Are the Heavyweights still just dead weight?

A lot of the great storylines in boxing history have been produced from the Heavyweight division. It's undoubtedly the 'glamour division' of the sport; sort of the Quarterback position of boxing, with the other weights being the other positions. Fact is, the big men have always gotten the most attention, throughout the years. It's only now that we have a sort of lull in the Heavyweight division... But I personally don't think it's because the Heavyweights of today are less formidable than any of the past crop. Nah.. It's more because of the fact that there is no real "flash" in the division.

You gotta have an 'it' factor in a great Heavyweight. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound like a Hollywood director who is looking for the next big star. But it's just true. The man has to look the part, and act the part. In the ring there should be drama. Outside of the ring there should be charisma. Holyfield, Tyson, Ali, Foreman, Marciano... These guys (and many other greats) had 'it'. When you looked at Mike Tyson, you expected to see exactly what you got: brutality. Tell me this guy doesn't look like he'd knock you out for charging him 2 cents extra on his bag of Hot Cheetos:

I rest my case.

Now, when I look at the Klitschkos, I see great fighters. Yet, there is nothing there to make me do a double take. Sure, Wlad knocks his opponents out. And I'm not saying that he's not a dominant fighter; he undoubtedly is. But it's the lack of excitement in the ring and charisma outside of it that I'm talking about. As a Heavyweight, you gotta be more than just a sound fighter. You have to generate excitement. Wlad's jab-and-grab style is not whats gonna turn tv set around the world to a Heavyweight match.

Let's be real: People want to watch heavyweights for an entirely different reason than what you'd watch for in the lower weights. Sure, you want skill- but power is foremost. We aren't getting that today. Skill-wise, I think today's top heavyweights are as valid as any other era's, save a few special ones. But in terms of 'star power', we just aren't getting it.

If boxing is gonna be back in the absolute spotlight, we are gonna need some real stars to emerge. 'Nuff said.