1) It doesn't make logical sense to have 6 boxers have 3 preliminary fights, just in order to eliminate 2 of the fighters from the first round. 2) There will be at least one fighters who will cancel the show before the third round...and then what....they will must look for a replacement. WTF will then happen with the replacement guy, with regards to the points etc.? The only fair and realistically possible tournament in boxing is to have straight elimination process: - have 4 boxers fight first semifinals and than the finals Otherwise things will not work out well.
No-one would have agreed to the format you suggest. Which is why the format we have is better - the fights are actually happening.
Lets see...I am just waiting for it to blow up, because someone will cancel either after the first or after the second round.
I think the only reason why the current format because promoters wanted more fights - more $$$. Same reasoning why UEFA Championship league exist and why NBA has 82 preliminary (read nonimportant) games before the things get serious.
even if it does fall apart after the group stage, i'll still enjoy it while it lasted. your way we get 3 fights to enjoy, this way we get a possible 12 fights (if my math is right).
Well two semifinals and a final isn't a tournament - it's two eliminators and a championship-fight - been there done that The fantastic thing with this tournament is that the winner will have faced 4-5 of the best opponents out there within two years. Normally if you lose, then you are reset and has to start over - unless of course you are a very well establised star - which none these actually are. Let's take Taylor - he is coming of a defeat to face Abraham - loses - normally he would be out of championship fights for awhile - but he'll be facing Ward for the WBA-title next. Win or lose he might very well be fighting for the WBC-title in the next fight. This setup provides us (the fans) with nothing but interesting fights - no Kessler-Perdomo, Ward-Pudwill or Abraham-Oral ... only top fights. It provides the boxers with maximum motivation - it's a new chance every time. And the concept also insures that even if you lose the first two, there is still a chance in the final fight - Lets say both Kessler and Taylor loses next time out - the winner of their fight will still have a chance to go on to the semifinals. Great concept - what boxing needs! That said they really needs to work on the referee/judges part. Taylor was far too much behind versus Abraham on the cards and the german corner clearly knew the score all along. Frochs victory was also questinoble and the headbuts and elbows in the Kessler-Ward fight where Ward wasn't even warned is also not good enough. It simply must be possible to get neutral referees and judges for these fights.
They want more fights because we want more fights - it's a win-win situation! We can never get too many great boxingmatches!!!
