Does anyone actually think Khan getting chinned and dropping all of Sports Networks proverbial Eggs all over the proverbial floor might be the best thing that could have happened for the sport in the long run. The school yard bully promotional outfit; who don't like fans to speak their mind have had a shocker of a year and I can't help but think their relative absence next season might allow some of the less well known promotional outfits to rise to the fore. The '0' Boxing in its hey-day was never about the '0' the way it is now... It was about providing the fans with entertainment and the '0' was an unessasary by product that was eventually utilised as a promotional tool but not a necessity. By embracing the '0' and allowing it to become the basis of 99% of their promotional material they have in essence shot themselves in the foot with no '0's amongst any of their fighters approaching international class. If Sports Network had insisted on competitive match-making, value for money and classic titles they would have been able to fall back on a sincere and loyal fanbase who had been used to watching the domestic title clashes with the occasional fighter '0' ing their way to world class. Instead by boring the **** out of everyone on there 13 fight 'value for money' snooze-fests they have pissed off all the hard core fans like you and me and all they have left is armchair fans who like the '0' regardless of whose in the other corner. Their problem is theres no '0's to sell, at least none anywhere approaching world class. There was a time when Sports Network largely focussed on the grass roots of the game. They promoted the likes of Ensley Bingham, Carl Thompson, Paul Burke and various other talented, exciting domestic performers- and there wasn't an '0' in sight. The Future Its time that the oweness became about exciting fights not mismatches against unknown foreign opposition where theres no bar to judge how good or bad someone is- in essence pointless matchmaking. My message to all promoters right now is get out your dusters and mr muscle; get in touch with the area councils, and polish those domestic titles that provided the foundation for our great sport for so many years. Boxing has got to change.... I predicted many posts ago that this day was coming, where the way the sport was run would need desperate change. And here we are:
nice post jeff, could not agree with you more to be honest, especially about the "0" situation, and yes you may be right, it will certainly make things interesting this year.
The truth is people are lazy now; we with a click of a button, you can find out the pro record of virtually any fighter; there is no Azumah Nelson (where did he come from?) anymore. You can get away with being a fan without ever reading a book on the sport or even going to a show, if you have a computer and SKY. Back in the day you would not of seen Amir Khan fight live until he was ready. Boxing has been slowly going down hill since Lennox Lewis (and the mental midget) started this watch me develop warts and all, from (virtually) day one. If you wanted to see a prospect 20 years ago, you went to see them fight or sometimes you were lucky enough to see them on seconds out. You did not see them top a £16 pay per view show.
I think this sums up the state of British boxing. Sing along if you want. I will. [yt]RAUas08lGuE[/yt] :| :| :| :|
i agree with some points,but you have got to remember,boxing would not be where it is today if not for tv,fighters would not be getting paid as much if not for tv. Not everyone can travel to shows,except maybe in there own towns,but small hall shows are few and far between now. I think now if you go to a lot of am clubs,boxing seems to be on the up,people are taking a intrest in our beloved sport again,local papers seem to be reporting on it again,maybe more shows will come to our towns again,where we can see good prospects ps best 15 quid ive spent on sat night
