Is boxing a poor man's sport ?

Kind of depends. A bum could get a fist full of 100$ bills for taking a punch or two from a hometown hero. A journeyman fighter could get a few thousand for being an opponent for an up and comer. It's sort of like on a scale in a way. Back in the 80s a decent amateur could make about $40 per round sparring. Pros could get a bit more.

 

You're acting like if boxing is the only profession where people are 'forced' to take health risks in order to pay their bills. What world are you living in?

My dad worked his life in a furniture factory being exposed to chemicals. At 50+, him along most of his old friends from work developed kidney or liver cancer, a few of them terminal. This obviously is no coincidence.

Some employees quit over time, unwilling to put their life at risk. But not all of them could simply quit -- e.g. those with family, those who had bills to pay and houses to pay off. They were were 'trapped', they had to keep on going because they never learned anything else and had to provide for their family.

Boxing is just of one many professions that comes with health risks. It is not the only one. Welcome to the real world.

 

The fact is no one forces them to box.

Most of the lower end guys have jobs on the side anyway. They box to supplement their income,

 

I kind of remember one boxer who worked as a hydroblaster in a refinery and he'd sometimes get paid like 6 grand for a fight. Can't remember his name but that's a decent amount of scratch for a part time job.

 

I remember reading Corrie Sanders was an ex Cop in South Africa -- a country with one of the highest murder rates in the world. After he quit boxing he started a tow truck business. His old buddies from the police stations would call in cars to be impounded.

Sanders said when he showed up he encountered many dangerous situations, with people pulling knives on him or worse when they saw he was about to tow their car. Far more dangerous than getting in the boxing ring with a doctor nearby.

 

It still pays better than MMA :boxing2

 

Are you under the impression that anyone is forced to box?

The risks are wildly known...jeez, just getting punched in the face ONCE is enough to tell you that boxing isnt pleasant.

Whats your alternative? If some guy fights in a local club fight with a few 100 in attendance, how much do you think he should be paid?

 

I consider fighting and boxing just another hazardous occupation, amongst many others. Actually boxing is relatively well paid compared to what people are paid for deadly jobs in countries like Mexico or Eastern Europe.

What do police officers earn in Mexico? $350 a month? What's the murder rate? Drug gangs execute police officers by the dozen over there. And you complain about the health risks of boxers? :rofl

 

Boxing is a working class sport

 

Captain obvious. It's been like that for 150 years. It's never been any different.

It's not golf, it's not tennis.

 

Sorry, I meant NBA and other basketball leagues that aren't nearly as popular.

Edited.

 

yes probably because most pro boxers end up being journeymen