Great White and Black Hope (Repfanz)

The state of the heavyweight division in boxing is crazy. And it's all Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe's fault. Why those people? Because each one of these fighters let the boxing world down. Tyson got himself arrested for allegedly raping a woman in Indiana, went to prison and came back a different fighter. Riddick Bowe's meltdown was for all to see, his ineptness to not get into shape for fights and his eventual joining of the Marines, dishonorable discharge and his jail sentence would bring back a stuttering Bowe. And speaking of stuttering, Evander Holyfield, one of the people responsible for the fall of Mike Tyson, captured the minds and cheers of many. His battles and willingness to take a punch to give one, may have cost him his faculties to even put together coherent sentences. One thing is for sure if Holyfield was in the children making contest, he would be hands down the number one contender behind Shawn Kemp. Which brings me to the man who really stuck it to the heavyweight division. Lennox Lewis retired from boxing as champion and on his two feet. Unlike the others mentioned, Lewis still has his common sense and not stuttering and stammering to say hello. After his fight with the Vladmir Klitschko in Los Angeles, Lewis ignored the big money thrown at him and exited. He action left the heavyweight division wide arse open with a bunch of no-names and should never be's. I mean someone by the name of Lamon Brewster was a champion. Chris "I only slap box" Byrd was a champion. John "Why They Always Pick Me" Ruiz was a champion. As a matter of fact, out of the three champions, Ruiz was the person to see if you needed to be called former World Champion. Ruiz is responsible for us having to place Roy Jones, Jr., as arguebly one of the greatest boxers in history. Jones beat Ruiz soundly for his portion of the heavyweight title. James Toney, was champion for exactly 48 hours before steroid use stripped him. And Ruiz is responsible for a seven-foot Russian being a champion today.

I don't think this happens with the guys mentioned earlier. I don't think this happens if white and black American athletes who just want to beat people up. Granted Lewis wasn't American and this country didn't accept and appreciate him.

But we sure as hell miss him.