Anyone depressed about the apparently bleak year ahead?

Utterly pointless thread.

How many years have you followed the sport?

There is always a winter lull, and other than big HBO PPV hoopla events that get the full 24/7 treatment bouts are rarely signed & scheduled more than a few months in advance.

We won't have any idea - any idea whatsoever - what kind of year 2011 will be in terms of boxing until about halfway through it...spring at the very earliest.

It ALWAYS looks bleak in December/January. EVERY year.

 

My point is, when have you ever had a crystal ball showing you too far ahead into the coming year before last calendar page has even turned on the current one?

Please, tell me one single year where it's been December 28th and there have been dozens of important fights lined up (official, not rumored) for months to come?

January is almost always slow. Right now we've got Shumenov-Braehmer and Bradley-Alexander and not much else as far as intriguing title fights. February so far just has Montiel-Donaire but in the coming weeks as promoters and matchmakers come out of holiday hibernation and get back to work that will change in a hurry. Once you get into March and beyond there is no way of knowing what we'll see as boxing just doesn't work that way. Very few boxers have their dates set more than a few months in advance. One of those very few - Pacquiao - has his next date set in May.

 

I'm actually quite optimistic about the year ahead. A lot of good, potential matchups out there to be made as well as good young talent in divisions such as BW, JWW, JMW, SMW, etc

 

Its way too soon, the holidays always have a quiet period in boxing.

Promoters look for spring to sell tickets.

 

This is a far more succinctly put version of what I've been saying. :yep

 

Are you serious?

S6 winner decided, possible Bute vs. S6 winner for the ring title bout
Donaire-Montiel
Klitschko(s)-Haye
Khan vs. Bradley-Alexander winner for ring title 140
Pascal-Dawson II/Pascal-Hopkins II
JMM vs. LWs
Gamboa, Hasegawa, John, Lopez, Rojas fights
Nishioka-Vasquez Jr?
Agbeko-Mares winner vs. Donaire Montiel winner


and many many others are SOME possibilities for this year

 

Don't forget Darchinyan-Perez for the tourny bronze! That should be a scorcher, too.

 

I agree, and said as much earlier today. Even if a bunch of fights get made, January through March still looks pretty empty.

 

See, I can't even think of enough possible bouts. I'm personally getting ready for Daiki vs. Pong: Kameda's Revenge

And hell those are just better names in the sport. There are tons of prospects out there with lots of options, it's just a matter of time. The quicker boxing moves on from waiting for PBF-Pac to the bouts that could be, the better off the sport will be. Fighters, promotors, and fans.

 

you're absolutly right

boxing is dieing

 

no one gives a **** about any of these fights

boxing is a dieing sport, and thats very sad

 

2010 turned out alright despite none of the big 4 I was anticipating this year happening:

Pac v May
Wlad v Haye
Alexander v Bradley
Dirrell v Ward

At least now for 2011 one of those looks concrete to happen, that's in January. Wlad v Haye is looking more promising. And then we'll have other top matchups we don't know about.

Then there's the prospect of matchups like Khan v Bradley/Alexander. Froch v Ward.

I reckon 2011 will be even better than 2010.