If we want boxing back on TV, we need to start from the ground up

Ok you start the campaign and I'll post words of encouragement on ESB.

 

2) the British rankings would be a good thing to have but its really neither here nor there where televised boxing is concerned.

 

In principle you're correct. And the reason this situation exists is that boxing is an indivdual sport and individuals within it perceive their own short term interests to be best served that way.

Unfortunately, that also shows us the reason why it can't be fixed. Of course boxing would be better for the fans if there were one world title. But it wouldn't be better for the boxers - they'd get paid less. So, if you waved a magic wand today and made all the existing abc belts merge into one, all that would happen tomorrow is that someone would set another one up. It's very easy to envisage a much more tv friendly set up for boxing, much less easy to get to there from the current set up.

 

Rob, although this is a worthy cause, I think the ABCs have dug their way in so deep now that the only way we'll see the end of them is if they go bust. Let's face it, they are almost synonymous with boxing. I'm more of the opinion that the Ring title should be promoted as the genuine world title; the BBC, Sky and ITV don't recognise it at this point in time. Obviously it has it's flaws but, IMO, the benefits of promoting it as the legitimate world title outweigh the negatives. To see SBO promoting Hatton-Lazcano et al as 'IBO world title' fights really sums up the alphabet mess. Setanta always mentioned it through their various outlets and HBO are pushing it as the genuine world title as well.

As for the BBBofC, although I was hugely suprised when this was first mentioned a while ago, I also see no reason why it will change any time soon, TBH. As Gaz has said above, 1) what's in it for the BBBofC & 2) TV Networks?

 

The alphabet titles here to stay, I agree with Losfer that we way I personally rank fights/ titles is first ask "Is it for the Ring/ lineal title (usually the same thing)?" then ask "Is it a good fight?".

Thats it. Forget about the belts, if its not lineal then forget about the WBC, WBO, IBO or whatever and just enjoy the fight for what it is.

 

I was thinking the other day how in the 50's TV was blamed for the death of boxing, fast forward nearly 60 years and TV is needed to save boxing, funny really

 

The Super Six is offering genuine world class fights, so where is the TV interest?

The alphabet belts are an impediment, but it is too simplistic to suggest that if you change that, the TV money will flow.

 

Also maybe the amount of money thats involved in the sport is detrimentle (spelling??)
So many people take big cuts from the tv money that its simply too expensive to buy the fights. Hence the reason PPV happens, it guarentees next too no cost to the tv company, and the fighters, promoters etc make there cash audience based. PPV internet streams is probabl;y the future, unfortunately

This isnt gospel, just theory

 

There's lots of tv interest. Showtime are really going to town on it in the US. In Denmark Kessler's fights will be on PPV, his warm up against Perdomo was on network tv and got a massive 73% of the watching audience. ARD are showing fights in Germany and will get big numbers.

In the UK there were at least three broadcasters interested in showing the event. Mick Hennessy managed not to sell it to any of them.

 

Boxing has never been like that though. Champions have taken easy defences in with the tough ones since the start of the sport.

 

Froch needs to lose that fat pig hennessey!!!