Just read that. I’ve mentioned on here numerous times that whilst we have may have got one or 2 fights we wouldn’t usually thanks to Saudi, they’ll have a long-lasting damaging effect on boxing for years to come.
Credit to Saudi for Bivol v Beterbiev (x2) as an example but there has to be both a limit and a reality check. Fighters want (1) more money than they are worth (2) fight more than 1 or 2 times a year to earn that wealth you think you're owed. Jan - Dec Timeline. Jan - March - 12 week camp. April 1st week - Fight. Rest of April - Three Week Holiday (Wife/GF/Kids) May - July - 12 week camp August 1st week - Fight. Rest of August - 2nd Three Week Holiday (School Holidays) Sept - Nov - 12 week camp. Dec 1st week - Fight. Rest of Dec - enjoy Christmas / New Year / Holiday. What is so difficult about this? A decent Work / Family balance. 9 weeks off. I get 6 weeks off after 36 years in the job!!
The top promoters have to take some responsibility for this. Just the disrespect and at times distain they have shown to the classic route and lesser titles has had a knock on effect also. Fans see small hall as conference league boxing.
It sticks in the throat when Hearn was the darling of podcasts back in lockdown talking about how small halls would be decimated - whilst holding a profitable show in his dad's garden for the TV. Warren followed suit moaning at other sports getting big funding while grass roots boxing got nothing. I remember Hearn Sr once saying he ran 40 shows in a year for Screen Sport, running at a loss, in order to flesh out a stable - one of Eubank's most famous knockouts came in those shows. Changed days.
All Steve Wood has ever done is moan about this subject. I don't know why he even bothers to do it as a 'hobby', if it's losing him so much money and making him be so negative about it for so long. He's been in the game a long time, and never had a TV deal (to my knowledge), so it's unlikely he's ever going to get one.
I use to go alot of the midlands shows. Was £30 a ticket with at least 1x 10 rounder area or masters title fight. Went to multiple shows with 2 or 3 title fights on. But now it's £40-50 with a 6- 8 round top of the bill against a journeyman. Just can't justify spending the money on these shows.
Hearn in particular has mocked small hall shows for years in interviews, which obviously gives his loafer wearing sniffing followers an instant reason to dismiss such shows Funny how Hearn has had to use smaller venues at times in the UK recently I mean I'm all for it but listening to him all of a sudden big up York Hall and the likes is amusing
The stadium fight killed it. During the start of the ‘boom’ there were plenty of nights on Sky and Boxnation at smaller halls. Maybe not talking leisure centres but likes of York Hall, Liverpool Olympia, Blackpool Winter Gardens with Brian Rose etc. Howard Foster in the 9th at the MEN in November 2013 and them judges throughout the Olympics who aided Joshua have a massive amount to answer for. It all came together perfectly for Hearn. Made him realise how easily he could spin things to get fights at massive venues. Warren followed, haha, I think his first one was at Stevenage FC but fair dos as most on here were constantly speaking about him being finished and retiring. When the boom finished and all the talented/interesting lads went away in an ideal world the shows would have went back to the smaller venues. Saudi came and spoiled it. I said as soon as the tea towel head turned up it was bad news.
Stadium fights have become the go to for local tickets sellers now, haven't ever been to one myself but always thought the view would be crap unless you had the unfairly expensive floor seats. I'm sure some here will have been to a stadium fight and can confirm this
There are too many small shows and they're almost all at the weekend. When you have two, sometimes three, shows within a ten mile radius on a Saturday night when there's a big fight on TV attendances are bound to suffer. It also doesn't help to have eight 4 or 6x3s where the away fighter hardly wins a round all night.
Yeah they really ain't all that Overpriced and mostly bad views I been to a couple of AJ ones where I got free tickets from work and I bought tickets for Haye and Chisora Never again
Been to a few and the only decent view is inner Ringside on the pitch - stay away from the pitch if not as fooks are standing up on seats etc with the people behind watching on ringside screens. The tiered stands are not too bad near half way line except high in the clouds. Compared to an arena whether Manchester, O2 or Scottish Hydro - it is garbage.
Another issue is that whilst boxing was the ‘in’ thing for a few years, those things only ever last a few years. Those same people who used to love belting out Sweet Caroline are now off watching darts. In a few years they’ll be doing something else.