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Boxing needs an exciting heavyweight, George Chuvalo says
WATERLOO — Boxing hasn’t been the same since Mike Tyson’s reign of terror came to an end with back-to-back losses to Evander Holyfield almost 20 years ago.
That’s the opinion of Canadian boxing legend George Chuvalo, who believes the sport needs an exciting heavyweight champion to bring it back to a mainstream audience.
“Ask most people who the heavyweight champion of the world is and they won’t be able to tell you. I know it’s the Klitschko brother (Wladimir), but he’s not exciting to watch, he doesn’t fight enough and he usually fights in Ukraine or Germany or Russia and you hear nothing about the fight until it’s over. And then it’s just two or three lines in a newspaper,” said the 77-year-old Chuvalo on Wednesday night.
“The heavyweight division just isn’t what it once was. It was the king of all divisions, the best of the best … but it’s been beat up and banged around and there’s very little excitement about anyone in the heavyweight division.”
Chuvalo, who is best known for twice going the distance with former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, was in the area to help celebrate the 12th anniversary of The Whip Boxing Academy.
The event was hosted by six-time world champion Fitz (The Whip) Vanderpool and attracted a mixed crowd of boxers, dignitaries and well-wishers.
Holyfield defeated Tyson in 1996 and 1997 and former Kitchener resident Lennox Lewis took over the division two years later.
Lewis was “an efficient champion that got the job done,” said Chuvalo, but he wasn’t an exciting one.
There are no saviours around the corner, said Chuvalo, who shakes his head when asked about the Jan. 17 WBC title fight between Haitian-born Canadian champion Bermane Stiverne and American Deontay Wilder.
“I hate to tell you, but I’ve never heard of them and have no idea where they come from,” he said. “But who knows, maybe they can put a spark in the division.”
The one fight Chuvalo does want to see happen is the much talked about showdown between American welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines.
Chuvalo believes it will happen later this year, especially because of the huge financial numbers being tossed around. It’s been suggested Mayweather will be paid in the neighbourhood of $100 million and Pacquiao will receive $60 million.
“I think it’s going to happen and on paper it will be the biggest fight ever. There should be a lot of excitement for it,” said Chuvalo.
Inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the World Boxing Fall of Fame in 1997, Chuvalo captured his first Canadian heavyweight championship in 1959 and left as champion in 1978.
In addition to his fights with Ali in 1966 and 1972, he lost a championship fight with Ernie Terrell in 1965. He also fought George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Floyd Patterson during his career and retired with a record of 73 wins, 18 losses and two draws.
Vanderpool’s open house included a preview screening of the upcoming documentary “With Hope It’s Possible.” The movie focuses on the 2013 comeback of Vanderpool, who became the Canadian middleweight champion at the age of 45.
The victory made Vanderpool the oldest Canadian champion in history, a distinction that previously belonged to Chuvalo.
Vanderpool was also named the national ambassador of stopbully.com, a website that educates parents and children about the consequences of bullying.
