The heavyweight division has always served as a barometer for the state of boxing in general; and even though the rational behind the emphasis on the division applied more to the general public than to true boxing enthusiasts, it still holds true today unfortunately.

It’s unfortunate that the heavyweight division carries the casual observer’s opinion of the sport on its shoulders because it detracts attention from amazingly talented and exciting fighters like Manny Pacquiao, Rafael Marquez, Erik Morales, and others of that ilk. It’s also unfortunate because the heavyweight division is a quagmire of mediocrity, the likes of which have never been seen in the history of boxing.

Sadly – and this from one who lived through it – the state of the heavyweight division today makes one long for the likes of Pinklon Thomas, Greg Page, the T&T boys (Tubbs and Tucker), and Tim Witherspoon. At the very least, those fighters were legitimate heavyweights who flashed occasion signs of real talent.

Am I being overly critical? If you think so, read on:

1. Vitali Klitschko: Here is the one true hope of the division, flawed though he may be. Klitschko’s gutsy performances against both Lennox Lewis and Corrie Sanders have erased any questions of his bravery and desire. Klitschko is big, strong and powerful. He’s also hittable, cut-prone, awkward and slow of foot. Nevertheless, he fits our image of a heavyweight, carrying legitimate thunder in his fists and a desire to take out his opponent. All-time HW Rank: C

2. Chris Byrd: Give him props – he’s willing and has top of the line defensive skills. Defensive skills in a heavyweight? Well, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s combined with a strong offense. Ah, there’s the rub. Byrd is a light-hitter, a counter-puncher when at his best, and a mover. Think Eddie Machen rather than Muhammad Ali. Think Jimmy Young rather than Jersey Joe Walcott. Likeable, courageous and boringly harmless. All-time HW Rank: C-

3. John Ruiz: He is a gentleman. Ruiz is one of the nicest individuals you could hope to meet inside or outside the ring. But he should be a poster boy for pacifists. Ruiz would rather wrap you up in a warm embrace than hit you with a wicked right cross. If forced to throw a punch (or even two!), Ruiz has some power but his overall skill level is sadly lacking and his desire to inflict punishment is apparently non-existent. In a better day, Ruiz would not even be considered an opponent, much less a champion or legitimate challenger. All-time HW Rank: D-

4. James Toney: Toney might be one of boxing all-time great middleweights. The man is so talented that he has parlayed his tremendous skills into a ranking among the top heavyweights fighting today. And if that isn’t a condemnation of the division, nothing is. Toney has the ability, at age 35, to give trouble to any heavyweight he meets. How sad is that! James Toney, a brilliantly instinctive middleweight, who has “groan” into a heavyweight, has beaten two big men – cruiserweight Vassiliy Jirov and Evander Holyfield. The Jirov fight was a classic but don’t put too much emphasis on the Holyfield fight. It might be blasphemy to Slander Evander but the truth is, Toney fought an empty shell of a once-great warrior. Frankly, as much as I like Toney, I’d make him an underdog against Andrew Golota – assuming Golota knows what planet he is on when they met in the ring. All-time HW Rank: D

5. Hasim Rahman: There was time when I had hopes for Rahman. He carried a big punch, seemed to want to fight, and had an idea how to use his reach. Now Rahman never had a great chin but he did appear to know how to protect it, while setting up his own power shots. However, since his brutal knockout at the hands of Lennox Lewis, Rahman just doesn’t seem to be the same fighter. Let’s see: lost a TD via the most hideous swollen eye that I’ve ever witnessed in his fight against Holyfield, fought a horrible draw in a fight that both men deserved to lose against David Tua, lost a lopsided and disgusting effort against John Ruiz, couldn’t even stop Al Cole, and finally “rebounded” with big wins over Mario Crawley and Rob Calloway – two opponents who would be underdogs against Laila Ali. All-time HW Rank: D+

6. Lamon Brewster: Yes, he can hit a bit. Yes, he stopped Wladimir Klitschko in a bizarre fight. He was also dropped in the fourth round of that bout and has lost to Charles Shufford and Cliff Etienne. His big win prior to his upset over the fine china-chinned Klitschko - well, you decide among these Bad Boys of Boxing: Nate Jones, Quinn Navarre, Everett Martin, and Garing Lane. All-Time HW Rank: E

7. Monte Barrett: Here’s a ranked heavyweight who seems to have earned his position by losing a majority decision to Joe Mesi and winning a split decision over Dominick Quinn. Prior to adding those credentials to his résumé, Barrett had scored wins over the 105-year old Tim Witherspoon and aforementioned Mario Crawley and an admittedly nice victory over Robert Davis. Barrett has also lost a split decision to Mount Whitaker and been stopped in 7 by Wladimir Klitschko. All-Time HW Rank: D-

8. Andrew Golota: Sorry, boxing fans but I like him. Golota may be one of boxing’s all-time whack jobs but when he’s on his game, Golota is a fine fighter, especially for his size. Yes, he seems to have loved hitting opponents in the nuts early in his career; yes, he switched from an exciting, bombs away style to a more cautious boxing style later in his career, and then there have been all those “incidents” that have become his legacy. But the man can hit, the man can box (possessing an outstanding jab, if you bother to notice) and the man can take a punch – until he runs out of gas or guts or brain cells. Andrew Golota (and, no, I’m not drunk or on mind-altering substances) is the best in the division based on pure talent alone. Unfortunately, you never know if you’re going to be facing Andrew Golota in the ring or his alter-ego, Psychotic Man! All-time HW Rank: C

9. Fres Oquendo: Nice fighter but inconsistent, like almost every heavyweight today, except for the consistently bad. Oquendo looked like he might be a legitimate contender when he went on a roll and stopped Etienne, Obed Sullivan and David Izon back-to-back-to-back. Then, in a pivotal and outstanding fight, Oquendo went out on his shield via a 9th round TKO loss to powerful David Tua. A subsequent unanimous decision loss to Chris Byrd in a snooze fest billed as an IBF title fight (gag) made Oquendo the perfect opponent for an immediate title shot against WBA titleholder John Ruiz! Ruiz won via 11th round TKO in a fight that begged for a mercy-killing after the first two rounds. But Oquendo is still a top ten heavyweight! All-time HW Rank: D

10. Joe Mesi: The latest white hope is now battling for the right to fight, following two debatable wins in which he showed an alarming propensity for suffering debilitating late-round knockdowns. Mesi, still undefeated, always looked like a poor-man’s version of Tommy Morrison at best. And even that description made him a viable fighter in today’s heavyweight scheme. However, after Mesi’s last several fights in which he tasted the canvas late against Monte Barrett and Jirov (who put him down 3 times!), I have to think something is wrong with Mesi. Either he just completely fatigues after six or seven tough rounds or is suffering from physical problems. Punches that have little effect on him early, drop him late. All-time HW Rank: D+/C-

And the rest? Mike Tyson, Jameel McCline, Corrie Sanders, David Tua? Well, what’s there to say about Tyson – still can punch, still can bite, still in debt, all of which equals still fighting when he shouldn’t be; Sanders is rumored to be considering a golfing career; and Tua was pushing 300 pounds at last report and hasn’t been in a ring in over a year.

If the state of the heavyweights was truly the state of boxing, then ring the final bell. Count the sport out. Don’t bother with any standing-eights. Thankfully, as true fight fans know, the heavyweight division is unquestionably the glory division; however, the sports underpinnings continue to hold it up, thanks to the Oscar De la Hoya’s, the Bernard Hopkin’s, the Marco Barrera’s, and the Arturo Gatti’s of the sport.