HW progress and the expanding talent pool

gmurphy you have some valid points (always good to read a different view from open minded members) The same is
happening with golf. The rest of the world is now dominating post Tiger era. I think its great for boxing and golf as it
makes both sports more exciting.

 

Exactly, and the point I'm making is that boxing for big bodied athletes is nowhere near as attractive now as what it was decades and decades ago. There are plenty of better paying options most would try first.

 

Yes but then the rest of the world can just say that all boxing before 2000 was weak because we didn't care about it at all and because half the world was very restricted in competing professionally

But we don't because we have common sense and I don't agree with this american theory that others sports have stolen all your athletes its a convinent excuse for not doing as well as before.

In ireland are two main sports are hurling and gaelic football, I know for a fact that even in my own area there a numerous guys who were easily good enough to be professional soccer players who didn't go do it and instead stayed playing the amateur sports hurling and Gaelic football.and I thinks its mainly due to infrastructure and tradition. Look at Shane long he only took up soccer at 17 years old and is an international footballer valued at 15 million at least, he only became pro by chance

The big thing for boxing to trive or die is facilities ,funding and infrastructure, america aren't investing in it and its dying, for the first time in history other countries are investing and we are seeing the benefits of it. Any sport that is well funded and kids can see a future in it will trive.

 

They are not my athletes - I'm Australian.

But I can tell you in Australia the main reason we've virtually never had great heavyweights is that our big bodied athletes gravitate to rugby, Australian rules football and basketball. That's not an excuse. Its a fact.

 

I think that's true to a degree but you also have the factor in the availability of boxing gyms and coaches for kids.

To a certain extent boxing is weird in a way you are drawn to to it, kids who like to fight ,want to fight and will end up trying boxing. There's also tons of kids who wouldn't do it if you paid them.

America used to have tons of gyms facilities and funding, there not there know and even famous gyms like knonk are gone.

In ireland and the UK boxing is receiving more funding than ever, boxing clubs are popping up a over the country and kids want to box. Europe will go from strength to strength in boxing as the years go on, so will China and others, the sporting landscape is always changing

 

THE HWCotW....or a titlist.

We STILL have NEVER had a Mexican HW titlist.

20 yrs might be a stretch on having a Chinese HW Champ.

Though it's very well within the realm of possibility that a Chinese man wins a portion of the HW Championship.

But there are gonna be a couple Cuban titlists before we see our first Chinese titilist.
And Ruiz Jr pulled the short straw getting his shot vs Parker.
Had he gone the WBC route, he'd be reigning for a decade with the protection Sulieman would provide.

 

There are no shortage of boxing gyms in Australia - there are an abundance of them. Anyone looking for a boxing gym would have no trouble finding one, and fairly close to where they live.

Boxing has historically thrived in poor areas (ghettos etc) and in poorer times (economic depressions), and that just is not, and virtually never has been, Australia - they don't call it the lucky country for nothing.

 

Its similar in ireland but to a degree boxing clubs are starting to infiltrate GAA clubs in ireland. Guys almost seem to all box in the off season, of they keep up there growth ireland in the future could really improve

 

In Australia, many competitors from other sports use boxing for cross-training. That tends to bump up the numbers in boxing gyms, and probably means we have more of them than we would otherwise as well.

 

Size is a big part of "talent".

 

Which part of Aussie you reside?

 

At times I see professional Rugby and League athletes and think 'what could've been' had they started out boxing at a young age and chose to stay on that path. Theres a lot of rugby and league players that take up a charitable boxing fight that show some real potential. Guys like Paul Gallen whos very athletic and seems passionate about boxing. Lets not forget at a young age, league and rugby is more appealing then getting punched in the head. You got youth who understandably see it as too daunting, bullies who dont want to be found out in the ring and of course the small amount who do and can. Ill add that in New Zealand there are far more numbers to compete with for an All Black jersey than there is for a national boxing title.

 

Melbourne.

 

I'm in

I'm in Sydney, and yes, nobody wants to get punch in the face to earn a living.