We're all here on classic for obvious reasons, but what's your Opinion on TODAY'S boxing? As compared to say, the 1980 s - early 2000 s for example?
The biggest "issue" is the HW division. Lower weight classes are still full of decent talent. I'm not saying Canelo would have won a title in the 80s, but he'd have been competitive. It wouldn't look something like sending in AJ against Lewis where the difference in talent and ability would be striking. That kind of thing. And as to the HW's, eh, the division's talent isn't deep and I see no ATG's, but Fury and Usyk would be competitive in any HW division and Wilder would always be dangerous.
Even allowing for the rose tinted nostalgia syndrome - everything's better when we were young etc. - boxing was much better on the whole twenty or more years ago. It was a mainstream sport at one time whereas now it's a niche one. More talent on the whole yesterday than today.
Those chumps won't fight each other. They have to let it "marinate". Floyd "marinated" the decline of boxing.
When I think of boxing, say back in the late 80 s for example, I actually think it was more respected in a way. Sports writers seemed to actually tell you something about the participants, the story s behind them. I just don't seem to get that as much now Stevie. Think you got it, it's not a mainstream sport now.
They’re weak because they don’t fight each other. How can we say so and so is good when In most divisions they avoid the best at all times
The politics have made a mess of it, but there are still great fighters out there, who we are lucky to have lived through the eras of. This is actually part of the history of boxing, that we just happen to be living through.
I agree with you all. And yet we are all bitching about problems that our fathers did when bemoaning the 80s and 90s, while talking about all that was great about the 70s and 60s; which their fathers bemoan while talking all about…..
It's devolving & it's not hard to figure out why. The general theme is to avoid the best available competition. If Novak Djokovic was able to just play challenger level opponents his whole career would he have become the player he is? Of course not.
With the exceptions of Fury and Bivol, I don't follow it at all. I'm just not interested in the sport too much anymore.