|
VINCENNES REVEALS:
"JUNIOR" HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
"WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN"
Friday 31 May 2002
Speaking live on SportsCenter from the site of tonight's HBF fight card, Indiana's Hammond Civic Center, federation president Michael Vincennes has surprisingly revealed that a Junior-Heavyweight division will, in the long term, "definitely happen".
"It's something that I've discussed at length with my associates in the federation," said Vincennes. "And although there are no plans to bring it in immediately, we are looking at some time in the second half of 2004, after our initial tournaments are all complete. There's been this belief that the HBF is not interested in expanding our sport, a belief I've always denied. As you know, our current minimum weight limit is 180 pounds. In the IBL, they've set the maximum Light-Heavyweight limit as 175 pounds, as it is in the amateur ranks. Our plan would be to raise the Heavyweight minimum to 190 and slot a Junior-Heavyweight division in between."
Vincennes was asked if this was something that had been discussed with IBL Chief Director James Molk.
"No, it wasn't," replied Vincennes. "As I said in the past, the only request I put to Mr. Molk and his organisation was that they stay below 180 pounds. Now, they could have made the limit for their Light-Heavyweight division 180 and we would not have complained. But I think they kept it at 175 with the idea in mind that some day they would swallow up the Heavyweight Boxing Federation and make the exact move that I have outlined today. I don't plan on letting that happen any time soon."
The federation president went on to mention that he believes a Junior-Heavyweight division would benefit some of the boxers in the HBF who are at something of a disadvantage when the heavier fighters in the division are taken into account.
"There is definitely a place for this," he said. "Looking at the weight ranges in the lower divisions of the IBL, it makes sense. It's clear that some of our competitor's natural fighting weight is not suited to the Heavyweight division. Some of them are only just weighing in above the minimum and I've been told that in some cases they've had to make concerted efforts to do so."
(to be continued)
|