Anybody Here a Fan of Boxing?

[Cowutopia]

Well, MMA is easier and cheaper to follow, on the whole, with lots of programming on basic cable. It's pretty brutal, and some matches are very quick with submissions...generally I prefer to watch Boxing, but it's impossible to watch any worthwhile match (if they even set up any worthwhile matches) without paying through the nose. Fuck that.

[Kidnemo]

I like boxing and it bums me out to see the shape it's in.

However I prefer watching MMA so I guess it's okay.

Boxing has a lot of work to do if it wants to really clean up it's image, increase fan awareness (and interest) and shake the general feeling of corruption that people feel about it.

[Gooch]

I still don't get that. If all you care about on this subject is your opinion, then why are you reading or responding to anyone else's? That makes no sense.

It's a message board. What else am I supposed to do? It doesn't mean that I care. Half the shit I read and respond to I don't give a shit about. It doesn't affect how I feel about the subject.

I didn't get the idea, at all, that you had a problem with the sport.

I acknowledge that there are problems and that there are valid reasons why people would be turned off by it. If I didn't like the sport so much the business end of it would definitely repulse me.

It's just really disappointing to see the sport in the shape that it's in. Look at the MMA thread on these boards with 2000+ replies and genuine interest in who is fighting whom. Boxing used to be like that and you can support PPV's all you want but the sport is going to eventually die if they don't unite and make it accessible in some fashion to average people.

It's the same group of guys in the MMA thread, with occassional run-ins by some WWE fans. Again, aside from TUF and WEC, which casual fans haven't exactly flocked to, how is MMA more accessible than boxing? You pay $10 less for a PPV and that makes it so? MMA is more marketable, specifically the UFC. The others organizations, even quality orgs, have failed in some form or another. And who did the UFC ride to its popularity? White guys who other drunk white guys could relate to. I don't see them playing Dream PPVs at bars and charging $10 cover. Other upstart organizations are starting to see that maybe Dana is right and it's fans of the UFC moreso than fans of MMA. My reference to fans alludes to mainstream fans that will enable an organization to financially thrive, not dedicated fans that would watch IFL matches.

By the way, I think TUF was a genius idea.

Boxing is down partially because it's best fighters are either in the lighter weight classes and/or don't speak English. The business end is a clusterfuck and that is a weight on the sport's shoulders.

In any case, what I did care about was getting more posts going in this thread.

[Glass Joe]

De La Hoya should be ashamed of himself. You lose by decision after a 12 round war or you go out on your ass. When one punch can change the outcome of a fight you better keep going until you can't go anymore. He was clearly getting beat but there was no fucking reason to give up. What a fucking bitch move that was. I've always been a fan of his but I find this to be inexcusable.

[Gooch]

Dude, he was getting fucked up bad. Pac Man was going to town, De La Hoya was shot, he couldn't throw punches, it was no contest. The ref almost called it that last round and said he would if the same happened in the upcoming round. His corner considered calling the fight the prior round. Didn't you hear his corner? They said we're going to call it now, it's out of your hands, he then nodded in agreement because the fight was done. To be honest with you, I thought Pac Man would TKO Oscar in 6 and it almost happened.

Pac Man is going to knock Hatton the fuck out and Floyd if he takes the fight. I would love to see Pac Man vs. Cotto, but don't know if that will ever happen.

[Glass Joe]

I don't care. If you are a fighter you go out swinging or by decision. There is no other option. If that's too rough for you, maybe you should look into knitting for a career instead.

[Kidnemo]

I don't care. If you are a fighter you go out swinging or by decision.

Boxer. Not fighter.

[Glass Joe]

Boxer. Not fighter.

Sorry, I came up watching from the late 70s to the mid 80s when boxers were fighters. With people throwing in the towel early and guys like Floyd Mayweather jr. running from the fight all night and getting praised for it, I can see why you separate the two of them.

[haohmaru]

Hector Macho Camacho and Pernell Whittaker come to mind (re: Mayweather Jr.)

And, Gooch, I'm not really into MMA, but I've seen it on Spike, VS, etc... and it builds up fighters to get to that PPV level. Boxing is relegated to a few premium channels (HBO/SHO) and, what, ESPN? I think even USA has gotten out of the picture.

[Gooch]

Sorry, I came up watching from the late 70s to the mid 80s when boxers were fighters.

Just like Roberto "No mas" Duran, right? Oh, I guess that would refute the point you were trying to make. That was in November 1980.

The PPV numbers came in and the De La Hoya - Pacquiao fight netted 1.25 million buys, which is half of what I recall the Mayweather PPV netting. Lower than I anticipated, but I'm not shocked.

Today's quotes from Joe Calzaghe:

LONDON -- Joe Calzaghe believes boxing is on the ropes, with too many champions and few real stars.

Still weighing whether he'll retire after beating Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. this year to remain unbeaten in 46 fights, Calzaghe said Wednesday he was glad he was almost on the way out of the sport instead of just starting out.

"I think boxing is a dying sport. Globally -- in America for instance -- you've got UFC, which has taken a lot off boxing, business-wise," Calzaghe said, referring to the mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The Welshman who held the WBO super middleweight world title for more than 10 years before moving up to light heavyweight to fight Hopkins and Jones also said boxing has its own problems.

"There is too much politics in boxing, too many belts and too many champions, which dilutes real champions like myself," he said. "There are four world champions in each division and it's bad because there are no stars any more. It's a big problem."

Calzaghe also noted that the United States won only one medal at the Beijing Games -- a bronze by heavyweight Deontay Wilder -- which points to a grim future for American boxing.

"America only had one medalist in the Olympics this year," Calzaghe said. "In Britain, we did pretty good, but I'm glad I'm ending my career and not starting it because I don't think it's going to be that great in the future."

It is what it is.