The WBC is thinking of creating a new heavyweight class with a weight limit of 225 pounds maximum. If established, the new WBC weight class would be sandwiched between cruiserweight [200 lbs] and heavyweight.
One way of making a newer weight class like the 225 lb division work is that there would need to be strict enforcement for the heavyweight division. In other words, a heavyweight weighs less than 225 lbs; they would need to fight in the new weight division.
Unfortunately, guys like Deontay Wilder would probably be forced to fight at 225 because he weighs around 220 lbs.
New 225 lbs weight division ideal for Usyk
Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew is reportedly being talked about being in charge of the committee in putting together the new weight class.
On the surface, it sounds like a good idea for the WBC to have another division above cruiserweight for the smaller heavyweights to thrive. This is something that has been talked about for many years due to the enormous size disparity between the giant heavyweights like Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder.
In terms of safety, it works well for a new weight class to be created. There are a lot of smaller guys like Oleksandr Usyk, Michael Hunter, Alexander Povetkin, and Agit Kabayel that just aren’t big enough to have any chance against the giants in the heavyweight division.
As a rule, the smaller heavyweights tend to take a beating when they’re matched up against the bigger guys. It sets up contests where the smaller guys get thrashed, and it doesn’t make for great television. On top of that, it’s not sporting and not safe.
With the way that other weight classes are separated typically by seven pounds, it doesn’t make sense to have the cruiserweight division with a limit of 200 lbs and then the heavyweight division that goes to unlimited weight.
Currently, there’s no place for the smaller heavyweights that are too big to fight at cruiserweight [200 lbs] and yet too small to compete against the giants like Fury, Joshua, Dubois, and Wilder.
If a new weight class is created, then it could lead to a lot of talented smaller heavyweights like Usyk becoming stars and winning world titles.
Fighters would ignore new 225lb weight division
The downside of creating another division above cruiserweight is the possibility that fighters would ignore the weight class and continue to fight at heavyweight.
With the huge money that guys can make fighting Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, there’s a financial disincentive for smaller heavyweights to compete in a new weight class with an upper range of 225 lbs.
The only way a new division works between cruiserweight and heavyweight is if there was a weight enforcement to keep fighters below 225 from competing at heavyweight. However, if you do that, then guys will bulk up so they can compete above 225 and get the big paydays against Joshua and Fury.
The lack of money at 225 and 200 will continue to lure small guys like Usyk and Hunter to move up to heavyweight in search of big paydays
Unfortunately, those fighters have little chance of succeeding when facing talented heavyweights with size, speed, and power. We’re about to find that out when Usyk faces Joshua in 2021.
Look at the paydays no-name heavyweights can get fighting Fury or Joshua. They can make up to $5 million fighting them, or at least they used to before the pandemic, and that’s retirement money. It doesn’t matter if the smaller heavyweight gets destroyed by AJ or Fury, the money they get in facing them is too good to pass up.
- Alexander Povetkin v Michael Hunter, WBA World Heavyweight Final Eliminator, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
7th December 2019.
Picture By Dave Thompson
Additionally, the many world titles on the line in each division have watered down the sport to the point where it’s arguably hurting it. There need to be fewer world titles, not more. The same goes for divisions. The following weight classes should be done away with for the good of the sport:
- 200
- 168
- 154
- 140
- 130
- 122
As far as the idea of a new weight class at heavyweight goes, it’s a good idea as long as the cruiserweight division is eliminated. So instead of the smaller heavyweights fighting at cruiserweight, they can compete in the new 225 lb weight class, which makes it more interesting. It would bunch up a lot of talented fighters like Yordnis Ugas, Murat Gassiev, Usyk, and Mairis Briedis into one weight class.
- 115
- 108