Did Flintoff degrade pro boxing?

[iceferg]

Yay or Nay?

[thistle1]

NO, Pro Boxing has been degrading it's self for years now!!!

[Michael300]

Absolutely not.

The documentary on Sky showed just how hard he had to train for eight minutes in the ring, and he has frequently said not only is the hardest thing he has ever done it his proudest personal achievement.

The publicity since the fight has been tremendous, on the main headlines of the BBC news......... when was the last time that happened?!

After all the negativity of Haye Chisora its good to see a story that doesn't degrade the sport IMO.

I think the whole exercise ultimately showed just how dedicated boxers have to be and it hopefully introduced a fair few new fans to its charms

[big moose]

No, his obvious awfulness showed just how much skill even a journeyman has - an ex-international sportsman, in the best physical shape of his life, 6 months dedication and training from experts... and he still looked utterly at sea.

[moorser]

no but it felt like it

[GazOC]

No. If anything he showed just how hard it is to be a pro boxer.

[sniffmybadger]

I think it just underlined the skill and dedication it takes to be professional boxer

[Pecsaetan]

I think the best thing that came from it was at least it meant that a few proper boxers got a payday before Christmas that they wouldn't have otherwise got.

[SkillspayBills]

More embarrassing then degrading IMO.

[TBooze]

Boxing always has had popular, for lack of a better phrase 'freak shows'.

Flintoff is filling the void left by the likes of Butterbean and Christy Martin in the 1990's, and Ali's girl in the earlier part of this Century.

[doug.ie]

yes and no.

so...i suppose that means yes.


no... no problem with the publicity, the sky documentary or even him been given a pro license and having a go....he worked hard, so fair play.

yes... to have seasoned pro's at a good domestic level play undercard to that was selling the sport in a cheap and degrading way....and although others dont agree, i have seen yet another change in barry mcguigan, who i would never have thought would have done this...use someone like flintoff to get his promotional company involved in a big event...mcguigan is the very man, the spokesperson for boxing, who would be very vocal in his disapproval if anyone else had done that.

[thistle1]

Originally Posted by doug.ie

yes and no.

so...i suppose that means yes.


no... no problem with the publicity, the sky documentary or even him been given a pro license and having a go....he worked hard, so fair play.

yes... to have seasoned pro's at a good domestic level play undercard to that was selling the sport in a cheap and degrading way....and although others dont agree, i have seen yet another change in barry mcguigan, who i would never have thought would have done this...use someone like flintoff to get his promotional company involved in a big event...mcguigan is the very man, the spokesperson for boxing, who would be very vocal in his disapproval if anyone else had done that.

True.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by doug.ie

yes and no.

so...i suppose that means yes.


no... no problem with the publicity, the sky documentary or even him been given a pro license and having a go....he worked hard, so fair play.

yes... to have seasoned pro's at a good domestic level play undercard to that was selling the sport in a cheap and degrading way....and although others dont agree, i have seen yet another change in barry mcguigan, who i would never have thought would have done this...use someone like flintoff to get his promotional company involved in a big event...mcguigan is the very man, the spokesperson for boxing, who would be very vocal in his disapproval if anyone else had done that.

Spot on Doug, that is exactly how I see it. And to add to that, pro boxing has been degrading itself for years.

[GazOC]

To be fair Doug, like Pac says, those pros on the undercard got a payday just prior to Xmas. So no harm done in that respect IMHO.

Boxing has always had these "freak shows" and Fridays card wasn't that bad all in all.

[doug.ie]

Originally Posted by GazOC

To be fair Doug, like Pac says, those pros on the undercard got a payday just prior to Xmas. So no harm done in that respect IMHO.

Boxing has always had these "freak shows" and Fridays card wasn't that bad all in all.

yes...boxing has been degrading itself for years.

and to the above quote....how far can you bring that idea, that pro's got a payday so no harm done ??....at what price ??.....should british title contenders fight on the undercard to celebrity wrestlers having boxing matches?...before darts players having a go ??...how far can you bring it before you finally say that it is making a professional sport look silly ?

boxing, and these promoters, in my opinion, can't do a lot else to harm the sport...every stunt and trick has been pulled at this stage.....set up's??...they don't even try to hide things like that any more, it's all made very obvious and put out in front of us.

i know others dont agree with me, and fair play to those that dont, but have your own opinion and i'll figure out mine too....not even the mob in what is generally regarded as the most corrupt stages of boxing history would have tried to get away with some of the shit they pull today