Complete the sentence. "2024 is the healthiest boxing has been since... ?" We're getting the top guys in each weight class fighting on a monthly basis, unprecedented stuff. I've been a fan since 2006 and these seems up there with anything I've seen.
Probably since 1999-2000. Before i became a fan. I remember when the up and coming heavyweight being hyped were Calvin Brock and Jameel McCline. Other serious heavyweight contenders included the brilliant Sam Peter and fat James Toney. Jesus. And then Wladamir huggged his way to 10 year reign at heavyweight. The post Hopkins middleweight division was a mess and Mayweather and Pacman couldn't fight each other until both guys were past it. Now we have a wide range of styles. We have genuinely great champs at heavyweight, cruiserweight, two at light heavyweight, a couple at 168, and not to mention Crawford and Loma. Wide range of styles, top fighters coming from a wider range of countries than probably ever before. Yes its never been better in my lifetime. Yet boxing isn't popular with the North American public because of the damage that the 2000's did.
It always ebbs and flows, we had a good spot a few years ago when Joshua emerged and reignited interest in the heavyweight division and we say huge PPV after huge PPV with him and Canelo being the big stars driving the sport forward. That and the influx of huge cash with DAZN made the sport feel like it was on the rise again, but that didn't last, the big fights didn't get made when it counted, when opposing promotional groups started working against one another and then PPV numbers started dropping. But now we have another strong period with money from Saudi Arabia driving it all, with big fights being made again and so yeah this maybe the best period for a long while but then again that might again change very quickly.
