debate starter? :)

Mass Debate? I think its getting healthier, but we need to see these big fights, Cotto v Mayweather bein the prime example. But theres always gonna be some who hark back to the 'good ole days' regardless.

 

Boxing will never get back to the 'good old days' while it has all these champs. Its hard enough for the hardcore fans to follow let alone the casual sports fan (who are the guys boxing must attract).

 

It seems like Boxing gets a step forward then a step back.

It lacks the mass media exposure needed to get things going again...not to mention it needs to let the fans pick the stars instead of forcing the stars on the fans.

 

Call me selfish, but I enjoy boxing being a niche sport. If it became popular again, it would almost feel like that song you unearthed ages ago, that suddenly hits the charts and every zit ridden teenage douchebag has it on their iPod

If I want to talk sport at the bar with my mates, I'll talk football. It's enough to have a few mainstream boxers, like Khan, Hatton, Mayweather and De La Hoya

 

Where popularity is concerned this isn't a golden era, non-boxing fans very rarely talk about upcoming fights or potential match-ups. If you are fine with that then good, I'd prefer otherwise though.

 

From a media perspective, Boxing has regressed in a sense, its not like the days of Sugar Ray and Ali or Tyson. But like McGrain said, why should we give a ****, its the boxers and their legacies im interested in, not how many of the average joes in the street know about Gamboa's next bout, or what they think of the state of the HW division. In a perfect world, everyone on the street would be talking about cotto v Margo etc but that aint happening, and it will take a superstar to change it, or at least a massive effort by the people concerned to promote boxing (More terrestrial tv boxing please???)

From the perspective of mathmaking etc I think we have seen some great fights over the last 2 years, but that being said, we have also been denied, for whatever reason, some good matchups. Blame Promoters, TV companies, the fighters, whatever, it does sometimes feel like we are getting shafted. Plus, I hate it when one of the so called biggest stars in the fight game, fights but once or twice a year! 3 minumum for me.

Despite all the ****, which you get with all sports, I think boxing is healthy, its not perfect, but what sport is?? The great thing with boxing, is that there is usually another bout just round the corner, and more often than not, its a good one, expected or surprisingly, so for me, Im just looking forward to the next bout!

 

Maybe these big fights would come off with more frequency if there was more general interest in them?

 

i believe boxing should make a distinction on which sanctioning body holds the most weight.They should eliminate the fact that all belts are perceived equal makes us view fighters as greater than they are. what the main media could do is .post a universally recognized top 100 of each weight class in the back of the paper. This would add to name recognition long before guys are prospects. and we can see the ranks of all fighters .the champ would have more pressure to fight legitimate number 1 contender

 

not as bad as people make it out to be imo. sure it's gone down a lot in terms of mainstream media coverage, but there is still a very solid following. the internet has been such a boost for the sport. also as long as we still have fighters who operate at high levels, thats enough for me.

 

Boxing doesn't have the same number of quality athletes that all other pro sports do. As a matter of fact, they have nowhere near. It doesn't get exposed to the public, and when it does, the public could care less. There is no qualifications to be a pro boxer, so anyone willing can become one. Anyone that is a pro can also be interviewed, write a story, whatever...and the same old people read it and see it. It means nothing. If The Sporting News, TIME Magazine, or one of those publications were writing it, different story. They're not though.
Pugilistic dementia happens in different ways. It's not always slurring speach or shaking. Sometimes people get dillusional.