
A spasm of dry heaves accompanied the announcement that Vladimir?s next title defense will be against Jean-Marc Mormeck on December 10. Mormeck is a 39-year-old ex-cruiserweight champion whose heavyweight resume is less impressive than Haye?s. Indeed, Mormeck was flattened by Haye in a cruiserweight title-unification bout before the latter moved up to heavyweight. Let?s see ? Wladimir routed Haye. Vitali recently stopped another former cruiserweight champion, Tomasz Adamek. And now Wladimir?s taking on Mormeck. What is this, the ?Are You Tougher than a Cruiserweight? show?
Boxing fans heaved sighs of relief when it became clear that newly crowned WBA ?regular? (don?t ask) heavyweight champ Alexander Povetkin will not be defending his title against Evander Holyfield after all. As recently as last week, that fight had been penciled in for December 17. Suddenly, it?s off. As of now, no official reason has been given for the demise of the match. Could it be, however, that no one is willing to finance yet another beating for the 49-year-old Holyfield, who clings to the delusion that he can once again become undisputed heavyweight king?
So, who is now under consideration to take Holyfield?s place? Hasim Rahman. More dry heaves.
It is clear that the heavyweight division will remain in the doldrums until it heaves up an exciting, bankable young lion ? a Lennox Lewis with a better chin; a Riddick Bowe who is not a head case; a Mike Tyson who is not self-destructive; an Eastern European who is not boring. Until that happens, the heavyweights will not be boxing?s flagship division. They?ll be in receivership.
Charles R. Saunders is the author of several books including Sweat and Soul: The Saga of Black Boxers in the Maritimes from the Halifax Forum to Caesars Palace, as well as the Imaro series of fantasy/adventure novels. Considered by many to be one of the leading authorities on boxing in Canada, he is the current Vice-President of Boxing for the Society of North American Sports Historians and Researchers. His latest novel, Damballa, which centers around a fictional heavyweight title bout, is available at www.gopulp.info.
