Eastern Euro Taking Over Boxing

By Scoop Malinowski

The two major unification fights at the top two weight classes of the sport featured four white Eastern European fighters – heavyweights Oleksands Usyk vs Tyson and Fury and this weekend’s light heavyweights Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol.

The balance of power has certainly shifted.

A half century ago nobody could have predicted what has happened. Back then the sport was ruled by American blacks. In 1980 Larry Holmes was the heavyweight kingpin being hunted by the likes of Mike Weaver, Gerrie Coetzee, Mike Dokes, Gerry Cooney, Leon Spinks, Greg Page and Leroy Jones. At light heavyeight Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Mattnew Saad Muhammad reigned supreme, with contenders such as Marvin Johnson, Lotte Mwale, Jerry Martin, James Scott, Michael Spinks.

By 1988 Mike Tyson was the dominant king, with Michael Spinks, Evander Holyfield, Tony Tucker, Pinklon Thomas, Tim Witherspoon, Tyrell Bigg, Trevor Berbick, Carl Williams at the top of the rankings.

Of course, this trend of white Europeans ruling the sport will not last forever and in a decade or two or three, another transfer will happen which nobody can predict.

How the sport of boxing evolved to where it is today is open for debate. My theory is a combination of factors. Americans got lazy and entitled. The deficiency of extraordinary trainers like Emanuel Steward, Eddie Futch, Angelo Dundee. The failure of the American amateur boxing system to develop top talent. The emphasis on amateur boxing by Eastern European countries. And the outstanding dedication, determination, sacrifice by the Eastern Europeans to not only get the big money but also to train obsessively to be THE BEST.

Boxers like Floyd Mayweather took the shortcut to the top, always taking the path of least resistance, ducking and dodging the best while handpicking opponents he knew he would beat or who needed the payday.  American boxers emulated the Mayweather career blueprint of low risk/high reward – but they were surpassed by the foreigners.

Terence Crawford is the only exception, he didn’t follow the Mayweather path, came up the hard way and dominated and unified two weight classes. Mayweather never unified any titles.

So as we watch this Beterbiev vs Bivol superfight on Saturday night from Saudi Arabia, don’t forget to appreciate how these titans have changed the direction of the sport and uplifted it to a new height of excellence.