"COUNT ME OUT, OK?" By George Elsasser

As I recall, it started as more of a whisper during a pause in the action … and at the time I paid it no mind. This Maxie-Boy brainstorm … about the today heavyweight not being your daddy's heavyweight.

But then it picked up in momentum, became something of a weekly fite filibuster, with Max speaking for the entire fraternity of boxing fans … and what is he touting, you ask … a restructuring of the heavyweight division … wants to splinter the big guys into separate groups. Those under 230 will be recognized as heavyweights … and the over 230 gang will be seen as Super Heavyweights.

And it returned me to a time not all that long ago … the year was 1980 - and the then purveyors of pugilism collectively cooked up what they thought was a gem of an idea - enter the Cruiserweight division …the sell was a safety move to protect fighters caught in a pugilistic trick bag … too big to make 175 and too small to wage battle with the heavyweights.

Excluding Evander Holyfield, who claimed WBA title in 1986, IBF belt in 1987, WBC bauble in 1988 - what we pretty much have gotten over these past 23 years is a collection of blown up light heavies and under-achieving heavyweights.

Think about it … topping the charts at this writing: Braithwaite (WBC), Mormeck (WBA), Jirov (IBF) Nelson (not Willie) (WBO) … and how would you bet were they sharing the ring with Roy Jr., Antonio Tarver, Dariusz Michalczweski, for starters?

Now back to Maxie-Boy and his Super Heavyweight thing … his March 7 ESPN web site contribution shouts Lewis should be recognized as Super Heavy champ and defend against best Super Heavy contender Wladimir Klitschko - yes, that Wlad Klitschko.

I won't bring up what happens the nite following the Maxie pitch for the oversized gang's numero uno guy … but when he offers the opinion the heavy division is splintering naturally, and tops it by saying the boxing public wants to know who deserves heavyweight championship recognition - as opposed to Super Heavyweight champion … he loses me completely.

All this from an expert that once saw Judah in a laugher over Tszyu … better yet, rated Saccharine Shane Mosley so high that he was on a whole different planet … and today wants Roy Jones, Jr. to wear a Superman label.

Well … maybe we agree on one thing … that Superman at 195 pounds would be too much for that entire over-230 fraternity.

On that note Maxie-Boy, count me out!

Semper fi,