i'm sick and tired.......

...as an aside I'll also add that from talking to him I found out he was a casual boxing fan as well. I just find it funny how there is this huge product out there for UFC to market but, arguably, the better product that is boxing is unable to be marketed in the same way due to all the politics within the sport:-(.

 

I know whats you mean L_W.

Considering the average UFC fan finds the whole 'ground game' boring and hard to understand it is bizarre boxing doesn't appeal to these people.

Sometimes if the fight has gone to the mat and someone hasn't been submitted or TKO'd in about thirty seconds the crowd starts booing the very thing they forked out hundreds of dollars to watch!

The UFC fights that occur standing up are the most well recieved - in fact, maybe these fans that don't like the grappling and submissions should watch a sport where there is only stand up fighting.

Like boxing.

 

As I said before, it's a sign of the times. Sport is business these days and boxing just ain't cool or sexy enough to market itself on its own.

Haye will make waves with his crossover appeal but it's unlikely Froch will get more than half a column buried deep inside pure speculation of football transfer rumours.

Today is all about metrosexual sport tinted with hair creme endorsements.

Sales of HP sauce have decreased since Frank Bruno stopped doing their adverts.

 

:goodIt's all about a product that can be sold to modern yuppies following trends- they've donr a very good job of marketing the 'package' though, as you say, considering when it's own fans are critical when the dudes don't fight each other on their feet! I've personally not seen that as I don't really follow it but it wouldn't suprise me in the slightest.

I agree with that to an extent but the Americans ****ing love him at the moment- bearing in mind these were the same people who said his record was inflated before he beat JT.

 

I'm sick and tired of people blaming the media. It's lazy and it's bull**** (listyen to the number of times people say "they say". 'They' say a lot, don't they?). For a start, media tends to follow rather than lead. Random example, The Sun turned to Blair when his lead was unassailable.

Boxing's at an all-time low because it's poorly marketed, boxers demand too much money for a demand that doesn't exist, and other sports pit the best against each other. Also, people perceive that it shouldn't exist in this day and age. I don't agree, but I understand the argument.

 

Boxing will always be there. It has a long history and tradition. Some legendary moments in the history of sport - good and bad.

The biggest single factor that is to the detriment of the sport is that too many people are in cahoots about matchmaking. The boxers, promoters, belt organisations form little cliques and rinse the TV networks and fans out of as much money as possible and at the same time risking as little as they can until they really have to.

Matchmaking is far too open and unregulated and can obviously be manipulated. Under the UFC banner, fights are very regulated and you sunsequently get better matches on the whole.

 

a fair assessment, though I don't agree that the sport "will always be there", at least in a mainstream sense.

The sport is in a deeper malaise than any of the mainstream west European sports (I put it that way to separate from traditional North American sports) have ever been.

boxing is dying. to all those that hate Khan, he was a massive, massive fillup to the sport with worldwide appeal as a 17-year-old. A helluva lot rests on his shoulders.

Naz nearly did it. If Khan fails as well, I worry.

 

I don't believe it is as bleak as that. The Olympics will always provide a platform to create new stars.

Even if boxing gets overwhelmed by MMA in the short term, I actually believe that it would lead to boxing rebuilding. If MMA becomes say top 3 in the most popular sports in the world, it will create an appreciation of the skills that go into combat sports. I think this will give people a greater appreciation of the skills of a boxer, an amatuer wrestler, a jiu jitsu master, a kickboxer etc.

 

I look at the ams, they're very important.

I can remember back to Seoul, before that is a blur.

Three boxers have captured a worldwide audience in the games since then: RJJ, ODLH and, then finally, Khan. give a lag of about five years after those games (whe those names start to do well professionally), and I think it's fair to argue the sport has fallen since 97. It's about time for Khan to make an impact. I hope he does, he has the talent. But not the chin.

 

Your in denial pal.... Either that or your interest in the sport began around 2005. Yes UFC is dross, and yes boxing is a far superior watch but to claim that the sport hasn't declined is simply factually incorrect.

You add further credance to my argument firstly by picking Pernell Whitiker as a guy you like to watch (inactive for close to ten years) and then highlighting the exact reasons why I (and seemingly you) feel the sport is in decline.

I've studied the sport intensely for the last 15 years. I've read every boxing news from cover to cover and the facts are plain to see. Less world class UK fighters, less household names, devalued area and commonwealth titles, less interest in the British title, less televised shows despite there been 475 more channels.

Seriously its twice you've mentioned me in a thread regarding this. You have your opinion I have mine but mine is based on fact and yours is based on.... ???

 

Jeff, you're back!

 

Btw, I should add that print media, at least, loves boxing. Basic news courses are about fighting conflict in any story, and boxing is usually used as the template.

 

People who attend UFC don't sit through hours off prospect Vs s/o.... simple. UFC is an event that even fans of neither fighter can enjoy. Boxing has too many mismatches and is painful to watch in some instances. Went to a show the other day which was possibly the worst i've ever seen.

 

Yes I have to be careful what i write though... only confirmed rumours and nothing about any promotional outfits. Lol... Funny considering I brought Khan leaving Harrison, fighting Gomez, Gomez-Burns, Barrera-Khan and other bits and bobs to ESB before anyone else knew about them. :deal

I'll save it in future.

 

I must of missed this, what did you get wrong?